Red Phantom - the wiki entry!

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Pulp in video games

Good morning world... This is Doctor Lightning with a list of games which were inspired by pulp and its sub-genres and those which are obviously pulp oriented.

Crimson Skies is set in an alternate 1930s universe, in which the United States has splintered into several independent nation-states as a result of an increasing regionalism presence in American politics, crippling the authority of the federal government.[12] These nation-states are in a constant state of war with one another, and thus an interstate highway system never developed. This in turn caused the primary means of transportation and commerce to shift from the ground (cars and trains), to the air (planes and zeppelins). In the process, gangs of air pirates formed, raiding zeppelins and cities everywhere. The story of this game centers around one such pirate gang, the Fortune Hunters, and its leader, Nathan Zachary.

The game allows the player to assume the role of a combat pilot named William Crowe as he experiences the various phases of the Pacific War with Japan, beginning with the Pearl Harbor attack. There are six game modes: Campaign, Instant Action, Single Mission, Historical, Training, and Multiplayer. One or two players can play simultaneously on the console or up to eight players can play on the network via Xbox Live or using a Playstation 2 with network adaptor. There are two different control schemes for flying the planes, Arcade and Professional. The Arcade control scheme allows for easier control of the plane via a single joystick with automatic * rudders. There are also multiple difficulty levels: Rookie, Pilot, Veteran, and Ace. The higher difficulty levels allow more upgrade points, which can be used to upgrade your aircraft, after missions are accomplished.

The player assumes the role of Ramiro "Ram" Cruz; insane criminal turned Drug Enforcement Agent. He has been sent into the Mexican border city of Los Toros and its surroundings by his twin brother Tommy, who wants him to find out who killed their father Ernesto. The player will be tasked with infiltrating and taking down the biggest drug cartel in Mexico and battling it out with dope dealers, banditos, corrupt Federales and Mexican Army, loco luchadores, zombies, guerillas, and other asorted bad guys. Between story missions the player can do optional challenge missions as he or she wishes, exploring Los Toros and gathering bonuses to rack up a high score.
GUN is an Revisionist Western-themed video game developed by Neversoft and published by Activision for the Xbox 360, Xbox, GameCube, PC, PSP and PlayStation 2. It is set in the American Old West in the early 1880s. The protagonist, Colton White, is a hunter who turns into a gunslinger when his murdered father, Ned, instructs him to go to Dodge City.

A 3D game like Lament of Innocence before it, Curse of Darkness differs from its predecessor in a number of ways, including a more complex, action/adventure style of gameplay, much like Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow. Hector is not a member of the Belmont clan, so he does not use the "Vampire Killer" whip; instead he has the ability (much like Alucard and Soma Cruz) to equip a variety of different weapons ranging from swords, spears, guns, bombs and brass knuckles. However, there is an extra gameplay mode after finishing the game that allows players to play as Trevor Belmont, equipped with the "Vampire Killer" and the classic subweapons (knife, holy water, axe, etc.). The battle system is somewhat similar to that of Dynasty Warriors, Devil May Cry and Chaos Legion whereas one button is used for standard attacks (which can be strung together into a series of combos), and a secondary button is used for stronger "finishing attacks" after a singular standard attack or a combo of standard attacks. As the player acquires progressively stronger weapons throughout the game, the number of standard and finishing attacks the player can perform increase accordingly. Each different weapon type has a different set of combos that can be performed.

Sniper Elite is a third person shooter developed by UK based video game developer Rebellion Developments. The main character is an American OSS agent, Karl Fairburne, disguised as a German sniper inserted into Berlin in 1945, during World War II, with the objective of obtaining German weapons technology before the Soviet NKVD does.

Commandos: Strike Force is a first-person shooter computer game and the fifth installment critically acclaimed Commandos series. It is developed by Pyro Studios and published by Eidos Interactive. Released during the first months of 2006, the game makes a departure from the first three games. Although the missions are set-up in a similar fashion (several different objectives, some to be achieved through stealth, others through use of force) and in most occasions the player is allowed to change between different characters, this is the first game in the series to apply a first-person perspective, like many other World War II inspired games, in contrast to the overhead view of the earlier games. Hence, the game is far more similar to the Medal of Honor or Call of Duty games than to earlier entries of the series.

Samurai Western is a PlayStation 2 game in which the player, a samurai named Gojiro Kiryu, travels to the Wild West in search of his brother Rando. On the way you must battle minions of a Tycoon named Goldberg, who is trying to create his own western kingdom.


Far Cry Instincts is a video game developed and published by Ubisoft for the Xbox console. It resembles the earlier PC game Far Cry. However, the gameplay is not as open ended as the former. It makes up for this by including extra multiplayer modes through the Xbox Live service, alongside new abilities (feral powers) and a map creator mode which allows the users to create their own maps for multiplayer.

Jericho Cross is an average outlaw in the old west. Finally deciding to take on one final big job before he retires, Jericho heists a train supposedly hiding a hidden "treasure". Once on board, Jericho begins fighting off the strange guards of the train, before making his way to the safe. He arms TNT, but Cassidy Sharp attempts to stop him. He blows it anyway, and releases Lazarus, the vampire king. Cursing Jericho to be a vampire forever. Cassidy tells Jericho that she is a part of the Darkwatch, an organization that is dedicated to the eradication of evil on Earth. Lazarus was the vampire king, and because Jericho set him free, Jericho must go get him. After being accepted into Darkwatch, Jericho begins his hunt for Lazarus, going everywhere from an abandoned town, a cemetery, a gold mine, and finally the Darkwatch headquarters itself. The final showdown between Lazarus and Jericho is a lengthy chase through the entire Darkwatch HQ. The ending is left ambiguous, as there could be a sequel.

Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (commonly abbreviated as LoI) is a video game created by Konami for the Sony PlayStation 2 console. It was originally released in Japan in 2003 and Europe in 2004 as Castlevania (キャッスルヴァニア, Kyassuruvania?). Lament of Innocence is set in 1094, making it the first chronological installment of the Castlevania series.

Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb is an action video game developed by The Collective and published by LucasArts in 2003 featuring cover art by Drew Struzan. The game is a new adventure of fictional archeologist Indiana Jones. The story is set in 1935, just before the events of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and is available for PlayStation 2, Xbox, Macintosh and Windows.

This is Doctor Lightning signing off...

Vigilante & Lone Ranger - The Cult of the Gun!

I should really look into doing Photoshop as part of my comic career...

Hellboy article by Frank Schildner

This is Doctor Lightning taking a break from my research in developing an effective and reliable doomsday ray.

Frank Schildinder, a friend of Gabriel, has sent me this very informative and intriguing article about a recognizable post-modern pulp hero whom you know as Hellboy....

