Pulp Tales

During the 1970s and '80s, longtime pulp fan, collector, and historian Albert Tonik took his cassette recorder along during interviews with pulpsters and to PulpCon, the precursor to PulpFest. Those recordings — the Tonik Tapes — preserved voices and memories that might otherwise have been lost. This is the first of several interviews from that collection to be featured on Pulp Tales. Al Tonik rec...

In this episode of Pulp Tales, editor and pulp historian Garyn Roberts discusses the influence of Edgar Rice Burroughs on the life and works of the Science Fiction Grand Master and Poet of the Pulps, Ray Bradbury. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, pulp collector Chris Kalb, co-publisher at Age of Aces Books, and artist and filmmaker Ron Hill, reflect on "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze" on the movie's 50th anniversary. Produced by George Pal and directed by Michael Anderson, the film was released in 1975. This presentation was part of Doc Con, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded...

In this episode of Pulp Tales, author Michael Stradford looks at actor and model Steve Holland, who became the face of Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze, for Bantam Books' paperback line from the 1960s through 1990. This presentation was part of Doc Con, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, artist and filmmaker Ron Hill and author and pulp historian Will Murray examine the Bantam Books line of Doc Savage paperbacks, which began in 1964 and continued until 1990. This presentation was part of Doc Con, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, pulp collector Morgan Holmes reflects on author Rafael Sabatini, one of the masters of blood and thunder, on the 150th anniversary of his birth. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, artists Mark Wheatley and Douglas C. Klauba examine Tarzan’s illustrators as part of this year’s salute to the 150th anniversary of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ birth. This presentation was part of ERBFest, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, Christopher Paul Carey, vice president of publishing at Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., and author Win Scott Eckert explore Tarzan the time traveler from Philip José Farmer’s novel "Time’s Last Gift" and examine Farmer’s writings and speculations concerning Doc Savage, the Man of Bronze. This presentation was part of Farmer Con, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. Thi...

In this episode of Pulp Tales, Wyatt Doyle, co-editor of the Men’s Adventure Library series, discusses the “masters” who put together the men’s magazines for the American war veterans. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, author William Patrick Maynard moderates a discussion of how pulp-era fictioneers — Raymond Chandler, Robert E. Howard, William Lindsey Gresham, and Lester Dent — drew on their anxieties, experiences, and weaknesses to fuel and add to their work. The panel features author John Bruening, co-publisher at Flinch Books, pulp fan Morgan Holmes, author and PulpFest committ...

In this episode of Pulp Tales, Ed Hulse, publisher at Murainia Press, and pulp collectors Tom Krabacher and Kurt Shoemaker discuss the masters who made the long-running magazine "Adventure" into a leading light of the pulp rack. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Aug. 7. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, author Jim Beard, publisher at Becky Books and co-publisher at Flinch Books, takes a look at how Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ enduring character, has been marketed for over a century. This presentation was part of ERBFest, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Aug. 7. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, pulp collector and former intelligence consultant Tim King and author and pulp historian Will Murray explore the masters of villainy, a celebration of the 90th anniversary of the villain pulps. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Aug. 7. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, Ed Hulse, publisher at Murainia Press, looks at the life and times of author Edgar Wallace, a master of blood and thunder, on the 150th anniversary of his birth. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Aug. 7. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

In this episode of Pulp Tales, Cathy Wilbanks, vice president of operations at Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., and longtime fan Bernice Jones discuss the great men that Edgar Rice Burroughs brought to life in novel after novel. This presentation was part of ERBFest, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2025. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Aug. 7. Brought to you by ThePulp. Net.

Pulp historian John Wooley talks with Peter Wolson about Wolson's father, fictioneer Morton Wolson. Morton Wolson wrote for the pulp magazines, including Black Mask and Dime Detective Magazine, under the name of Peter Paige. This presentation was recorded on Saturday, Aug. 3, at PulpFest 2024 in Pittsburgh.

Author and PulpFest committee member Craig McDonald talks with award-winning artist Douglas C. Klauba about illustrating works by Edgar Rice Burroughs and Philip José Farmer. The panel was part of both ERBFest and FarmerCon, which were held in conjunction with PulpFest 2024. This presentation was recorded on Saturday, Aug. 3, in Pittsburgh.

Keith Howell moderates "secrets, crossovers, and the full account," a discussion of new projects in the works by Meteor House. On the panel are writers Paul Spiteri, Sean Lee Levin, and Win Scott Eckert. This presentation was part of FarmerCon, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2024. This presentation was recorded on Saturday, Aug. 3, in Pittsburgh.

Pulp collector Morgan Holmes looks at Robert E. Howard and other writers of adventure stories in the Spicy pulp magazines. This presentation was recorded on Friday, Aug. 2, at PulpFest 2024 in Pittsburgh.

Pulp collectors Tom Krabacher and Kurt Shoemaker profile Operator #5, America's Secret Service Ace. Popular Publications introduced its Operator #5 pulp magazine 90 years ago, in April 1934. This presentation was recorded on Friday, Aug. 2, at PulpFest 2024 in Pittsburgh.

PulpFest's Mike Chomko and artist Mark Schultz delve into pulp paleontology as they look at how dinosaurs were depicted in the pulp magazines. Schultz wrote and drew the award-winning comic-book series, Xenozoic Tales, and has illustrated Tarzan and other Edgar Rice Burroughs characters. The panel was part of ERBFest, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2024. This presentation was recorded on Friday...

John Gunnison, proprietor at Adventure House, author John Wooley, and pulp collector and dealer John McMahan discuss how the classic detective pulp, Black Mask, changed after This presentation was purchased by Popular Publications. This presentation was recorded on Friday, Aug. 2, at PulpFest 2024 in Pittsburgh.

Bob Deis and Wyatt Doyle, co-editors of the Men’s Adventure Library series, explore the spicy pulp elements present in one of the pulp magazines' successors, the men's adventure magazines. This presentation was recorded on Friday, Aug. 2, at PulpFest 2024 in Pittsburgh.

Cathy Wilbanks, vice president of operations at Edgar Rice Burroughs Incorporated, and longtime fan, Bernice Jones, discuss the women of Edgar Rice Burroughs' stories. The panel was part of ERB Fest, held in conjunction with PulpFest 2024. This presentation was recorded on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Pittsburgh.

Artist and pulp historian David Saunders discusses eight artists — Adolphe Barreaux, Harry L. Parkhurst, Delos Palmer, William F. Soare, Norman Saunders, Hugh J. Ward, Allen Anderson, and Joseph Szokoli — who painted covers and drew illustrations for the Spicy pulps. David is Norman Saunders' son and proprietor of the website A Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists [pulpartists.com]. This pres...