Johnston McCulley

From the author of Zorro: A tale of flaming love, treachery, and sudden, savage warfare in the pueblos of the ancient southwest-told by a master writer of adventure stories.

The Mark of Zorro By Johnston McCulleyZorro (Spanish for "fox") is a fictional character created in 1919 by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley, and appearing in works set in the Pueblo of Los Angeles during the era of Spanish California (1769-1821). He is typically portrayed as a dashing masked vigilante who defends the commoners and indigenous peoples of California against corrupt and tyrannical officials and other villains. His signature all-black costume includes a cape, a hat known as a sombrero cordob s, and a mask covering the upper half of his face. In the stories, Zorro has a high bounty on his head, but is too skilled and cunning for the bumbling authorities to catch, and he also delights in publicly humiliating them. Zorro is an acrobat and an expert in various weapons, but the one he employs most frequently is his rapier, which he uses often to carve the initial "Z" on his defeated foes, and other objects. He is also an accomplished rider, his trusty steed being a black horse called Tornado. Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega (originally Don Diego Vega), a young man who is the only son of Don Alejandro de la Vega (originally Don Alejandro Vega), the richest landowner in California, while Diego's mother is dead. In most versions, Diego learned his swordsmanship while at university in Spain, and created his masked alter ego after he was unexpectedly summoned home by his father because California had fallen into the hands of an oppressive dictator. Diego is usually shown living with his father in a huge hacienda, which contains a number of secret passages and tunnels, leading to a secret cave that serves as headquarters for Zorro's operations and as Tornado's hiding place. In order to divert suspicion about his identity, Diego hides his fighting abilities while also pretending to be a coward and a fop. Zorro made his debut in the 1919 novel The Curse of Capistrano, originally meant as a stand-alone story. However, the success of the 1920 film adaptation The Mark of Zorro starring Douglas Fairbanks convinced McCulley to write more Zorro stories for about four decades: the character was featured in a total of five serialized stories and 57 short stories, the last one appearing in print posthumously in 1959, the year after his death. The Curse of Capistrano eventually sold more than 50 million copies, becoming one of the best-selling books of all time. While the rest of McCulley's Zorro stories did not enjoy the same popularity, as most of them were never reprinted until the 21st century, the character also appears in over 40 films and in ten TV series, the most famous being the Disney-produced Zorro series of 1957-59, starring Guy Williams. Other media featuring Zorro include stories by other authors, audio/radio dramas, comic books and strips, stage productions and video games. Being one of the earliest examples of a fictional masked avenger with a double identity, Zorro inspired the creation of several similar characters in pulp magazines and other media, and is a precursor of the superheroes of American comic books, with Batman drawing particularly close parallels to the character.

McCulley's novel first appeared in 1919 as a five-part story serialized in All-Story Weekly, a popular pulp magazine. The novel was quickly adapted to film as The Mark of Zorro, starring Douglas Fairbanks.

From the creator of Zorro. Never before reprinted, this series of nine novelettes saw publication in 1932-33 within the pages of Detective Fiction Weekly. Owing much to author Johnston McCulley's better-known creation, the masked crimefighter The Mongoose was in actuality two people-Sidney Carleigh and his sister Eleanor-who planned the revenge against those bankers and prominent individuals who framed their father for crimes which sent him to prison. With an all-new introduction by Peter Poplaski.

Here begins the legend of Zorro. Spanish Southern California struggles under the governor's tyrannical grip. Missions are raided and innocent peasants are abused and persecuted. But from the desert a savior arises. A masked man named Zorro, or desert fox, rides at night taking revenge on those who would harm the common man. His deadly marksmanship and flashing sword quickly become legendary. Swashbuckling Adventure Awaits

Here begins the legend of Zorro. Spanish Southern California struggles under the governor's tyrannical grip. Missions are raided and innocent peasants are abused and persecuted. But from the desert a savior arises. A masked man named Zorro, or desert fox, rides at night taking revenge on those who would harm the common man. His deadly marksmanship and flashing sword quickly become legendary. Swashbuckling Adventure Awaits