---

Hellboy, Nazis, Occult & Weird Science

By Frank Schildiner


“Sarcasm? My sarcasm is the very LEAST of your worries, Sorcerer. You promised the Fuehrer a MIRACLE. Something which would reverse the course of this war and ensure victory of the Reich. Herr Hitler does not take kindly to failure” (SOD 7)


Among Hellboy's recurring menaces through his adventurous series are the comic world's favorite evil stooges, the followers of the infamous Nazi party of World War 2 Germany. The fantastic world of comic books seems to gravitate towards this past evil terror of mankind, with such colorful villains as the Red Skull, Baron Zemo and Captain Nazi, to name but a few. Their plots range from dealing drugs to America to weaken its power as a people (Captain America: Streets of Poison) to replacing the brain of a superhero with that of Adolph Hitler (Golden Age).

Mignola's Hellboy series takes a darker tone with the Nazi's evil, presenting a collection of evil individuals devoted to both science and occult means of ruling, or possibly destroying the world. Both areas of study, occult and science, are a much speculated area of study by scholars and wild conspiracy theorists to this day. The beliefs and theories often expounded upon are often as wildly improbable as those presented within the comics. Books have been published that state that the Nazis were seeking a magic spear that pierced the side of Jesus Christ, to a New Age conspiracy to create demi-gods to rule the world. This credibility factor was best stated by Lowell K. Dyson (Ph.D, Columbia, 1968) in his article, “The Nazis and the Occult”. Dyson stated:


“There is probably more mythology about the Nazis and the Occult that about Hitler's sex life or his later life in Argentina – or at the South Pole. In certain circles it is a cottage industry and a particular kind of writer repeats “facts” from earlier books which were repeated from “facts” in other books, which in turn may have come from such absolutely trustworthy sources as the National Inquirer” (NAO)


However the Nazi's presented in Mignola's Hellboy series appear to be somewhat different from the norm presented by even “credible” sources. Though theatrical, a more sinister and subtle evil appears to exist within many of the character, causing some readers to speculate as to the truth behind the Nazi occult and evil science presented in the Hellboy stories. Is there any truth to the legends of occult influences with the World War Two Nazi Party? And what form did their scientific experiments take that they would be later labeled “evil” by many in the world community? This article will endeavor to examine these questions as well as possible roots of the Nazi philosophy of genocide; all of which appear to be touched upon to some degree by the Hellboy comic book series.


Nazi Occult Roots


“I permitted myself to be joined with those puny minds the Reich had assembled for itself, believing the UNEQUALED in the world in the world... also utterly UNTARNISHED by the limitations of CONSCIENCE and MORALITY” (SOD Ch. 3, 16)


As previously stated, there are those who suggest or outright state that the basis of Nazi belief comes directly from the occult. While the roots are often wildly exaggerated by writers, a common occult theme is regularly cited and appears to be considered acceptable fact. Many agree the Nazi philosophy's forefather is probably the Austrian Pan-Germanic philosopher, Guido (von) List. List is described by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke is his scholarly work, The Occult Roots of Nazism as “the first popular writer to combine volkish ideology with occultism and theosophy” (ORN 33). Volkish ideology was a philosophy that invoked German nationalism and racism in reaction to the changing modern world (ORN 3). The occult belief of theosophy was created by Helen Petrovna Blavatsky that spoke of ancient powerful races that ruled the world before humanity and still acted as the “Secret Masters” behind the scenes (TO 333). Goodrick-Clarke writes:

“In his books and lectures List invited true Germans to behold the clear and discernible remains of a wonderful theocratic Ario-German state, wisely governed by priest-kings and gnostic initiates, in the archaeology, folklore, and landscape of his homeland” (ORN 33)

One of List's disciples, Lanz von Liebenfels, proved to be a definite early influence on a young Adolph Hitler in 1909. A writer of cheap List philosophy tracts that preached anti-Semitic beliefs combined with his mentor's mythological views, he claimed in 1951 that Hitler visited him in 1909. Goodrick-Clarke verifies Lanz's claims that he met a young Adolph Hitler, provided him with several tracts and two crowns for his return fee home (ORN 195).

Emerging from the occult philosophies of Guido List were several sources proved to have a profound affect on Adolph Hitler. One of the favorites mentioned in basic history texts are the Thule Society. In The Life and Death of Adolph Hitler by Robert Payne, the following is stated about the Thule society:

“[S]everal floors were given over to the Thule Society, ostensibly a literary club devoted to violent anti-Semitism and rule by an aristocratic elite. The name of the organization derives from Ultima Thule, the unknown northern land believed to be the original home of the German race” [LDA 125)


Nazi party leaders often cited as members of the Thule Society include Rudolph Hess, Alfred Rosenberg and most importantly Dietrich Eckard. Eckard, a friend and teacher of Hitler's was a journalist, poet and dramatist who blamed his lack of success on Jews and Marxists; a hatred he later espoused as the cause for Germany's defeat in World War One. In 1923 Eckhart and Hitler published a paper entitled “Bolshevisim from Moses to Lenin” in which they stressed “their opinion that the Jews have represented the occult power of revolutionary subversion throughout history and are responsible for deflecting humankind from its natural path” (HT). Dietrich Eckard's influence upon Hitler is best presented by Hitler himself in his infamous work, Mein Kampf. Hitler ended the book with the following:
“I wish at the end of the second volume to remind the supporters and champions of our doctrine of those eighteen heroes, to whom I have dedicated the first volume of my work, those heroes who sacrificed themselves for us all with the clearest consciousness. They must forever recall the wavering and weak to the fulfillment of his duty, a duty which they themselves in best faith carried to its final consequence. And among them I want to also count that man, one of the best, who devoted his life to the awakening of his, our people, in his and his thoughts and finally in his deeds: Dietrich Eckart” (MK)

After Eckart's death in 1923, the role of Nazi ideologist was assumed by one of his Thule Society pupils, Alfred Rosenberg. His book, The Myth of the Twentieth Century stated that race was “the decisive factor determining art, science, culture” and that “The Teutons represented the ‘master race’ of ‘Aryans’, whose task it was to subdue Europe.” (EH ??)

The Thule Society's most famous contribution to the Nazi party was the use of the swastika as its primary symbol. It was a representation of their neo-pagan beliefs (The Nazi Expedition, Robin Cross). The swastika, was an ancient Indian symbol of the sun as well as (according the Thule members), that of the Norse God Thor. However the Asian version of the symbol has the swastika facing the right, rather than the left as used by the Nazi party. According to reports, the creator of the symbol for the Nazi party, Dr. Freidrich Krohn, designed the symbol facing the right rather than the left, but Hitler insisted on the change. Some theories regarding this change have emerged, with some believing the change was either a conscious rejection of God or a Guido List theory that the swastika was a Scandinavian rune. None appear to be proven as of this time, though clearly the Thule Society's use of the symbol has changed it from an Asian sun symbol to one associated with death and evil. Therefore, it does appear that the occult beliefs represented in Mignola's Hellboy series, are not as outlandish as those by actual members and forefathers.


