The collection is arranged into 30 series, listed alphabetically by title of publication. Issues within each series are in order by volume and issue number.
Series 1: All Detective Magazine Series 2: The All-Story Series 3: The Avenger Series 4: Black Bat Detective Mysteries Series 5: Black Book Detective Magazine Series 6: The Black Mask Series 7: Crime Busters Series 8: Detective-Dragnet Magazine Series 9: Detective Tales Series 10: Dime Detective Magazine Series 11: Doc Savage Series 12: Doctor Death Series 13: G-8 and His Battle Aces Series 14: George Bruce's Aces Series 15: George Bruce Contact Series 16: Double Detective Series 17: Gun Molls Magazine Series 18: Mystery Adventures Series 19: Mystery Magazine Series 20: Saucy Movie Tales Series 21: Secret Agent "X" Series 22: The Shadow Series 23: Spicy Adventure Stories Series 24: Spicy Detective Stories Series 25: Spicy Mystery Stories Series 26: Spicy Western Stories Series 27: The Spider Series 28: Ten Detective Aces Series 29: Terror Tales Series 30: Vice Squad Detective
Materials in this collection were separated from the Bill Blackbeard Collection, donated to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum in 1996.
[identification of item], Bill Blackbeard Collection of Pulp Fiction Facsimiles, SPEC.RARE.0187, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.
Processed by: Ashleigh Minor, 2018 March; Finding aid written by: Ashleigh Minor, 2018 March
Pulp fiction was an inexpensive form of genre fiction magazine published between 1896 and the 1950s. They were the successors of penny dreadfuls and dime novels popular during the 19th century.
William "Bill" Blackbeard (1926-2011) was a writer-editor and the founder-director of the San Francisco Academy of Comic Art.
The Bill Blackbeard Collection of Pulp Fiction Facsimiles contains photocopies of issues of 30 pulp fiction publications originally published between 1912 and 1943, with the bulk of materials published between 1930 and 1940. The copies were made circa 1990s, but the dates of materials in the container list reflect the original publication dates. Titles from Street & Smith Publications, Popular Publications, Inc., Culture Publications, and several other publishers, are included.
All Detective Magazine was printed by Dell Publishing Company from November 1932 to February 1935 when the magazine was renamed to "Doctor Death," after the magazine's most famous villian. The stories featured a hero who fought crimes dealing in the supernatural, occult, or other sorts of science fiction.
The All-Story was the second pulp published by Frank Munsey, from January 1905 to May 1914 when it merged with another pulp, "The Cavalier," to become the "All-Story Cavalier Weekly." Each publication compiled fiction stories by individual authors, across many genres including mystery, western, horror, fantasy, and science fiction.
The Avenger was published by Street & Smith between September 1939 and September 1942. In addition to the original 24 issues, 6 other short stories about the titular character were published in other magazines throughout 1942 and 1943. The Avenger follows its wealthy, globe-trotting hero as he fights crime and injustice.
Black Bat Detective Mysteries was published in 6 issues between October 1933 and April 1934. The story was written by Murray Leinster under the pseudonym William Fitzgerald Jenkins. An unrelated character, also called the Black Bat, was featured in a later publication, Black Book Detective Magazine, from Thrilling Productions. The original Black Bat magazine featured its titular character, whose true name was never revealed, solving mysteries and fighting crime.
Black Book Detective Magazine was published by Thrilling Publications from June 1933, until the winter of 1953. The magazine attained a new level of popularity after its introduction of the Black Bat, a hero unrelated to the Black Bat character featured in the 1933-1934 publication of Black Bat Detective Mysteries by Murray Leinster, in 1939. The Black Bat was featured regularly in the magazine from his introduction, until 1953. Black Book Detective Magazine featured multiple characters, all who fought crime and solved mysteries, though none as prolific the Black Bat.
The Black Mask was originally published between 1920 and 1951. The magazine was printed by Pro-Distributors Publishing Company from 1920 through 1940, and by Popular Publications between 1940 and 1951. First launched by H.L. Mencken and George Jean Nathan, the magazine featured a compilation of stories of several genres, including adventure, mystery and detective, romances, love stories, and the occult.
Crime Busters was the second iteration of Street & Smith's "Best Detective Magazine," which began publication in November of 1929. Best Detective Magazine was rebranded as Crime Busters in November of 1937, and ran for 24 issues, until October of 1939, when the magazine was relaunched as Street & Smith's Mystery Magazine. This iteration ran until the magazine's end in May of 1943. Crime Busters differed from both its predeccesor and successor by featuring stories with fantastic characters, settings, and plots, compared with the others' more serious tone.
Detective-Dragnet Magazine was the second iteration of "The Dragnet Magazine," published by Harold Hersey, and launched in October 1928. Originally focused on stories of organized crime, the magazine refocused and rebranded into a general crime publication, and ran from April 1930 through December 1932. The magazine was later rebranded into its final iteration, Ten Detective Aces, and ran for 16 years between January 1933 and September 1949. Detective-Dragnet featured stories of mystery-solving detectives, unlike its predeccessor, whose stories focused on mobsters in the criminal under world.
Detective Tales was published by Popular Publications in 202 issues between August 1935 and August 1953. In 1953, the magazine merged with New Detective, to become Fifteen Detective Stories, and ran for another 12 issues, until 1955. Each issue of Detective Tales featured 12 stories of adventurous, and occasionaly supernatural, mysteries.
Dime Detective Magazine published 274 issues by Popular Publications from November 1931 to August 1953. Each issue contained multiple stories of crime-fighting detectives.
Doc Savage was published by Street & Smith in 181 issues between 1933 and 1949. In each issue, Clark "Doc" Savage Jr. fought crime alongside a global team of allies, using his incredible strength and intellect.