In the early 1800s, California - with its warmth, its romance, its peaceful beauties - was still under Spanish rule. While the legend of Zorro grew, stirring the hearts of Californians, this sprawling state was a land of opportunity and adventure - and, oft-times, great danger. Two stories by the creator of Zorro: "Black Grandee" - Down the King's High Road he came, swift and unsuspected as the evil he would do, bearing the warrant of the Crown for the vengeance that spurred him on." Satan's Caballero" - an additional short story of Old California Honor demanded that Don Fernando challenge Marcos Coudillo, but his own death warrant would be written the next time he crossed blades with any man

In the early 1800s, California - with its warmth, its romance, its peaceful beauties - was still under Spanish rule. While the legend of Zorro grew, stirring the hearts of Californians, this sprawling state was a land of opportunity and adventure - and, oft-times, great danger. Se or Mendoza had all the ingredients of success, but Fate cast him aside. Then, at the moment he was prepared to end his life, a mysterious masked woman sought his aid, and El Diablo brought a great promise - and a great threat A thrilling Old California adventure by the creator of Zorro

Mystery, science fiction, horror -- new and classic pulp fiction Classic Pulp Fiction"Noggins Gets His Man" by Johnston McCulley - A police detective bides his time hoping a killer might crack. "You Can Get Away With Murder" by Charles Boeckman - Amidst the sea of Mardi Gras revelers, two detectives follow a trail of clues to find a killer. "Flapjack Meehan's Coal Strike" by Frank Richardson Pierce - It can't be fool's gold when it's lumpy and black ... New Pulp Fiction"'The Death Clock" by David Bernard - Antique heirloom or deadly obsession?" The Ghost of Torreon" by Edd Vick and Manny Frishberg - Time and space - an inventor may run out of both ... "When the Punishment Fits the Crime" by Carson Demmans - A rat turns stoolie ... "A Fear of Winning" by Gary Lovisi - Cheaters never win ... but winners just might cheat ..." Daemon Mask: Crimson Wings of Silence" by Stuart Hopen & Russ Martin 35-page comic section] - The Whisper clashes with a mad scientist whose "cleansing agent" could whitewash reality The Whisper's origin story appears in Pulp Adventures #24] Short feature"Happy 100th Birthday, Zorro" by Rich Harvey - Strike up the parade in Chillicothe, Illinois. Editorial by Audrey Parente

Probably McCulley's second most popular character (after Zorro), The Black Star is a criminal mastermind, what was once termed a 'gentleman criminal.' He does not commit murder, nor does he permit any of his gang to kill - not even the police or his arch enemy, Roger Verbeck. The Black Star does not threaten women, always keeps his word, and is invariably courteous. Nor does he deal with narcotics in any of his stories. He is always seen in a black cloak and a black hood on which is embossed a jet black star. The Black Star and his gang use 'vapor bombs' and 'vapor guns' to render their victims instantly unconscious, a technique which pre-dated the Green Hornet's gas gun by several decades.

This is the original story about Zorro (Spanish for Fox) set in Spanish California by McCulley first published in 1919. Originally called The Curse of Capistrano, it later became known as The Mark of Zorro. Many times Zorro was featured in films including 1920 The Mark of Zorro with Douglas Fairbanks, 1940 The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power, 1958 and 1959 with Guy Wiliams, 1974 The Mark of Zorro with Frank Langella, 1998 The Mask of Zorro with A. Banderas and 2005 again with Banderas. Many European films were made featuring Zorro, including 1975 Zorro with Alan Delon.

The supervillain's right-hand man, John Warwick, must steal a priceless necklace. This is his last assignment, for if he can finally satisfy the Spider, he will free himself from the criminal forever. With a rival gang after the necklace and the Spider's fate hanging in the balance, this may be Warwick's most dangerous assignment yet. A beautiful woman, a decades-old secret, and thieves running rampant at a high society party make for a brisk caper-story ... and the culmination of the long-running Spider series

The supervillain's right-hand man, John Warwick, must steal a priceless necklace. This is his last assignment, for if he can finally satisfy the Spider, he will free himself from the criminal forever. With a rival gang after the necklace and the Spider's fate hanging in the balance, this may be Warwick's most dangerous assignment yet. A beautiful woman, a decades-old secret, and thieves running rampant at a high society party make for a brisk caper-story ... and the culmination of the long-running Spider series We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.