Project Ragnarok

“For more than twenty years I lived in isolation, preaching to those brave souls who dared approach me. Telling of the Ragna Rok, the new age of the serpent. Speaking as the Prophet of the apocalypse” (SOD Ch. 3, 15)


A recurring theme in the Hellboy universe is the end of the world, which according to Norse mythology is known as “Ragnarok” which roughly translates to mean “Doom of the Gods”. In Seeds of Destruction Rasputin reveals that the group he formed from the Nazis created a project named “Ragna Rok” and an engine of the same name meant to bring about the end of the world (SOD 16). Herman Van Klempt calls it “the passing of man” (SOD 26). According to Lindemans, Ragnarok “also called Gotterdammerung, means the end of the cosmos in Norse mythology. It will be preceded by Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters. Three such winters will follow each other with no summers in between. Conflicts and feuds will break out, even between families, and all morality will disappear. This is the beginning of the end” (R). In An Interview with Mike Mignola, the artist-author states:

“In some ways, that also describes the way the miniseries evolved because The Conqueror Worm started out to be a much-smaller-in-scale kind of story. Once I started doing it, I realized that I was dealing with the kind of characters who tend to grow loftier goals as they go. And eventually, I ended up going back to that whole Ragnarok thing – the end of the world/beginning of the world kind of nonsense that people expect from me now. So, from these humble beginnings, where these idiots are trying to do their bad Nazi stuff, everything snowballs into this giant thing about the end of the world, the creation of a new race of man and blah, blah, blah” (IMM)

Though Hitler's views on religion appear to fit his famous quote from a speech at Nuremberg in September, 1935, “Christianity succeeded for a time in uniting the old Teutonic tribes, but the Reformation destroyed this unity. Germany is now a united nation, National Socialism succeeded where Christianity failed” (IP 11). Though it would fit the more hysterical points-of-view of the Nazi to believe he based all of the Nazi religious beliefs on the Norse mythos, Adolph Hitler appeared to willing to use beliefs and systems from groups such as the Christians and Freemasons. In Mein Kampf Hitler seems to present a point-of-view of a practical of one who wishes a unifying religion based in both Christianity and “on the imagination through magic and the symbols of a cult… Don't you see that our party must be of this character?” (HAH xviii)

Heinrich Himmler placed a greater emphasis on Norse mythology, merging it with the “history” of King Arthur, the Holy Grail, the Knights Templar and even parts of the Jesuits (ORN 188). His grand visions, using Wewelsburg Castle as seat of his new SS order had grand plans that included the following:

“Photographs of models showing the project, due for completion in the 1960s, suggest that Himmler dreamed of creating an SS vatican on an enormous scale at the center of a millenarian Greater Germanic Reich. It also seems likely that this visionary city would have witnessed the celebration of ancient religion and traditions initially revealed by Weisthor in the 1930's.” (ORN 188)

There seems to be no evidence that Himmler included the Ragnarok myths in his mixed religion, though portions of the Norse mythos appear to have been merged with other philosophies he found fit his racist Aryan based beliefs. In merging these ideas with the world of Hellboy, Mike Mignola picked a perfect starting point for Rasputin to “preside over the fall of humanity” (SOD 5).


Nazi Weird Science and Hellboy

“...physicist Ernst Oeming… was probably THE scientist of the Third Reich, often referred as the ‘Nazi Einstein’... the Gestapo moved what was left of Oeming to Hunte Castle... along with astronomers, astrologers, and mystics from all over Europe” (CW 7-8)

In An Interview with Mike Mignola, the artist-author said “It's pretty well-known that there were rocket scientists working for the Nazis, and in fact, some of these guys went on to work for NASA. So they were building, you know, bombs – even flying bombs. Why couldn't they have been working on a space program? When you hear about the scientific experiments of the Nazis and their huge-scale plans in so many different areas, it doesn't seem like that much of a stretch to imagine that they were working on space crafts. I'm sure it came up in a meeting” (IMM).

Another running Nazi theme through the Hellboy comics is the unusual scientific devices used by these villains. Like the occult connection, many myths regarding Nazi science has emerged post World War Two, however the verified evidence is often more terrifying and unusual than the tales presented in comic books.

In Conqueror Worm Mike Mignola presents an unusual mix of characters, a scientist operating with occult scholars in a space experiment for the Reich. Though this appears somewhat odd to our current manner of thinking, an examination of Nazi documents as well as Nuremberg Trial Court Records demonstrates that Mignola's enjoyable stories barely scratched the surface of unusual pseudo-scientific practices of the Nazis. One of the best examples of this was the famous German rocketry programs forced delays because of the theosophical belief known as “World Ice”. The World Ice theory, a discredited and somewhat assuming belief that the building block of all planets are solid ice, were rumored to be a delaying factor in the Nazi rocket program; with the occultist followers of this theory holding that the rocket's fuel might pierce the Earth's crust and destroy the layer of ice beneath, presumably creating a global catastrophe.

The majority of the Nazi Party's unusual pseudo-science emerged from a body known as the “Ahnenerbe Society” (Ancestral Heritage Research and Teaching Society), a body created to research German “pre-history” as applied to the Aryan super race as well as scientific endeavors to further the war effort. The pre-history studies included digs in Iceland for evidence of the legendary island of Thule as well as a famous 1938 expedition to Tibet to search for descendants and information about the legendary Aryan of the Nazi occult beliefs (NE). The many departments of the Ahnenerbe Society, a group lead by Heinrich Himmler and later made a department of the SS under his control is described as the following:


“The society’s purpose was to establish support for Wirth’s ‘Germandom’ cult by studying aspects of of Germany’s spiritual and historical heritage. However from the beginning, the society delved into all sorts of esoteric subjects that did not have much scientific basis, such as research of ancient German letters of the alphabet and interpretation of German symbols like the SWASTIKA. Himmler took charge of Ahnenerbe in 1937. All kinds of new projects were initiated, including the listing of ‘Jewish scientists or scientists related to Jews by marriage’ and the confiscation of Jewish libraries It was quite hard to tell which projects were politically motivated, which were politically motivated, and which were downright ridiculous. In 1942 Ahnenerbe began sponsoring pseudo-scientific medical experiments that were performed of concentration camp victims.” (EH 102)


Based on all credible sources, such as the Weissenthal Foundation and the Nuremberg Trial transcripts, this portion of the Nazi scientific effort is rather similar to that of the Hellboy series. As shown in Seeds of Destruction and Conqueror Worm, a pseudo-science/occult combination such as Mignola's is quite similar to the existing body created by Himmler.

But the pseudo-science/occult studies were merely a part of a far more horrific body of work by the Nazi war machine. Once absorbed into the SS, many of the departments turned their attention to medical testing upon human subjects. The Ahnenerbe, operating as a military scientific research institute, conducted tests such as freezing temperature’s affect on the human body, high altitude experiments on human subjects, the affect of drinking processed sea-water on the human body and many other illegal and often murderous “medical” studies (Nuremberg, Vol.1, 269). Doctor's Rascher and Brandt conducted these experiments ostensibly for the war effort but also, the war tribunal determined, for the systematic genocide of the human subjects. Multiple memos were entered into evidence in the Nuremberg Trial such as the following:


“Enclosed is an interim report on the low-pressure experiment so far conducted in the concentration camp of Dachau...

