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 received one of the pulp community's highest honors, the Lamont Award in 1994. He passed away in 2018 at the age of 92. In this episode, Al talks with artist Jerome Rozen about his career in the pulp magazines, including his covers for The Shadow Magazine. The interview was recorded on September 27, 1983. 2026 marks the 95th anniversary of the debut of The Shadow Magazine. Al's article, "In the shadow of Jerome Rozen," based on this interview, is available now at ThePulp.Net.

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 Pittsburgh on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025. Brought to you by ThePulp.Net.

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. This Pulp Tales was recorded in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp.Net.

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 committee member Craig McDonald, and author and pulp historian Will Murray. This Pulp Tales was recorded at PulpFest 2025 in Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 8. Brought to you by ThePulp.Net.