AWESOME TALES # 1
Editor Rich Harvey
As regular readers of this column know, ever once in a while
we will look at publications other than your typical pulp novel or
anthology. In the past we’ve
occasionally cocked a critical eye towards graphic novels or, when applicable,
magazines devoted to pulp fiction. Of
course the number of such periodicals is almost non-existence since the demise
of Pro Se Productions excellent magazine series, Pro Se Presents. Obviously producing magazines has its own
unique challenges the average New Pulp publisher would rather avoid altogether.
Thus there was no way we weren’t going to talk about Rich
Harvey’s new venture, AWESOME TALES. The
first issue is a slim affair with only three stories, two featuring female pulp
heroes and a third revolving around office politics in the Pentagon that was
clearly added as filler material.
Whereas we rarely mention art or packaging in our regular
reviews, this format demands we do so.
It is the highlight of the issue, as Harvey designs an iconic pulp cover around
artist Ed Coutts art that has both the Domino Lady and Wicca Girl squaring off
against a Nazi femme fatale. The
interior of the issue is also well laid out and we liked that Harvey mixed Coutts original art with some
original Domino Lady illustrations from her earlier pulp appearances.
We only wish the stories were up to the quality of the
packaging. “Pretenders to the Throne,”
by Harvey,
teams Domino Lady and Wicca Girl as they take on the job of protecting the
British Crown Jewels from Nazis agents working for Hitler. Even though there is plenty of action here,
Domino Lady was always meant to be a crime-fighting character that used her
sexuality as a weapon. Sure, there’s
plenty of overt titillation here, but there are also elements of fantasy magic
and that derailed our enjoyment.
Magic is the Wicca Girl’s forte and that is proven readily
enough in the “The Warlock Murders,” by her creator, R. Allen Leider in which
he has her hunting down a 300 year old serial killer for Scotland Yard. This was our favorite of the stories in this
premier issue. We already mentioned the
short-short in the middle, “The Seven Pictures” which is really and odd piece
that might have worked better in a twisted issue of “True Confessions.”
In the end, “AWESOME TALES” is a good looking pulp magazine
and we’re happy its here. Our fervent
hope is the quality of the contents will improve with succeeding issue.
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