“Only continuous experiments at altitudes higher than 10.5 km resulted in death. These experiments showed that breathing stopped after about 30 minutes, while in two cases the electrocardiographically charted action of the heart continued for another 20 minutes.

The third experiment of this type took such an extraordinary course that I called an SS physician of the camp as witness, since I had worked on these experiments all by myself. It was a continuous experiment without oxygen at a height of 12 km, conducted on a 37-year-old Jew in good general condition...” (Nuremberg Vol.1, 144-147)

Such memos, all used as evidence in the Nuremberg Military Tribunal Trials, demonstrate that while the Ahnenerbe was the legendary occult division of the SS, its other purpose was far more sinister. Human military experiments under the Ahnenerbe were subsequently judged crimes against humanity and the members of this organization were duly executed after their respective trials.


The Floating Head – Fact or Fiction?

“Professor Herman von Klempt...Himmler recruited us together into his 'Special Group'. He should have been one of us. He should have been part of the Ragnarok project, but Rasputin failed to recognize his genius” (WD 17-18)


Professor Herman von Klempt is unquestionably one of Mike Mignola's most inspired evil Nazi scientists, being a floating head in a jar that lives, talks and plans evil actions against the world. First introduced in the nameless short story that appeared in the Comic Buyer’s Guide, he later returned in Conqueror Worm with a desire to end the world. Though the concept has appeared before in films such as They Saved Hitler's Brain, Donovan's Brain and of course, The Brain that Wouldn't Die, Herman von Klempt appears to be more menacing in the Hellboy series than any villain save Rasputin himself.

Surprisingly, there was a Nazi doctor whose murderous habits in the name of science were quite similar to that of Herman von Klempt. The Nazi in question was Professor Doctor August Hirt, the co-inventor of the fluorescent microscope and head of the anatomy department of the University of Strasbourg (MMTR). But to this day Hirt is best known for collecting the skulls of Jewish prisoners murdered at Nazi concentration camps. Hirt, apparently a favorite of SS leader Heinrich Himmler, was given permission assemble a skeleton collection, specifically the heads of human beings (Nuremberg, Vol. 2, 517-518). In fact Hirt prepared a report that was later presented at the Nuremberg trials regarding the preparation and collection procedures of Jewish prisoner's skulls. The report read as follows:

“We have large collections of almost all races and peoples at our disposal. Of the Jewish race, however, only very few specimens of skulls are available, with the result that it is impossible to arrive at precise conclusions from examination. The war in the East now presents us with the opportunity to overcome this deficiency. By procuring the skulls of Jewish-Bolshevik commissars, who represent the repulsive, but characteristic, subhuman, we have the chance now to obtain scientific material.” (Nuremberg, Vol. 2, 518)

Additionally, August Hirt had a directive sent out to SS forces regarding the collecting and preserving of skulls for his collection. This gruesome memo appeared also as evidence in the trials of Ahnenerbe Reich Manager Wolfram Sievers as well as several doctors who participated in adding to Hirt's skull collection. The memo regards the dealing with the skulls in his collection should Strasbourg be endangered by the war:

“The corpses can be stripped of flesh, and thereby rendered unidentifiable. This, however, would mean that at least part of the whole work had been done for nothing and this unique collection would be lost to science, since it would be impossible to make plaster casts afterwards. The skeleton collection as such is inconspicuous. The flesh parts could be declared as having been left by the French at the time we took over the Anatomical Institute and would be turned over for cremating. Please advise me which of the following three proposals is to be carried out: 1) The collection as a whole to be preserved; 2) The collection to be dissolved in part; 3) The collection to be completely dissolved” (Nuremberg, Vol.2, 524).

One can infer from this memo that a good portion of August Hirt's skull collection were not merely bare bone, but actually heads in the flesh. Terrifying to consider, but also similar to Mike Mignola's Professor Herman von Klempt. There's no evidence that Mignola used Professor Doctor August Hirt as a model for his villainous von Klempt, but the similarity is remarkable to some degree.


The Magus of the SS

“...very popular with Himmler's Inner Circle--mystics, astrologers and pseudo-scientists working on Hitler's various doomsday projects...” (WD Ch. 1, 9)

While Mignola presents us with Gregori Rasputin as Himmler's prime sorcerer, an examination is needed to discover if anyone else occupied such a position in Nazi Germany. As previously established, the credulity factor regarding Nazi occult information is rather high, so all information must be taken with a skeptical view.

However one name does appear to occupy such a position within the SS, a former army officer and “rune expert” named Karl Maria Wiligut. Wiligut, a former Colonel in the Austrian army, claimed to be a clairvoyant as well as the last of a secret line of German kings who were the true characters in the Holy Bible; one in which Jesus Christ was actually an Aryan (ORN 179). In 1924, Wiligut was involuntarily committed to a mental hospital in Salzburg, diagnosed with schizophrenia, and remained hospitalized until 1927. Joining the SS in 1933, he became a favored advisor to Heinrich Himmler in a very short time.

The most dramatic link between the occult and top Nazi officials was without question Wiligut, who rose to prominence through the use of a claimed ancestral memory which he used to promote representation of an archaic Germany that was favourable to Himmler’s beliefs. He became “the favored mentor of Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler on mythological subjects and was given an official assignment for pre-historical research in the SS between 1933 and 1939.” (ORN 177). Wiligut’s mythological theory utilized elements of List’s beliefs as well as the philosophy of German pagan Theodor Czepl, leader of the Order of the New Templars. Claiming to be the heir to a race of Germanic kings who descended a race of mythological air and sea Gods. (ORN 181) Using the alias Karl Maria Weisthor as a means of hiding a period spent in a mental institution from 1924-1927, Himmler appointed him as head of a Department for Pre- and Early History within the Race and Settlement Main Office (Rasse-und Siedlungshauptamt) of the SS based in Munich.

Wiligut rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the SS by October 1934 and was influential the creation of pagan based rituals for members of the SS. His most lasting accomplishment was the commission by Himmler of the SS Death’s Head ring, known as the “Totenkopfring”. (ORN 187) The ring, which combines Nazi regalia with ancient runes interpreted by Wiligut aka Weisthor are described as, “symbols and rituals demonstrate Weisthor's contribution to the ceremonial and pseudo-religion of the SS” (ORN 187). Additionally Wiligut was part of Himmler's inner circle that urged the SS leader to make Wewelsburg Castle the center of his new order of the Teutonic Knights.

