Tony Quinn tackles the toughest racket he’s ever tried to smash when a crew of ex-bootleggers band together to make a squeeze-play on commodities! The Black Bat laughs at death threats as he wars against the black marketeers!
By 1938, a singular concept had taken a firm hold on its readers, beginning with The Shadow’s debut in 1931. The Pulp Hero, Leo Margulies, editor for Thrilling Publications, took steps in late 1938 to add a different twist to this archetype and went to his go to author to do so.
Norman A. Daniels had proven himself as a pulp workhorse for Thrilling’s line of magazines, including a fair share of the stories for Thrilling’s leading Pulp Hero, the Phantom Detective. When Margulies decided it was time to add another hero to Thrilling’s stable, Daniels was an obvious choice for creating something both familiar and just new enough to capture readers’ attentions.
In July 1939, Daniels introduced the world to The Black Bat in the marginally successful Black Book Detective Magazine. Although others had worn masks and capes and even used the night to battle crime, The Black Bat brought his own level of uniqueness to being a Pulp Hero. First, he was a man who found his way to being a hero from tragedy, acid thrown in his face by a criminal he was prosecuting. Thanks to a miraculous operation, former District Attorney Tony Quinn regains his sight, but also something else happens. Quinn can now see clearly in the dark, as if it were daylight. This introduced something that remained rare with Pulp Heroes but would catch on with comic books. The Black Bat, in essence, had a super power.
Thrill to Markets of Treason, originally published in Black Book Detective #60 Winter 1943 and read with two fisted excitement by award winning voice actor Milton Bagby.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Return of Terror
Chapter 2: Rationing Board
Chapter 3: The Black Bat Moves In
Chapter 4: The Big Squeeze
Chapter 5: Gwendolyn
Chapter 6: Patriotic Gambler
Chapter 7: Detective’s Gift
Chapter 8: An Idea for Action
Chapter 9: Gwendolyn’s Little Secret
Chapter 10: The Trap
Chapter 11: Human Target
Chapter 12: Open Warfare
Chapter 13: Groundwork of a Plan
Chapter 14: Forced Sale
Chapter 15: Clues to a Killer
Chapter 16: Metal Monster
Chapter 17: Gwendolyn — Happy Hunter
