GREEN HORNET 50TH

The Green Hornet made it's television debut on this day in 1966! The ABC network had struck gold with Batman and they hoped to continue their success with a comic-style property. Just one day after Star Trek aired (on NBC), viewers tuned in to see the adventures of the Green Hornet (played by Van Williams) and his sidekick, Kato (played by the amazing Bruce Lee!). The stories were presented in a straightforward fashion, in contrast to the camp of Batman. Although the Hornet wasn't played for laughs, the show's colorful tone and fun gadgets made it a cult fave among Spy Vibers. And the Hornet and Kato even made a special appearance as anti-heroes in a two-part episode of Batman. But where fans finally got an official Batman release on DVD recently, the Hornet's 26 episodes remain unreleased. The characters originated as a radio drama in January 1936 and went on to great popularity in the comics and cliffhanger serials. Readers might enjoy seeing how the 1960s TV show inspired a manga series in Japan! Continues below.

A number of Mystery/Adventure and Pulp properties were licensed in Japan in the 1960s to be adapted into manga. Saito's pre-Golgo 13 work on James Bond and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is legendary (and remains untranslated), and Kuwata's Batman has had a resurgence due to the loving efforts of designer Chip Kidd (the complete collection was finally released last year). Adventures of The Green Hornet and his Karate-master chauffeur, Kato, were released in Japanese by Toru Yamazaki in 1967 (a contemporary creator named "Toru Yamazaki" published Octopus Girl). Few images of the Hornet manga have surfaced outside of the collector's market, but here are some samples that might spark your interest. The Green Hornet has also appeared in the pages of Harvey, Gold Key, Now, DC, and Dynamite Comics. Kevin Smith, Ralph Garman, and Ty Templeton published a series through DC that continued the Batman/Green Hornet TV crossover from March, 1967. You can read my interview with the creative team here. Related posts: Interview with Green Hornet writer Win Scott Eckert, Solo by Saito, UNCLE and Batman manga. Learn more about the history of The Green Hornet. Happy weekend, Spy Vibers!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art Interview, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes Interview, Jaz Wiseman Interview, Diana Rigg BFI Interview, Casino Royale Interview: Mike Richardson, Lost Diana Rigg Interview, Honor Blackman at 90, UNCLE School, Ian Fleming Memorial, Portmeirion Photos, Doctor Who Exhibit, Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, John Buss interview, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Tokyo Beat 1964, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

THE SAINT LIBRARY

The original adventures of The Saint have returned in a massive publishing project by Hodder & Stoughton (Mullholland UK imprint). A complete library collection by Leslie Charteris was released in paperback between April, 2013 and February, 2014, and will be available in Ebook editions from Thomas & Mercer on Amazon starting March 18th. As described on the Charteris website,  Simon Templar (The Saint) is the "Robin Hood of modern crime: he robs from the evil and heartless rich, and gives to the wronged and deserving poor- in the process, keeping a percentage for his own expenses. He doesn't work for the law, the government, or anyone else. He is a lone wolf, but he doesn't hesitate to team up or collaborate with anyone, including official agencies, when the need arises. He is also a romantic who believes in the excitement of living." Charteris wrote fifty Saint novels and collections. The character also appeared in many continuation stories, films, radio shows, comic strips, and notably a 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore. I loved reading these novels as a kid. The Moore series imprinted a wonderful image in my mind of the ideal jet-setter and adventurer for the space age. I was also intrigued to learn there were Saint Clubs for boys during the mid-century. In my imagination, groups of good-hearted Bowery Boys met in cellar gymnasiums to read the exploits of Simon Templar and to practice boxing and archery. I was never one to join clubs as a kid, but this image of brotherly Saint fans really appealed to me. I'm excited to see this library of novels return to bookshelves and win over new readers. Enjoy! Learn about The Saint: The Saint: A Complete History, George Sanders Saint Collection, The Saint seasons 5 & 6 streaming on Amazon, The Saint radio show starring Vincent Price, and The Saint.org website. 

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FU MANCHU PANEL

In celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Sax Rohmer's infamous character Fu Manchu, PulpFest hosted a fascinating round-table event last summer. A panel of pulp historians, including Ed Hulse (Blood 'n' Thunder), Gene Christie (Black Dog Books), Win Scott Eckert (The Phantom, Green Hornet, Honey West and T.H.E. Cat), Nathan Madison (Anti-Foreign Imagery in American Pulps and Comics), William Patrick Maynard (Fu Manchu, Sherlock Holmes), and Will Murray (Doc Savage, The Spider), discussed how the character developed over time and how the stories reflected attitudes about Asian immigration, culture, and foreign policy.