“When an SS officer fell in battle, his ring was returned to the SS and then displayed at a memorial in Wewelsburg Castle, a 17th-century fortress Himmler converted into a weird reproduction of King Arthur's court with a round table and seats for the SS leader and 12 of his trusted lieutenants” (CSIB)

Though Wiligut's influence is still visible to this day, he did not remain within the SS for long. By 1939 his history of mental illness became an embarrassment and he retired on the grounds of age and poor health. But to this day, Karl Maria Wiligut is renowned for being the highest ranking “magus” in Nazi Germany. It seems that Mike Mignola's use of Gregori Rasputin was not nearly as outlandish as most comic book plots for the Nazis.

Therefore, based on the presented evidence, it appears that the Nazis presented in the Hellboy series were clearly as unusual and terrifying as some of the real individuals that occupied Germany of the past. Though the occult links and weird science were not nearly as imaginative and enjoyable as Mignola's series, one can see a clear influence in place. From the occult roots that appeared to be more used to explain their actions, their use of religion and mythology, the men who helped shape it as well as their odd and terrifying pseudo-sciences, the Nazis were the perfect menaces for Hellboy.


WORKS CITED

* Cross, Robin. “The Nazi Expedition”. 2004. 17 January. 2005. [NE]
* de Cruet, R.H. Perez. “The Holocaust–Timebase 1920-24”. 1997. 17 January. 2005. [HT]
* Dyson, Lowell K. “The Nazis and The Occult”. n.d. 17 January. 2005. [NAO]
* Evrin-Gore, Sawna. “An Interview with Mike Mignola”. 2002. 17 January. 2005. [IMM]
* Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas. The Occult Roots of Nazism. New York University Books. 1992. [ORN]
* Gunther, John. Inside Europe. New York. Harper Bros. 1936. [IP]
* Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf (Volume Two: The National Socialist Movement /
Chapter 15: The Right of Emergency Defense). 17 January. 2005. [MK]
* Lindemans, Micha F. “Ragnarok” 1997. 17 January. 2005. [R]
* Mignola, Mike. Hellboy: Seed of Destruction. Canada, Dark Horse Comics. 1997 [SOD]
* Mignola, Mike. Hellboy: Wake the Devil. Canada, Dark Horse Comics. 1997 [WD]
* Mignola, Mike. Hellboy: Conqueror Worm. Canada, Dark Horse Comics. 2002 [CW]
* Nuremberg Trial Transcripts, Online posting 8, http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/nuremberg.htm August 2004
* Payne, Robert. The Life and Death of Adolph Hitler. America, Praeger Publishers. 1973. [LDA]
* Rozett, Robert. Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. Facts on File. 2006. [EH]
* Ruffner, Kevin C. “SS Death's Head Ring”. Center for the Study of the Intelligence Bulletin, Issue 9, 1999. 17 January. 2005. [CSIB]
* Seidelman, William. “Medicine and Murder in the Third Reich”. 2005. 17 January. 2005. <> [MMTR]
* Suster, Gerald. Hitler and the Age of Horus, London, Sphere Books. 1981. [HAH]
* Wilson, Colin. The Occult. America, Duncan Baird Publishers. 2004. [TO]

This is Doctor Lightning signing off...

Photoshop pulp

Hello citizens of the world... This Doctor Lightning broadcasting live from MARDL's Weapon Division. I'm taking a break from testing these knew electro-shock brass knuckles. They work pretty well I daresay.

Anyway, here are some images I whipped up with Photoshop. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them!

This is Doctor Lightning signing off...

Doctor Lighting speaks about recent articles

This is Doctor Lightning on a break from a crime council meeting deep in the mountains of the Soviet Union.

Thank you Dare for your insightful review on this wonderful neo-noir/horror movie. Truly the message that is neo-noir/pulp is rapidly spreading.

Mr. Gates, your article on pulp-ish music was truly inspirational and has motivated me to look up the information you mentioned.

Gabriel, I was also pleased with your entries on the JSA: Libery Files, Doctor Who and the English martial art of Baritsu.

This is Doctor Lightning signing off...

1408: Enter if you DARE!

What if you experienced a personal tragedy that left you with no beliefs to cling to?

What if you so desperately needed to experience a paranormal phenomenon - just to see for yourself that there is indeed something more out there?

That's exactly where writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) finds himself after a heartbreaking occurrence sends his own life and career into a downward spiral of drunken despair. Choked by an unnatural obsession with the afterlife, Enslin has abandoned his serious literary pursuits in favor of writing banal travel books about "haunted" tourist attractions.

But one day, Mike Enslin receives a postcard warning him not to stay in Room 1408 of New York's Dolphin Hotel. Of course, he simply cannot resist. After all, this may be the answer to the prayers he thought no higher being was around to hear.

After repeated warnings from the hotel's manager (Samuel L. Jackson), Enslin finally gets the room - and an 800 dollar bottle of scotch.

Then, all hell - as they say - breaks loose...

That's the basic setup for 1408, and it's quite the eerie ride. "Stay Scared" is a motto Enslin often repeats to his readers, and this movie certainly does its best to ensure the same reaction from viewers.

John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are both promoted as the stars of the film, but don't be fooled by the double billing. Cusack is most definitely the main character. Samuel L. Jackson actually only has a small (but nonetheless very effective) part. Catherine McCormack also appears in a minor role, and Tony Shalhoub (from Monk) shows up in what turns out to be a glorified cameo at best.

In fact, there are many scenes where Cusack is essentially acting by himself. He's a true marvel to watch at work. As a result, the hotel room ends up becoming a "character" in its own right.

1408 reminded me of a mix between Silent Hill (both the movie and the games) and Dark Water (that lame Jennifer Connelly horror flick), but this is thankfully much better than either of those.

This film adaptation of Stephen King's short story (from Everything's Eventual) is nothing short of weird. If you like your horror with a little more intelligence and bite to it, don't be afraid to take the room key and unlock the mysteries of 1408.

Justice Society of America: The Liberty Files review

Good evening America. Gabriel here broadcasting from on top of the Empire State Building. Tonight's entry is brought to you by Luxor Soap.

DC Comics has a special place in my heart. I don't know what exactly but something about DC has always appealed. Marvel (after the disgusting, so-called Circulation Wars) has repulsed me. They pretty much have turned their back on what made their characters so great. Even their movies are shit. But this entry isn't about why Marvel sucks (that's for another time).

Getting back... I've always like the team books. Seeing the group dynamic, the contrast in personalities, MO's and costumes is such an immersive thrill. The Outsiders, the Justice League of America, the Green Lantern Corp,the Teen Titans. All great titles. But there is one title which I always liked. The Justice Society of America. Something about this team REALLY speaks to me.

My friend Mitch summed it up nicely in 3 words. "They're old school." He's quite right. Many, many heroes of the JSA have been around since WW2. And if not them, then the names. That's right. Their names. The JSA is about passing on the torch. The legacy of being a hero. If I can paraphrase a quote I heard from two writers at the 2007 Comic-Con in NYC - "The Titans teach you to be a team. The JLA teaches you to fight but the JSA teaches you to be heroes." Oh very true. The adventures the JSA have are much more... Well... Adventurous, more human, more dramatic. Even their villains seem much more intriguing than the ones the JLA or Titans have face.

