Well, after last week radio episode dedicated to another pulp icon such as the Green Hornet, this month spotlight should come as no surprise ;)
As for the Shadow, the Green Hornet has been around since the '30s and it has been adapted in many media: radio show, movies, tv series, and novels and comics. Created by Fran Striker, the Green Hornet tells the war against the crime conducted by this vigilante who is often helped by his (expert in martial arts) Asian manservant Kato. The man behind the mask is Britt Reid, a newspaper publisher by day, who uses his investigative reports to hunt down the criminals in the city with also the help of some cool gadgets and the technological equipped car (ala Batman!) known as Black Beauty.
The mask on his face has changed thorough the years (from covering just his lower face as a bandit, to the upper face to a full face mask) but the symbol of the green hornet has been always there to testify that this is indeed a hornet that stings!
In his TV series version, the Green Hornet is famous to have Bruce Lee in the role of Kato. Even if the series was up just for one season, it is still remembered nowadays for Lee's performance (the show was actually re-titled "the Kato show" for the Asian market).
Little interesting trivia: being created by the same writer, the Green Hornet real identity, Britt Reid, is the virtual grandnephew of another famous pulp character born from Striker's pen: the Lone Ranger! (who should appear on this blog at a certain point ;))
That's it for today. Feel free to gimme suggestions on who you would like to see portrayed in the future radio-shows or spotlight: there are so many characters that I don't even know where to start ;)
Have a Pulp Sunday, everyone!
Francesco
Pulp Spotlight is the new monthly feature where I will cover other famous characters that have helped to build the Pulp genre not just on the radio but also in the other media.
6 comments:
Awesome! I really like what you're doing here with your blog. The artwork is great and so are the radio shows! Keep up the great work.
Good info on the Hornet too. ;) Look forward to seeing him 'buzz' around here more often.
Cool - Nice pulpy mood to the illustrations...
What was really interesting about the Hornet - IMO - was the fact that everyone thought he was a criminal, and he let them.
He would be offered "a seat at the table" by mobsters hoping to get on his good side, while being hunted by the police for crimes he didn't commit.
When I was a kid I always wanted to own the Black Beauty and drive around in it. Lord only knows who I thought I could get to be my valet.
Another excellent post, Francesco. I think that I would like to see/hear your versions just about anyone from the pulps and radio. Go with your gut.
c.phillips: Thank you so much, I am glad you dig it :D The Green Hornet is definitely coming back with some more radio episodes. Stay tuned!
skylark: glad to hear I am getting the pulp feel right :D Thank you!
Bill: thanks for adding that info: I was meaning to include it into the short profile but I forgot it. Actually it would be cool if everyone would add something, so to make this also a conversation point, not just a "listen and watch" place :P
So bring it on, guys :D
And yes, Bill, with time I'll try to cover as many characters as I can :)
Cheers,
Francesco
Great site, but wanted to make one correction. Britt Reid is the Grand Nephew of the Lone Ranger, not the Grandson. The Lone Ranger had a brother who was killed in the attack where the Lone Ranger was injured. That brother had a son, Dan, who appears in some of the LR radio plays. His son was Britt Reid.
Keep up the great work you are doing!
That's what I like of the blog features: you guys coming in and correcting me and/or adding info and trivia :D
Thanks for the "fix", Jim, and thanks for the kind words too. I am going now to edit the text so we get it right for those who don't read the comments ;)
And feel free to jump in again whenever you feel :)
Cheers,
Francesco
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