Thubway Tham -- A lisping pickpocket harboring delusions of grandeur; The Crimson Clown -- A "gentleman thief" justifying his crimes with charitable donations; Baron Bleud -- His legitimate business fronts hide the revenue from his criminal enterprises. With the police dogging his every step, Thubway Tham decides to lay low - but The Crimson Clown has other plans. Tham will aid him in lifting priceless jewels from The Baron ... or die This Bold Venture edition collects the complete text of Johnston McCulley's novel for the first time Originally presented in Detective Story Magazine, this story was an unusual for its time -- two popular characters joining forces in one story. Such "crossovers" are commonplace today in comic books, but Thubway Tham Meets the Crimson Clown no doubt made McCulley's fans sit up and take notice

"One of the most neglected of the straight adventure pulp magazines of the 1930s was Standard Magazines' Thrilling Adventures." --from the introduction by Will MurrayThis collection assembles--for the first time--the best adventure stories from the pages of this classic pulp fiction title. Over 600 pages in length and covering adventure, mystery, science fiction, and Foreign Legion stories. Plus: get every story of pulp adventure hero Larry Weston: a forgotten series from the pages of Thrilling Adventures. With an introduction by pulp historian Will Murray. The Best of Thrilling Adventures contains the following stories: "Riley of the Bengal Lancers" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "Valley of Giants" by Jackson Cole "Brother of the Tong" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "Guerrilla Brand" by Jackson Cole "The Devil Fish" by Capt. Kerry McRoberts "Red Silver" by Jackson Cole "The Avenger of Lo Chang" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "Danger Trails" by Capt. Kerry McRoberts "Pyramid of Gold" by George Allan Moffatt "The Pearl of Death" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "The Terror of Siberia" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "Dogs of Shallajai" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "The Sultan of Hell" by Capt. Kerry McRoberts "Orchid of Doom" by Lieut. Scott Morgan "Lost Treasures of Eden" by Capt. John Powers "The Lagoon of Monsters" by Johnston McCulley "World of Doom" by Ray Cummings "The Web of the Green Spider" by Capt. Kerry McRoberts "Sublevel Sixteen" by Paul Ernst "The Curse of the Shining God" by A. Leslie "Hell's Oasis" by Arthur J. Burks

"'Tis a night for evil deeds " declared Sergeant Pedro Gonzales, stretching his great feet in their loose boots toward the roaring fire and grasping the hilt of his sword in one hand and a mug filled with thin wine in the other. "Devils howl in the wind, and demons are in the raindrops 'Tis an evil night, indeed-eh, se or?" "It is " The fat landlord agreed hastily; and he made haste, also, to fill the wine mug again, for Sergeant Pedro Gonzales had a temper that was terrible when aroused, as it always was when wine was not forthcoming. "An evil night," the big sergeant repeated, and drained the mug without stopping to draw breath, a feat that had attracted considerable attention in its time and had gained the sergeant a certain amount of notoriety up and down El Camino Real, as they called the highway that connected the missions in one long chain. Gonzales sprawled closer to the fire and cared not that other men thus were robbed of some of its warmth. Sergeant Pedro Gonzales often had expressed his belief that a man should look out for his own comfort before considering others; and being of great size and strength, and having much skill with the blade, he found few who had the courage to declare that they believed otherwise.

When William Duncan, a wealthy man who became the leader of a band of thieves for the thrill of committing burglaries, is betrayed by his gang members and sentenced to spend 25 years in prison, his twin daughters, Doris and Dorcas, disguise themselves as the mysterious Madam Madcap to carry out a revenge against the men who framed their father A thrilling story of mystery and adventure by Johnston McCulley, the creator of Zorro

FIRST EDITION! Marcos Zappa is set upon by four rogues and carried away to a shack in the hills. There he is left alone with an elegant caballero who introduces himself as Don Pedro Garcia. Quickly Don Pedro makes it clear that he knows the truth about Marcos Zappa. He knows that this man is really Don Felipe Hernandez, once a member of the Viceroy's staff; that he now wears a band around his forehead to conceal the brand of the renegade. El renegado Don Felipe Hernandez was proclaimed, because his love for a Mexican girl led him to help foment a native uprising. He was banished from his own caste, and eventually he joined a crew of pirates.