Moving along. Being a fan of the "old school" I naturally picked up anything and everything about the JSA. JSA issues, trade paperbacks, crossovers et cetera. Their new series is simply amazing. Anyway, on to the main point of this entry.

At the NYC Comic-Con, I was browsing through the boxes of various vendors when this caught my eye.

Whoa. Such an interesting look. I scan the back, skim through the book and I was suitably impressed. WW2 espionage! Holy shit! Well I'm sold. It's a decision I was quite pleased with.

It takes the idea that the JSA were an espionage group operating for the US Government. Every character has an intriguing look to them. Batman (codenamed the Bat) is dressed like an army commando for example.

• The Good - The art is amazing. The color, the inking, the penciling, the character designs. The dialogue, I'm pleased to say, isn't a cliché of 1940s speak like so many other comics set during that time. The story, involving a Nazi secret weapon, is simply thrilling. The surprise ending will really give you a kick to the balls.
  
• The Bad - The 2nd story set during the Cold War seems too much like regular super hero stories. I wasn't too impressed with it. I felt as if it was too rush and there some glaring plot holes with regards to continuity.
  
• The Ugly - While the sheer number of heroes set in the "mystery men" mold is truly amazing, one can't help want MORE heroes and villains.
  

I recommend this book to anyone who's a fan of the JSA, WW2 espionage and pulp fiction mystery men.

From Booklist
The first generation of superheroes arrived just in time for World War II. To that era Jolley and Harris return, but not quite, for they conjure a world subtly different than even standard comic-book reality. Batman is called in to help two other costumed crime fighters apprehend Jack the Grin (i.e., the Joker), thought to be carrying plans for a German superweapon. The mission is accomplished, and the captured document indicates that the Nazis have a "super-man."

Fortunately, Uncle Sam also has a superman--namely, Superman, though he is top secret. He has a secret, too: the reason he was sent, or, rather, expelled, to Earth. The action stays hot and heavy, through WWII and into cold war H-bomb espionage. Batman and peers encounter several horrifying supervillains, capped by their most dangerous opponent ever. This Batman is a domineering, rather paranoid good guy in a dangerous world that Harris' active compositions and sharp lines, colored in dark shades lit by explosions, make more exciting than, to date, Batman movies have been.
Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Doctor Who and pulp fiction

Good evening America. This is Gabriel with a secret communique broadcasting live from the Flying Reaper's radio room.

Doctor Who may be British sci-fi (there is a distinct FEEL to British sci-fi but that's another article for another day)but it's obviously been influenced by the great pulp novels/comics of yesteryear. Super science, horror, space opera, mystery... It's all there people.

Take the following TV episodes for example

• The Talons of Weng Chiang is quite entertaining. You have murderous crime syndicates, a time-displaced mad scientist, giant rats, an animated doll filled with murderous intent. All of which set during Victorian Era England!
• Mask of Mandragora, set in 15th century Italy involves a violent cult, courtly backstabbings and an alien entity.
  
• Pyramid of Mars is a real cracker of a story. Robot mummies, otherworldly entities which were worshipped as Egyptian gods and madman with the power to destroy worlds.
  
• The Daemons has the hero facing down apparent demonic creatures which seek to lay waste to the planet if Earth fails to pass judgement.
  
• Horror of Fang Rock is a chilling story of an alien creature stranded on Earth with plans of making it into a base of operations against another alien race. Set during the Edwardian Era, the dialogue is engaging and delightful.
  
• Ghost Light, back once more to the Victorian period, the intrepid hero races to find out what is causing the madness in a decaying mansion filled with evil.
  
• Image of the Fendahl has a scientist studying an ancient skull with a pentagram on its crown which is apparently the remains of a monstrous entity from an alien culture's mythology. It's not a coincidence that the Fendahl and the Fendahleen look something straight out H.P. Lovecraft's writings.
• The War Games A gentlemanly war is more than it seems as the hero discovers soldiers from other eras.
  
• Black Orchid, another Edwardian Era story this time involving a dark family secret which is hidden in the secret passages of a sprawling mansion.
• The Abominable Snowmen 1920s Tibet is the backdrop for a dangerous mission investigating the strange occurrence of the Yeti.
• The Green Death has a supercomputer gone insane in a bid to take over the world by any means necessary.
• The Android Invasion pits the hero against robotic duplicates running among in an English countryside
  

See the obvious influences? Supercomputers, robots, bizarre mysteries, science run amok!

Something else that's quite interesting is Doctor Who & the Invaders from Mars. An audio drama published by Big Finish, it tells the tale of the Doctor in New York.

It's 1938 and the Doctor & Charley land in NYC. They run afoul of mobsters with some odd technology and it turns out the Halloween invasion transmitted over the radio was, in fact, a real invasion from Mars! Well... Sort of.

The dialogue is witty and quick, the story immersive and fun. The voice acting... well. God bless the British but the attempt at American accents is laughable and corny.

The Martians sound exactly like something out of an old time radio show and they fit perfectly in the grand scheme of the story.

I highly recommend Doctor Who if you desire a nice change of pace with regards to Sci-Fi and Horror.

Musical Musings- Pulp Themes (an opinion)

Hi, folks. Don here, broadcasting from the radio room of The Flying Reaper, Dr. Lightning's all-purpose transformable armored zeppelin. This post is about music: what it means to my pulp-fan's brain.

In 1872, french composer Camille Saint-Saens wrote a "symphonic poem" called "Le Rouet d'Omphale" (or "Omphale's Spinning Wheel"). The topic of this classical music piece is the legend of Hercules: he finds himself in exile, in service of the Lydian queen Omphale. She forces the hero to dress as a woman and to perform the duties of a maid and seamstress. The piece is lilting and flowery, a soft and harmless musical composition... until the middle third. At this point in the narrative, Hercules bemoans his fate to Omphale as she forces him to spin wool at her feet. This passage of the music is mournful, full of aggression and sadness and regret. It is a bit of a downer, and not heroic at all in this light.

But:

In 1937, the Mutual Broadcasting System first broadcast a radio program called "The Shadow", starring a young Orson Welles. The famous opening and closing lines ("Who Knows What Evil...") were not performed by Welles, but by a recording of radio actor and former Shadow (when the character was an announcer) Frank Readick Jr. Behind this recording was an orchestral version (later to be stripped down to just an organ) of...

the middle third of "Le Rouet d'Omphale".

Now, in this new light, the piece has taken on a new feeling to many that hear it: dark and vengeful when in it's full orchestral form, foggy and mysterioso when played by the organ. "Omphale's Spinning Wheel" has since become "The Shadow's theme".

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Music has a strong power to create images in the minds of the listener, whether it's a piece connected with a famous scene in a movie (think of the "Jaws" theme), or whether it causes the listener to dream up the images themselves. I've always been a big fan of musical themes for stories and characters, and they've always helped me to see the events depicted in a story more clearly.

