I am a big fan of Pulp Fiction and Will Murray–writer of wonderful adventures of Doc Savage, Cthulhu, Sherlock Holmes, and Tarzan–who brings back a Pulp Hero to take on a Pulp Villain. Secret Agent X is a master of disguise who was once an intelligence agent. Now he has given up his former identity to fight crime as the nameless, faceless Secret Agent X with the ability to impersonate anyone. Secret Agent X was a pulp magazine that ran for more than forty issues from Ace Magazines. Paul Chadwick created the character and the stories were written by Chadwick with various other pulp fiction writers, chiefly G.T. Fleming-Roberts.
Doctor Death is one of the few villains to have his own pulp magazine, a short-lived pulp science fiction magazine published by Dell Magazines in 1935. Altus Press has reprinted five Doctor Death novels and several short stories. Doctor Death was a former academic named Dr. Rance Mandarin. He is a master of both scientific and mystical arts which makes him incredibly powerful.
Doctor Death is “determined to hurl civilization back to the Dark Ages”! Harold Ward, created Doctor Death and wrote the novels under the pseudonym “Zorro”.
As a master of science and the supernatural, Doctor Death presents problems to Secret Agent X that he can’t overcome by himself. After an almost fatal battle with Doctor Death, Secret Agent X decides he needs help in stopping this super-villain.
Secret Agent X recruits three other crime fighters: The Cobra, Moon Man, and The Griffon. Together, they are the Secret Circle.
Secret Agent X found Doctor Death’s hidden lair in the deadly catacombs. The Secret Circle face Elementals, Harpies, Minotaurs, and Zombies in the assault on Doctor Death’s booby-trapped hideaway!
If you like The Avengers and the Justice League, you’ll enjoy the epic conclusion of Secret Agent X Vs. Dr. Death! The team of crime fighters face many perils in their battle with Doctor Death. You’ll be on the edge of your seat! GRADE: A
Picked this pone up last week and am looking forward to reading it. Although I have some Secret Agent X books on Mount TBR, I have never read any, but I zoomed through all the the adventures of Dr. Death many years ago. Thank heavens we have a writer as knowledgeable and talented as Will Murray to bring back these characters.
Jerry, Will Murray channels the Pulp writers from the 1930s in SECRET AGENT X VS. DOCTOR DEATH! You’ll enjoy The Cobra, Moon Man, The Griffon and other great characters battling Doctor Death, too!
Not for me, but I love the cover.
Jeff, I love the cover, too! And, I also like the retro cover from 1935!
I never engaged with the pulp superheroes. By the time Bantam revived Doc Savage in 1964, I’d already transitioned from the comic books to Burroughs, Rohmer, Howard, Lovecraft, and Fleming, and thence to John D. MacDonald, Donald Hamilton, etc. I suppose the closest I came was Award Books’ Nick Carter reboot around 1965 as part of my interest in 007 and UNCLE. I bought a few of the Savage, Shadow, and G-8 paperbacks randomly in the ’70s. Still, kudos to Murray.
Fred, Will Murray has studied these Pulp characters in detail and emulates the style of writing from that era. Nobody does it better.
Skin so white his teeth look black….
Todd, as black as his soul…
I’m sure it’s jam-packed with rollicking adventure, but I’m put off by teams and groups! Will Murray is a master, though!
Bob, I still have a few of Will Murray’s DOC SAVAGE novels to read and review in the coming months.