Captain's Library: THE SHADOW "Vampire Hall"

This story of The Shadow vs a vampire was so popular it was done three times...

...first as a Shadow pulp novel by Walter Gibson in 1942, then as the 1943 comic story you're about to read which combines elements of both the pulp and radio show versions of Lamont Cranston and his alter-ego...

...and to complete the cycle, this story was adapted into the September 1946 season opener of The Shadow radio show, entitled "Vampires Prowl at Night"!

(BTW, you can read the pulp novel "Vampire Murders" and the script for "Vampires Prowl at Night" in a recent reprint available HERE.

Unfortunately, there's no surviving recordings of the actual radio episode.)
This never-reprinted story from Shadow Comics V3#4 (1943) is written by Gibson and illustrated by Jack Binder.

The character of Varney Haldrew is named after Varney the Vampire, who was featured in the 1845 Gothic-horror story, Varney the Vampire; or, the Feast of Blood by James Malcolm Rymer.

"Varney" was a major influence on fictional vampires, including Dracula (1897), by Bram Stoker.

Many of the basic concepts about vampires including fangs, punctured necks, and hypnotic powers, originated from the popular Varney "penny dreadfuls" published from 1845 to 1847.

(Here's a LINK to Project: Gutenberg's page.)

We're hope you're enjoying our Countdown to Halloween 2013 contributions about tv/movie/radio-based comics featuring monsters (or in this case, someone pretending to be a monster)!

Captain's Library: THE SHADOW Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Hero...

Shiwan Khan plans to destroy most of New York City with a prototype nuclear bomb while the President of the USA and several other high-ranking foreign dignitaries are in town for a conference.

Once they are dead, Khan will order his mind-controlled minions to rise up and seize control of the dead politicians' countries, reestablishing the Mongol Empire!

However, The Shadow has tracked Khan to his hidden lair, and is about to show the Last Descendant of Genghis Khan that the Weed of Crime Bears Bitter Fruit...

You did know the bartender was Cranston, right?

(go back to part 1, page 1 and look carefully.)

Next week, another never-reprinted comic book/graphic novel adaptation of a TV series, movie or radio show...

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Captain's Library: THE SHADOW Part 3

When Last We Left Our Hero...

Well, that covered the major points pretty well.  

Let's just go along for the ride...

We'll wait, but only until tomorrow, when we present the cataclysmic conclusion!

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Captain's Library: THE SHADOW Part 2

When Last We Left Our Hero...

Shiwan Khan, last descendant of Genghis Khan, arrives in New York City to carry out his plans to rule the world.
Sensing a kindred spirit in The Shadow, he offers the cloaked crimefighter a chance to become his ally.
Meanwhile, The Shadow, in his alter-ego of Lamont Cranston, has met the lovely Margo Lane, possessor of the ability to read the thoughts of He Who Knows What Evil Lurks in the Hearts of Men and daughter of atomic scientist Reinhardt Lane!
The Shadow (as Cranston) seeks out Dr. Roy Tam, whose life he saved earlier, to find out about a coin sent to him by Khan...

When offered the chance to do the movie adaptation, Michael Kaluta (along with co-writer Joel Goss) kept the most of the script, but deleted the opening scenes in Tibet, and created a new framing sequence involving reporter Clyde Burke, one of The Shadow's agents in pulps and comics (who does not appear in the movie).
(You'll also note some scenes that are separate in the film are combined in the comic, though whether that's due to the fact they were working from an earlier version of the screenplay or Goss and Kaluta's idea is unknown)
Kaluta ignored the movie's production design for costumes, sets and props, and used his own versions of the characters, not trying to make them match the actors' likenesses, as most movie adaptations do.
In fact, the character designs give us the feeling it's a continuation of his classic 1970s DC Comics run!
The only concession to the movie was making Margo Lane blonde instead of brunette.

Join us tomorrow as we present more of...The Shadow...Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha ha Ha...

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Captain's Library: THE SHADOW Part 1

Based on the 1995 feature film starring Alec Baldwin...

...Script by Joel Goss and Michael Kaluta, Art by Michael Kaluta.

We'll meet tomorrow, with Part 2 of...The Shadow!
Plus commentary and some behind-the-scenes revelations!

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