Fu Manchu inspired the quintessential fiendish mastermind, an archetype that ruled popular fiction in the 20th Century and continues to appear in contemporary stories (Iron Man III). James Bond fans will recognize the template in characters like Doctor No (Doctor No/1962) and The Claw (Get Smart/1965-1970). Rohmer's villain appeared in Cold War comic books (Master of Kung Fu/1974-1983), Pyramid paperbacks, on television (Adventures of Fu Manchu/1953), and in a series of 1965-1969 movies starring Christopher Lee (Man With the Golden Gun). Fun Manchu continues as a literary figure through the efforts of the Rohmer estate and author William Patrick Maynard.

Pulp historian Nathan Madison starts off the 50-minute discussion below. Check out the Fu Manchu images here from the 1960s Christopher Lee films. Some topics of note: The Brides of Fu Manchu campaign from 1966 is based on a common anti-communist slogan of the era, "better dead than red." The women from Blood of Fu Manchu (1968) are wearing fur, but those geometric cuts are all Space-Age fashion! Spy Vibe's Christopher Lee collage and tribute here. Spy Vibe interview with William Patrick Maynard. Spy Vibe's Pinterest image archives: Diabolical, Mystery/Adventure, Cliffhanger Serials, The Phantom, Dick Tracy, Mandrake, The Shadow, Fantomas. Thanks to PulpFest and all of the panel guests for offering such a fascinating discussion. Enjoy!

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ORSON WELLES TRIBUTE

Orson Welles was born on this day in 1915. A celebrated as a child prodigy by Life Magazine, Welles bluffed his way into early opportunities and let his uncanny talent carry him to stardom. Actor extraordinaire, writer, director, producer, and innovator, he quickly had his hands in many historic projects and worked with a long-term company of brilliant artists. Orson Welles is best known, of course, for his film Citizen Kaine (1941), which is still cited as the greatest American film ever made. Welles enjoyed great freedom and control on the project, a level of power that would elude him thereafter and cause years of frustration and financial insecurity. Any period of Orson Welles is fascinating and worth exploring. Spy Vibers will naturally enjoy his crime-related films, Lady From Shanghai (1947), Mr. Arkadin (1955), The Third Man (1949), Touch of Evil (1958), The Trial (1962), The Stranger (1946), and F is For Fake (1975). His Shakespeare is legendary. But fans Old Time Radio like me will always remember Orson Welles fondly as... The Shadow!

For me, Orson Welles' golden period is summed up by an old story that was often told about his radio career in the 1930s. There was a period when Welles had starring roles (and often leadership responsibilities) at major programs being produced at different radio stations. The common version of the tale is that he would rush from station to station in an ambulance so that he could get across town in time for each broadcast. He needed no rehearsals. He was just that good. I love the idea of Orson Welles wrapping something like War of the Worlds (October 1938), and then rushing through traffic, grabbing his script as he ran through the door, and stepping up to a microphone just in time to deliver his lines as pulp hero, The Shadow! 

Orson Welles was interviewed over many years by director Peter Bogdanovich. There were tapes available at one point, and the transcripts were published as This is Orson Welles. Welles was such a raconteur and brilliant mind that the book is truly exhilarating and inspiring. In the interviews, they discuss this famous story about his radio days:

OW: Soon I was doing so many [shows] that I didn't even rehearse. I'd come to a bad end in some tearjerker on the seventh floor of CBS and rush up to the ninth (they'd hold an elevator for me), where, just as the red light was going on, somebody'd hand me a script and whisper, "Chinese Mandarin, seventy-five years old," and off I'd go again. Some days I had to commute between the networks by ambulance...

PB: It was in those years that you did The Shadow.

OW: Lamont Cranston, that was me.

PB: You didn't write those things?

OW: My God, I didn't even know what was going to happen to me while I was in 'em. Not rehearsing- which was part of my deal with Blue Coal- the sponsor, made it so much more interesting. When I was thrown down the well or into some fiendish snake pit, I never knew how I'd get out. 

PB: You had nothing to do with that marvelous opening speech-

OW: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men...?" Well, I said it every week for years.

Orson Welles landed the role of The Shadow at the age of 22. He played the famous mystery hero from September 27th, 1937 to March, 1938. Other notable radio performances include Mercury Theater on the Air (1938-1940), Ceiling Unlimited (1942-1943), The Lives of Harry Lime (1951-1952/based on The Third Man), and The Black Museum (1952). You can learn all about The Shadow from Martin Grams here. 

Check Spy Vibe for recent posts about our fiendish villains archive, rare Piero Umiliani Kriminal soundtrack, new Beatles Yellow Submarine game, James Bond audio book re-issues, Mid-Century Modern in Peanuts, Ralph Byrd Dick Tracy, The Saint, Op Art, Thomas Allen pulp art, The Shadow, Operation Kid Brother (MST3K), 1960s espionage writers, my review of SKYFALL, 007 at the Intnl Spy Museum, and more. Spy Vibe is now on Pinterest! Check out our image archives and follow us here.

Ian Fleming on Spy Vibe: recent posts include Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, and our Ian Fleming image archive link here.

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