Another piece by Saint-Saens that fits perfectly with The Shadow is his Symphony No. 3 In C Minor Op. 78 , particularly the leitmotifs present in the beginning of the first and third movements. It lends itself, I believe, to stealthy pursuits. Agents move on their orders. A taxicab pulls away from the curb, the driver tersely watching his quarry as he trails a dark sedan through the night-time streets. A mobster vanishes into the darkness, only to be replaced by a cloaked and slouch-hatted figure, briefly seen under a street-lamp.

It is a powerfully visual piece of music.

Other music from other sources creeps into my head from time to time when reading pulps. For Doc Savage, I think the perfect theme would be "Olympic Fanfare" by movie-music master John Williams. Another John Williams composition, ("The Mission"- you would probably know it better as the NBC Nightly News theme) would be a perfect theme for one of my characters, Challenger Storm (shameless plug!). I admit, it may be hard to distance your head from the thematic elements and movies the pieces were written for, but trust me: it can be done.

A final example of classical-style music matching well with pulp fiction can be seen in Chris Kalb's Spider "Flash Trailer" (that's the black & white cartoon near the bottom of the page). Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" (from his "Carmina Burana") is used to great effect here. This piece has been used (some would say "overused") many, many times in the past, but I don't think it's ever fit as well as it does here. The element of grand horror and epic struggle present in those Spider novels matches perfectly with the bombastic choral arrangement and crashing symbols. "Epic" does not do the description justice.

The Art of Fighting

Good morning America! Gabriel broadcasting live from NYC thanks in part to Clorox.

Here's an interesting article I found on the fighting art used by Sherlock Holmes, Doc Savage and the Shadow. I've decided to post the article here because it is pulp related after all.
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Baritsu

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Baritsu is possibly the world's most famous fictional martial art.

By the 1890s Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had become weary of chronicling the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He had actually killed Holmes off in his 1893 story, the Final Problem, in which Holmes apparently plunged to his death over a waterfall during a struggle with his arch-enemy, Professor Moriarty.

However, such was the public clamour for the fictional detective's return that Doyle capitulated and revived Holmes for another story, the Adventure of the Empty House, in 1901. As Holmes himself explained his apparently miraculous survival:

"When I reached the end I stood at bay. He drew no weapon, but he rushed at me and threw his long arms around me. He knew that his own game was up, and was only anxious to revenge himself upon me. We tottered together upon the brink of the fall. I have some knowledge, however, of baritsu, or the Japanese system of wrestling, which has more than once been very useful to me. I slipped through his grip, and he with a horrible scream kicked madly for a few seconds and clawed the air with both his hands. But for all his efforts he could not get his balance, and over he went. With my face over the brink I saw him fall for a long way. Then he struck a rock, bounced off, and splashed into the water."

In fact, baritsu did not exist outside the pages of the English editions of the Adventure of the Empty House. Doyle had, presumably, meant to refer to Bartitsu, which was an eclectic martial art that had been founded by Londoner E. W. Barton-Wright around 1898 or 1899, i.e. several years after Holmes supposedly had used it (but a couple of years before Conan Doyle was writing).

It is uncertain why Holmes referred to 'Baritsu', rather than 'Bartitsu'. It is possible that Doyle, who, like Barton-Wright, was writing for Pearson's Magazine during the late 1890s, was vaguely aware of Bartitsu and simply mis-remembered or misheard the term; it may even have been a typographical error or a concern about copyright. In any case, baritsu was considered to be too esoteric by Doyle's American editors, who further added to the confusion by substituting the word "jiujitsu" in the American editions of the story.

Another possible source for the word could be the Russian "borets" ("борец"), "fighter", "wrestler".

This confusion of names persisted through much of the 20th century, with Holmes enthusiasts puzzling over the identity of baritsu and mistakenly identifying it as bujutsu, sumo and judo. It was not until the 1990s that scholars including Y. Hirayama, J. Hall, Richard Bowen and James Webb were able to positively identify the martial art of Sherlock Holmes.

Meanwhile, baritsu developed a life of its own during the latter 20th century, and it was duly recorded that fictional heroes including Doc Savage and the Shadow had been initiated into its mysteries; those last two were established as knowing Baritsu in a DC published crossover that spilled over into The Shadow Strikes. It was also incorporated into the rules of several role-playing games set during the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

Weird Horror!

I like that type of horror that makes you go "OH MY GOD... WHAT IS THAT?!" Horror like Event Horizon, In the Mouth of Madness and John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness for example. It's the type horror that isn't associated with ghosts, the devil or black magic (even Prince of Darkness. even though it says the devil is involved, the entity described is more akin to stuff written by HP Lovecraft, Robert Bloch etc).

A another example is Guy De Maupassant's The Horla in which an extra-spatial entity is slowing gaining control of a man who goes to great lengths to stop it. Madness begins to creep into the narrator's scribblings as he realizes something is just not right. In fact, the idea of the Horla inspired a Star Trek episode where it's revealed that this entity (in the episode) was behind the Jack the Ripper killings and other brutal murders on other planets.

One of the future stories of the Red Phantom will involve him and a little known Egyptian cult (scrolls down to the 2nd half to see more)dedicated to one of these foul entities. Be prepared for some weirdness!

This is the horror in which the monsters, for lack of a better term, are indescribable.

Case in point, the Pyramid Head from the Silent Hill 2 video game.
Despite the humanoid body, it's decidedly evil. The lack of a face, the odd pyramid mask and the obscenely huge knife all contribute to that feeling of "it just doesn't feel right." I don't know about you but this is much more scarier than a walking skeleton. At least with a skeleton, you can club it and it'll fall apart.














With this odd thing... Well, pray that you die quickly. If Lovecraft, Franz Kafka and De Maupassant were alive, they'd agree that the Pyramid Head is the zenith of weird horror.

Manhunter

Attention America, this is Doctor Lightning broadcasting from under the Thames River in England. This transmission is about one of the few heroes I respect... The Manhunter.

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I've been a comic fan for many, many years (27 years in fact). Yes, even Doctor Lightning is fond of comics. My interests are wide and varied.

I got into them in the 80s when my godparents got me a box of 200 (100 Marvel, 100 DC)comics from JC Penny for Christmas. I was in the middle of the Bronze Age of comics and I was loving it.

This was before Batman became an obsessed, misanthropic psychotic. This was when Spider-man didn't have more neuroses than Woody Allen. This was when the X-Men weren't whining about being ostracized by people. This was when Marvel heroes had real costumes and not fancy, trendy clothing worn by ravers in a shitty dance club. See the X-Men and Daredevil movies for example.

One comic in particular got me into DC and pulp style comics heavily. In 1984, DC published a collection of stories involving a character from the 1940s. He was Paul Kirk and was a member of various hero groups during World War 2.

Unlike other non-superpowered heroes of the time (the Punisher, Batman, Shang-Chi etc), Paul Kirk really struck a chord in me. I don't know why, but something about his appearances in the Golden Age and Bronze Age really, really, REALLY left a deep impression on me.

