Ten years before, Clyde Ainsley was held as a homicidal maniac — and now he confronts Tony Quinn with a strange and baffling story of crime that calls for swift action! The Black Bat moves swiftly to save victims slated for death on a crafty killer’s list!
Although considered by many to be a part of the third round of Pulp heroes during the Magazines’ heyday, The Black Bat numbered among the second wave of heroic lead characters produced by The Thrilling Publishing Group, also known at various times as Standard or Nedor Publishing. Norman A. Daniels not only created The Black Bat but was also responsible for other characters included in this new push into Pulp hero territory by Thrilling.
History of more than a few characters may have been drastically different if The Black Bat had appeared as Daniels originally conceived him. A different animal inspired Tony Quinn in the original concept when he was stricken blind and left with scars around his eyes. Daniels’ plan was for Quinn to call himself The Tiger, but the powers at be at Standard had a different idea. Not only had there been precedent in the company’s past offerings for there being a Bat or even a Black Bat, but they’d also recently acquired *Black Book Detective* and felt that Quinn’s alter ego should somehow associate with that more than a killer feline. So, Daniels acquiesced, and The Tiger became a dark costumed death dealing avenger known as The Black Bat, complete with bat like costume, ribbed winglike cape and all. This would not last however, as The Black Bat stopped wearing the cape in late 1944, content to only wear black to hide in the darkness the city provided.
Thrill to The Long Ago Murder, originally published in Black Book Detective #76 October 1947 and read with two fisted excitement by award winning voice actor Milton Bagby.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Man with a Problem
Chapter 2: Place of Murder
Chapter 3: The Doubting Detective
Chapter 4: The Hunt Begins
Chapter 5: Dangerous Visitor
Chapter 6: Beach House Battle
Chapter 7: Black Clad Visitor
Chapter 8: Moment of Danger
Chapter 9: Murder in the Night
Chapter 10: Murder’s Motive
Chapter 11: Stickup
Chapter 12: The Murder Long Ago
Chapter 13: Not So Tough
