New Pulp is not just catching on; it's catching fire. There is more exposure to the classic pulps every day, and more authors publishing new pulpesque material. This year I caught wind of a new series resurrecting a long-forgotten pulp genre, and just had to check it out.
The series is called Fight Card. It is a throwback to the boxing pulps of yesteryear, brainstormed by Paul Bishop and Mel Odom. All the novellas in this series are set in the 1950s, which just seems to fit perfect for stories with a hardboiled noir edge. Odom, Bishop, and others are using the "Jack Tunney" house name to write under, in true pulp-writer style. The first e-book in the series I read was Bishop's Felony Fists, which I reviewed on the Two-Fisted Blog. I've read most of the series (on my smart phone during lunch breaks and such) so far, actually, but have not yet found time to review them.
Heartfelt apologies to all for my absenteeism of late. My effort at redemption is below, and will hopefully be a treat for fans of New Pulp: a brief interview with series co-creator Paul Bishop. Bish is a thirty-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department, a blogger, contributor to Fight Fictioneers Magazine, an experienced crime novelist, and, of course, a pulp fan.
HANK: When did you first discover pulp/how did you become a fan of it?
BISH: I
discovered the detective pulps in my twenties. I’d been aware of it
before then, but hadn’t sought any out to read. However, once I got
into the Black Mask and other pulp detective tales I was hooked. From
the detective pulps, I moved on to the hero pulps, the aviation pulps,
the western pulps and finally to the sports pulps
HANK: What was your introduction to the boxing pulps?
BISH: I began
collecting original issues of Fight Fiction Magazine after reading a
few of Robert E. Howard’s Sailor Steve Costigan yarns. Once I
focused on fight pulp stories, I began to see how they permeated the
sports pulps of the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, and I began reading more
widely.
HANK: Boxing
films were popular in the 1930s, the '50s, and enjoyed a resurgence in
the '70s and '80s after the success of Rocky. It doesn't seem that fight
fiction ever shared that popularity, except in the pulps of the 1950s.
Maybe I'm mistaken, but if not, do you have any theories why that is?
BISH: Like
many of the other magazines, the sports pulps died out with the advent of
television. Folks were getting their fight and sport action on the box
in their living rooms instead of the pulp pages.
Also, people became disenchanted with the fight game as it became clear
how tied into organized crime it all was. However, while the
proliferation of fight fiction was reduced to a trickle, there has
always been authors who have told these stories. Currently, there are a
number of fight pulp-style stories being published (mostly in e-book
format), with the Fight Card series at the vanguard.
HANK: Share the genesis of Fight Card.
BISH: Surfing
Amazon.com, I came across a new fight pulp style e-novelette, Smoker,
written by Mel Odom – a prolific writer in the manner of the original
pulp writers. I tracked Mel down via his website and we hit it off
immediately. We had a ton in common including a shared love of the
fight pulps. By the end of our first phone conversation, we had hatched
the idea that would become the Fight Card series …
HANK: I saw a cover image for Smoker on your blog, and have to add that one to my towering To-Be-Read Pile.
Describe the series, the stories that are in it... and going to be in it. Has your (and Mel's) vision been well-realized so far?
BISH: The
Fight Card series consists of monthly 25,000 word novelettes, designed
to be read in one or two sittings. The stories and stylings are
inspired by the fight pulps of the '30s and '40s – such as Fight Stories Magazine – and Robert E. Howard’s two-fisted boxing tales featuring Sailor Steve Costigan.
Currently, each Fight Card story is set in the 1950s,
with locations anywhere in the world. PG-13 language and violence. The
main character does not have to be a boxer (reporters etc. are fine),
but boxing HAS to be at the heart of the story and its resolution –
usually, the BIG fight. Stakes can be high or low in the big picture,
but obviously high for the characters involved. One of the main
characters also has to have a connection to St. Vincent's Asylum For
Boys in Chicago (an orphanage), where Father Tim, the fighting priest,
teaches the 'sweet science' as a way to become a man.
We’ve
now had seven Fight Card stories published and there are four more
completed tales ready for publication and another half-dozen in various
stages of being
written. I have been delighted by each and every one of them. It has
been a pleasure to see how the Fight Card team of writers have each taken the simple concept and made it their own – the variety of plots and characters has astounded me.
HANK: Even though each different "Jack Tunney" has his own style, I think they've all nicely captured a distinct pulp flavor in the ones I've read. And they've got the action and characterization to keep your nose buried in the pages. I've never once been tempted to skim, or so disgusted by the stupidity of a protagonist that I set one down and moved on to another book (believe me: this has happened many times with other books--an unfortunate by-product of the ease of publishing during the Digital Age, I guess).
I'm
curious why, for a series anchored in the 1950s, why the "house name"
you chose is a composite of two heavyweight champions from the 1920s.
Any rhyme or reason to that?
BISH: There is no specific purpose behind the composite pseudonym. At the time, I’d just finished reading both a new biography of Gene Tunney and an issue of Jack Dempsey’s Fight Magazine (a ‘30s pulp to which the great champion lent his name) – the pseudonym just clicked.
HANK: I think it has the extra appeal of being an "in joke" for those who know something about boxing history.
Were you (or are you) a boxing fan? How about Mixed Martial Arts?