Kirk's unwavering sense of honor, justice, loyalty and deep intolerance of those who consistently manipulated others for their needs had a resonating effect on me. Those attributes were also evident in other pulp style heroes such as the Shadow, the Phantom, the Spirit, the Crimson Avenger to name a few.

A relentless, stalwart avenger who sought justice for those oppressed. So this is one of the heroes who's had a profound effect on me.

Take the time to read the following bits of information on Paul Kirk.

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Taken from Who's Who in the DC Universe...
History

.....As a young man, socialite Paul Kirk made a reputation as a big-game hunter and tracker in Africa. Boasting superior tracking skills, Kirk lead game safaris and captured animals for zoos around the world in the late 1930's. He tired of the life, seeking greater challenges. His abilites came to the notice of a group of alien hunters known as the Manhunters, who track down criminals. Shortly after the United States entry into World War II, Kirk was tricked into joining the society of Manhunters by tracking down the murderer of his friend Police Inspector Donovan (himself a Manhunter Agent). Taking the name Manhunter and the costume as his own, Kirk had little contact with other Manhunter agents, including Dan Richards, also calling himself Manhunter.

..... As World War II progressed, Kirk began working for OSS, an American Intellegence group, usually not in costume. Kirk undertook many brutal missions behind enemy lines, and by the time of the war's end, tired of the senseless brutality and took to Africa to try and heal the wounds his hunting had created on his soul.

.....In 1946, weary of living, Kirk was accidentily trampled by an elephant. Near death, his body was taken by a group called the Council, a eugenics group bent on world domination. Over the decades, Kirk's body was repaired and altered, giving him greater reflexes and the ability to heal wounds instantaneously. His genetic template was used in the groundforces of The Council, its soldiers were Kirk's clones. Learning of The Council's plans for world conquest, Kirk shattered The Council and destroyed much of its resurces. One of the clones became a hero of sorts, infiltrating the Darkseid lead Secret Society of Super-Villains and smashing its plans for a time, at the cost of his own life. All the other clones have been eliminated by friends of Paul Kirk.

Powers and Abilities

.....Paul Kirk was one of the greatest trackers and hunters in modern history. Using these abilities, and with great fighting prowess, Paul Kirk was a relentless fighter for justice. Kirk was proficient with many types of firearms and vehicles.

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Taken from the Wiki entry on him...
The following month after Dan Richards appeared, DC decided to have one of their pre-existing characters, big game hunter Paul Kirk, put on a costume and take the name Manhunter as well. This happened in April 1942's Adventure Comics #73, written by Jack Kirby and drawn by Kirby and Joe Simon, although Paul Kirk had first appeared in Adventure #58. Kirk was a wealthy hunter who lost a friend to a murderer, and decided to hunt a more dangerous quarry: outlaws.

Although Richards and Kirk never met in golden age stories, they did meet in All-Star Squadron #31, from 1984, and argued over who should get the Manhunter name. They resolved the dilemma by joining different teams: Dan Richards became a member of the Freedom Fighters, while Paul Kirk stayed as a member of the All-Star Squadron.

Paul Kirk appeared in Adventure Comics from issue #73 to #92, which appeared to end his career in 1944, but it was not to be. Many years later, in 1973's Detective Comics #437, Paul Kirk was literally resurrected in a story by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson. He had been killed by an elephant on safari in the 1940s, but his body had been saved by the Council, a secret society dedicated to the control of the world. After his return from death, Kirk had a healing factor (it was later revealed that this was due to an injection of nanobots) and was trained extensively in the martial arts by Asano Nitobe. He was also the genetic source for many clones, which the council intended to use as their paramilitary arm, with the original Paul Kirk as their leader.

The Council underestimated Kirk's morals, though, and when he refused to kill a police officer, they realized he couldn't be their assassin and decided to have him terminated.

In a classic series of short vignettes and a single issue crossover with Batman, Manhunter defeated the Council, but not before they managed to kill him. Interpol agent Christine St. Clair and Nitobe believed that all the clones were killed, but swore to kill any they found in the future.
Paul Kirk's story ran from Detective Comics #437 through #442 as a backup, and #443 (1974) was the aforementioned full-length crossover with Batman. These stories are considered as classics of the comic-book form and have been reprinted several times; first, in 1979 and in black and white format by Excalibur, and then in color by DC in 1984. The Simonson/Goodwin Manhunter was reissued again in 1999, with some additional material (namely, a silent story illustrated by Simonson from notes by Goodwin, who had died prior to the issue of the new collection; as such, the new collection was dedicated to Goodwin's memory).

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Now, as to why Kate Spencer is pitiful. Well for one thing, the Manhunter we all know and love is about hunting his enemies and dispatching them. He uses his skills as a big game hunter to track his enemies in the dead of night. His deductive reasoning is on par with Batman, the Sandman (Wesley Dodds and his protegé), the Elongated Man and the Shadow. His tenacity, nay... His obsession to capturing evil doers is legendary. But above all, he's a man of justice.

Later another Manhunter (Mark Shaw) would carry on the tradition, albeit for profit. But his thirst for justice sometimes overcame his need for money. In the end, he's still a Manhunter.

Kate Spencer on the other hand... Just another silly angry "femme fatale" with big guns. Her gear... Well, here. Read this.

When Kate pursues Copperhead, she sneaks into an evidence room to steal some items she can use against him. Manhunter #15 tells the origin of each of the three items she takes:

• The Suit - The suit comes from a member of the Darkstars who died in battle and fell to Earth to rot. A drifter found it and used it to defend himself against a group of attackers. Successfully defeating them, he robbed them and left the suit in a dumpster.
• The Gauntlets - A small-time crook found the gauntlets, originally worn by Azrael during his stint as Batman, in Gotham City. The crook used them in an unsuccessful burglary, but when the police arrived, the crook fell to his death, leaving the gauntlets still dug into the side of the building.
• The Staff - An attack on Eclipso ended with several heroes dead; among them was a man programmed to believe that he is Mark Shaw. The staff was recovered with the body and hidden in storage.

So she steals equipment and calls herself the new Manhunter? Such a slap to the face of what is the noble tradition of the Manhunter. There will be a reckoning and this impostor to the name will get her comeuppance soon.

This is Doctor Lightning signing off...

Photoshop pulp

Seeing the lurid poster of Taratino's Grindhouse has inspired me to create my own pulp covers.

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A collector of Asian antiquities fights for his life as his latest acquisition comes to life and begins to slaughter people left and right in the name of some profane deity.

Can the intrepid historian stop this loathsome creature before it kills again?!
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Three heroes united against a common foe.

The Red Phantom - Crimson clad avenger of the oppressed and killer of ghosts.

The Manhunter - Vengeance driven vigilante seeks the most dangerous game... man.

Lobster Johnson - Spectral hero committed to protecting America and its citizens