ALL PULP PAGES

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE Vol 1



 
AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS
Presents
THE PHANTOM DETECTIVE Vol One.

High atop the Clarion Tower, a blinking red light begins to pulse signaling one of New York City’s most illustrious, vigilante heroes, the Phantom Detective.  In reality, he is Curtis Van Loan, a debonair playboy millionaire well known in the society columns of all the major dailies. What is hidden from the public is Van Loan’s dedication to law and order. A decorated combat pilot during World War I, he is an expert fencer, ju-jitsu master and speaks a dozen foreign tongues fluently.

Hidden in his Park Avenue penthouse is a secret closet in which are found clothing of all descriptions and sizes.  Along the wall are weapons; automatic rifles, sub-machine guns. There is also a miniature lab along with an extensive make-up kit that allows him to don different faces as his mission requires.  Forget the silly Top Hat featured on the old pulp covers, while in action the Phantom Detective wore a belted topcoat, a fedora and black domino mask. He carried a .45 automatic and a hidden knife in his left sleeve.

“The Phantom Detective was another of those great B characters,” offers Airship 27 Productions Managing Editor, Ron Fortier. “His were more straight forward detective tales.  Unlike the other masked avengers, he had no supernatural abilities and relied on his wits to solve the crimes he tackled from month to month.”

One of the hallmarks of the Phantom Detective pulp magazine were its popular “giant head” composition covers wherein smaller figures were depicted n the lower foreground  while behind them was the looming giant head of the hero in his mask and trademark top hat.  In recruiting the amazing Pat Carbajal to do this cover, Art Director Rob Davis, worked with the artist to pay homage to those old classic compositions; including using the same logo brand above the picture.  Interiors were provided by artist Andrew Ritchie.

“The idea of doing a traditional Detective Phantom cover was too tempting to pass up,” adds Fortier.  “But this time, we were committed to showcasing the hero as he appeared in the actual stories, without that silly top hat. We think Pat knocked it out of the ballpark.”

Now, this popular pulp icon returns to once more battle villainy and crime in five new cases by Gene Moyers, Whit Howland, Robert Ricci and Gary Lovisi; who turns in two.  Each recaptures the fun, excitement and thrills of this classic hero from the past; the Phantom Detective.

AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS – PULP FICTION FOR A NEW GENERATION!

Available now at Amazon and soon on Kindle

(https://www.amazon.com/Phantom-Detective-One-1/dp/0997786892/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478115370&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Phantom+Detective+Vol+1)