BISH: I’ve
been a casual boxing fan for many years. Sonny Liston has always been
one of my favorite fighters and I have a great retrospective
appreciation for Muhammad Ali.
I
didn’t take to MMA in the early years of the sport. However, as I’ve
come to understand the technical aspects involved, especially the
grappling techniques, I’ve come to appreciate it more and more. In
fact, we’re considering adding a couple of Fight Card:MMA titles next
year to bring a contemporary side to the Fight Card series.
HANK: That would be cool. I've had an idea for an MMA story germinating in my mind for years now. I've also read the opening chapter of another writer's work-in-progress which has much promise.
As a fan, I'm almost the opposite of you: I loved MMA in the early years and couldn't get enough of the UFC. It was the kind of thing I had fantasized about, having dabbled in the martial arts enough to be fascinated by the contrast in forms and disciplines. Although the MMA fighters now are very dangerous, tough men, I just don't enjoy the homogenized styles as much.
You're a veteran of the LAPD, and have written many crime novels. In
fact, your first Fight Card entry, Felony Fists, was a fusion of the
detective and boxing genres. A very entertaining one, I might add –no
doubt your interest in vintage pop-culture helped you capture the
atmosphere of the era. Do you see yourself fusing the genres again in
future installments?
BISH: Absolutely! My follow up to Fight Card: Felony Fists will be a sequel, Fight Card: Swamp Walloper. The storyline follows my boxer/cop hero, Patrick Flynn, as a murder investigation leads him to New Orleans and a confrontation with a crooked penitentiary warden staging fights to the death between the inmates.
HANK: That's just loaded with potential conflict. I'm salivating, here.
There
are a lot of sports fans in the world, but only a portion of them watch
boxing, other than super-hyped match-ups (and this portion seems to be
losing ground fast to the UFC/MMA fans). I would guess not many of them
are avid readers. And vice-versa: not too many avid readers are fight
enthusiasts. Then again, pulp fans are only a small portion of the
reading population. And yet it seems you've built a loyal and
appreciative following in the short time since introducing this
retro-pulp fight series. Is there a magic formula at work somewhere
behind the scenes? Do you have any theories for why this series is
resonating with readers?
BISH: Fight
Card’s team of authors have delivered fast-paced two-fisted action which
has resonated with the reviewers. The characters in the Fight Card
novels are everyday ‘Joes,’ with whom the readers can both identify and
respect… The advent of e-publishing has given us a way to reach our
niche audience, and it is their enthusiastic involvement in blogging,
Facebooking, tweeting, and use of other social networking sources that
has expanded the audience. No magic formula other than strong
characters, fast paced storytelling, and attention to plotting.
HANK: I'm
a relative newcomer to the author business, and so far am still
spending most of my time on a "real" job and with family, but I've made
an effort to get inside the circle of the New Pulp movement, and so am
pleased with the contacts I've been making. Seems like you know
everybody I know, though, and then some. Do you consider yourself part
of the New Pulp movement?
BISH: I
am delighted to be associated and involved with the New Pulp movement.
There is a tremendous amount of unselfish support within the New Pulp
community as almost everyone is a fan as well as a professional. The
level of idea sharing and cross-platform support for New Pulp is really
unprecedented in my experience, which is both gratifying and very, very,
cool.
HANK: In my opinion this is nowhere better exemplified than by you and Mel (Odom) and your Fight Card stable. They seem to have you solidly "in their corner" (pun intended). Kudos!
Do you have plans for any other retro-pulp series, or any other forgotten genre resurrections?
BISH: I’ve
been commissioned to write several short stories for various pulp
revival anthologies built around existing pulp legacy characters. Pro
Se publisher/writer Tommy Hancock and I will also be editing a series of
pulp anthologies under the Pulse Fiction banner for 2013 publication.
These will feature new pulp characters in retro-settings from all pulp
genres.
I’m
also editing an anthology of new ‘60s spy fiction (back when spying was
fun) inspired tales. These stories are being written by the members of
C.O.B.R.A.S. (Coalition Of Bloggers wRiting About Spies)– a loose knit
group of espionage enthusiasts.
HANK: That all sounds really cool. Looks like you'll be busy, but that's the kind of "busy" I'd take any day!
Finally,
here's your chance to talk about Bish's Beat (and any other cool blogs)
as well as plug any new books you're sending to the presses.
I do a lot of blogging (www.bishsbeat.blogspot.com) and social networking (Twitter@Bishsbeat). While I do some promotion on these platforms, I mostly use
them as a way of sharing my love of the many eclectic interests
(vintage covers, lounge music, ‘60s spies) that strike my fancy.
Next
up on my writing schedule is the first book in a new contemporary
series, The Interrogators, making use of my extensive experience
‘working in the box’ (aka: the interrogation room), and more Fight Card
titles.
HANK: Many thanks, Bish, for taking the time to answer my questions, and best of luck with all your endeavors.
Hank Brown is the Two-Fisted Blogger, as well as mac-daddy of Virtual Pulp Press. His military thriller Hell and Gone has earned accolades from Midwest Book Review, Post-Modern Pulps, authors Jim Morris (War Story, The Devil's Secret Name), Jack Silkstone (the PRIMAL series) and Jack Murphy (Reflexive Fire, the PROMIS series). He has also authored a smattering of new pulp, including his own soon-to-be-released novella for the Fight Card series.
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