Doctor Death was the final iteration of All Detective Magazine, originally published by Dell Publishing Company in November of 1932. Introduced in the August 1934 issue, Doctor Death became the most popular villian to be featured in All Detective Magazine. The character became so popular that the magazine was rebranded to "Doctor Death" in February 1935, and ran for three additional issues until April 1935. The rebranding changed some aspects of the character, which turned Doctor Death into a sadistic, mad-scientist.
G-8 and His Battle Aces was printed by Popular Publications in 110 issues between October 1933 and June 1944. The magazine centered around its titular character, G-8, a pilot and spy in World War I, and his team of aviators. The characters would find themselves in adventurous situations involving espionage, science fiction, and the supernatural.
George Bruce's Battle Aces is one of many magazines published by Glen-Kel Publishing Company and written by George Bruce. Battle Aces, published in March 1931, contains four stories of aerial combat and adventure in World War I.
George Bruce's Contact is one of many magazines published by Glen-Kel Publishing Company and written by George Bruce. Contact, specifically published August 1933 through June 1934, contains multiple stories per issue of aerial combat and adventure in World War I. Contact's short stories, unlike some of Bruce's other magazines, are written by multiple authors.
Double Detective was originally published by Frank A. Munsey from November 1937 through October 1941, in 41 issues. In 1942, the magazine was briefly rebranded as Love-Crime Detective, and lasted for 5 issues between August 1942, and December 1942. One final issue of Double Detective was published in March 1943, by Popular Publications. Double Detective introduced the hero "The Green Lama," a mystical Buddhist monk in a green robe who fought crime with his supernatural powers.
Gun Molls Magazine was published by Real Publications in 19 issues between October 1930 and April 1932. The magazine focused on glamorous stories of prohibition-era gangsters.
Mystery Adventures was published by Fiction House, in 25 issues between March 1935 and May 1937. The magazine featured sensational stories under the tagline "Exotic. Peppy. Exciting." in which the hero travels the globe, saving women from extraordinary circumstances.
Mystery Magazine was the final incarnation of Street & Smith's Best Detective Magazine, which began publication in November 1929. Best Detective Magazine was rebranded as Crime Busters in November of 1937, and ran for 24 issues. In October of 1939, the magazine was once again relaunched as Street & Smith's Mystery Magazine. This iteration ran until the magazine's end, in May of 1943. After its final rebranding, Mystery Magazine featured more serious stories, departing from the often fantastic characters and plots of its predeccesor, Crime Busters.
Saucy Movie Tales was published by Movie Industries Inc. from October 1935 through November 1939. The magazine featured racy, adult stories which took place in and around the film industry.
Secret Agent "X" was published by A.A. Wyn's Ace Magazines in 41 issues between February 1934 and March 1939. The titular hero, whose true name is never revealed, works deep undercover for the United States government to fight crime as a master of disguise. While many stories dealt with realistic crime, some included plots with science fiction or supernatural elements.
The Shadow was published by Street & Smith in 325 issues from April 1931 through the summer quarter of 1949. Each issue included a lead story featuring The Shadow, one of the first "character heroes," as well as multiple other short stories on other characters.
Spicy Adventure Stories was one of the "Spicy" serials published by Culture Publications. These magazines were known for their exciting, racy, and lewd content. Spicy Adventure was published in 95 issues between July 1934, and December 1942, when all "Spicy" magazines were rebranded as "Speed." The Spicy Adventure Stories told stories of globe-trotting adventures.
Spicy Detective Stories was one of the "Spicy" serials published by Culture Publications. These magazines were known for their exciting, racy, and lewd content. Spicy Detective was published in 105 issues between April 1934, and December 1942, when all "Spicy" magazines were rebranded as "Speed." The Spicy Detective Stories involved heroic detectives solving crimes related to the assault or murder of women.
Spicy Mysteries Stories was one of the "Spicy" serials published by Culture Publications. These magazines were known for their exciting, racy, and lewd content. Spicy Mystery was published in 73 issues between July 1934, and December 1942, when all "Spicy" magazines were rebranded as "Speed." The Spicy Mystery Stories told stories of women involved in supernatural, science fiction, or occult mysteries.
Spicy Western Stories was one of the "Spicy" serials published by Culture Publications. These magazines were known for their exciting, racy, and lewd content. Spicy Western was published November 1936, and December 1942, when all "Spicy" magazines were rebranded as "Speed." The Spicy Western Stories told stories set in the Wild West, and involved cowboys and outlaws rescuing and kidnapping women. Spicy Western was published in two editions for each issue in 1936 and 1937: an uncensored and a self-censored version denoted by a star on the cover.
The Spider was published by Popular Publications in 118 issues between October 1933 and December 1943. The titular character was a vigilante hero and fought supernatural villians and criminals who threatened New York City, the United States, or the world.
Ten Detective Aces was the final iteration of "The Dragnet Magazine," published by Harold Hersey beginning in October 1928. The magazine originally focused on stories of organized crime, but refocused and rebranded into a general crime publication, "Detective-Dragnet Magazine," which ran from April 1930 through December 1932. Ten Detective Aces ran for 16 years between January 1933 and September 1949. In its final form, Ten Detective Aces featured stories of crime-fighting urban detectives.
Terror Tales was published by Popular Publications in 51 issues between September 1934 and March 1941. One of the first pulp magazines to feature exclusively scary stories, it was so successful that in 1935, Popular Publications released a sister magazine, Horror Stories.
Vice Squad Detective was printed by Graphic Arts, Inc. for the winter quarter of 1939. It was a one-shot publication featuring vice detectives fighting and solving adult-centered crime in the urban criminal underworld.