November 1937 issue

November 1937

The first issue of this title includes stories by Walter B. Gibson (“Norgil”, the first appearance of “Norgil the Magician”), Lester Dent (the first appearance of “Click Rush the Gadget Man”), and Theodore Tinsley (the first appearance of “Carrie Cashin”, featured on the issue’s photo cover).

better image than previously posted

January 1939 issue ~ cover art by James Lunnon

January 1939 issue

cover art by James Lunnon

better image than previously posted

~ James Duncan, “Murder for Pennies”, last of 5 stories with The Parson, who lives on a ‘mythical’ (fictional?) isle, Cariba, reprinted in Murder for Pennies: The Complete Black Mask Cases of the Parson (Steeger, 2024), last of 10 appearances in BM

~ Steve Fisher, “Jake and Jill”, ‘Honolulu setting’, 7th of 9 stories in BM

~ Jackson Gregory, “Dusty Death”, 1st of 2 stories in BM, this the only original one (see 5/1951)

~ H.W. Guernsey, “A Thousand Iron Men”, ‘iron men’ = $1 bill’, 3rd of 4 stories in BM

~ Eric Howard, “The Doc and the Dame”, last of 6 stories in BM

~ Baynard H(ardwick) Kendrick, “Arson”, 9th of 14 stories with Mikes Standish (Stan) Rice, ‘The Hungry’[?], all set in Florida, ‘see p. 63 for note by BHK on story’

~ H.H. Stinson, “All-American Menace”, 10th of 27 stories in BM

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January 1938 issue ~ cover art by Raymond S. Pease

January 1938 issue

cover art by Raymond S. Pease

~ Dwight V. Babcock, “The Widow Regrets”, 1st of 7 Beeker (“Beek”) stories, 15th of 21 stories in BM

~ Thomas W. Duncan, “The Cat and the Corpse”, ‘Dan Macey’, author’s only story in BM

~ Steve Fisher, “No Gentleman Strangles His Wife”, ‘Kip I. Muldane, p.i. in Hawaiian’, 2nd of 9 stories in BM

~ Nels Leroy Jorgensen, “Blood in the Fog”, 31st of 32 with Stuart “Black” Burton, ‘square-shooting gambler from the Southwest, often entangled with the law’, ‘Black Burton in London’, 38th of 39 stories in BM

~ Roger Torrey, “Relative Trouble”, ‘Shean Connell, private peep; last of 4 SC stories’, 32nd of 50 appearances in BM

~ Cornell Woolrich, “After-Dinner Story”, 9th of 24 (22 original) stories to appear in BM

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June 1938 issue

June 1938 issue

cover art by James Lunnon

~ Leslie Charteris, “The Invisible Millionaire”, 1st of 2 Saint stories in BM, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps (Vintage, 2007)

~ Joseph Csida, “Strike Three”, ‘baseball player killed in the field’, 2nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Steve Fisher, “Hollywood Party”, last of 2 stories with Tony Key in Hollywood, 6th of 9 stories in BM

~ Baynard H(ardwick) Kendrick, “Venom”, 6th of 14 stories with Mikes Standish (Stan) Rice, ‘The Hungry’[?], all set in Florida

~ Lawrence Treat, “A Night’s Work”, 2nd of 5 stories in BM

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April 1939 issue ~ cover art by Edgar A. Whitney

April 1939 issue

cover art by Edgar A. Whitney

better image than previously posted

~ Frederick C. Davis, “Hide the Evidence”, ‘Johnny Holland; politics & murder’, 8th of 16 stories in BM

~ Steve Fisher, “Latitude Unknown”, ‘treachery on the high seas’, last of 9 stories in BM

~ B.B. Fowler, “A Sucker Has to Learn”, ‘Rick Sadler, lawyer, born on the wrong side of the tracks’, 2nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Fred Hodgkins, “Crime at the Crossing”, ‘death of a little girl’, 1st of 3 stories in BM

~ Baynard H(ardwick) Kendrick, “The Gorgon’s Head”, 9th of 14 stories with Mikes Standish (Stan) Rice, ‘The Hungry’[?], all set in Florida

~ Emile C. Tepperman, “Death – to the Highest Bidder”, ‘Broadway auction house; see p.57 for note by ECT on story’, 2nd of 3 stories in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop