Goal

This Site is for essays on The New Pulp Heroes. It’s about time we catalog new characters appearing in books and anthologies. Since I do not have time to read everything being published, I will offer space here for legitimate creators of new pulp characters to send me their data, and I will post their essays. It is not my place to say what is, or what is not a new pulp hero, and the only changes I will make to essays will be editing and format. If you wish, include a jpeg of a book cover or b&w illustration if you have permission from the artist. By sending me your essays, you are giving me permission to promote and showcase this data. Essays should be up to 500 words, and include information on MC and back up characters, creator, title of books, and where the stories can be found. A paperback edition is now available for $12.00, plus $3.99 postage (US). The book will only be sold through us: Tom Johnson, 204 W. Custer St., Seymour, TX 76380. Send questions or data to fadingshadows40@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

The Velvet Wasp

THE VELVET WASP

Creator: H David Blalock
Characters
Diane Green (Jane Smith – alias. Charlene is stage name)
Walter Evanston (The Angel Club owner)
Vincent Salvatori (The Angel Club manager)
Vic Anderson (Music Conductor)
Adele Fornost (Diane’s room mate)
Captain Sheridan
Sergeant Miller
Marlene Fornost (Adele’s twin sister)
The Outlanders (Local Mob)
Sir (Runs the Mob)
Michael Kravitz (Assistant D.A.)
Edgar Juness (Mayor)
Elaine Juness (Mayor’s wife)
Tom Carlton (Mob muscle)
Nicholas (Doorman)
Mike (Elevator Operator)
Jonathan Morgan
Hercules Hathaway (Local city vigilante)

Crime is rampant in Olympus City, and dominated by corrupt officials and a local mob called the Outlanders. Diane Green, a flaming redhead, sings at the Angel Club under the stage name of Charlene. When her roommate is murdered and Diane discovers diamonds hidden in Adele’s powder compact, she suspects the Outlanders murdered her, and wants revenge. She is a Texas farm girl, and has always taken matters into her own hands. She decides Charlene must disappear, and becomes the Velvet Wasp.
The Velvet Wasp wears a red velvet outfit, hostess pants with black lace trim, a brimless cloche hat over her newly brunette Charleston Cut. To hide her identity she added a Mardi Gras mask. At first her weapon of choice is a .32 Savage. In the second story, the gun was changed to a Berreta Model 1920 automatic. In the third story she carries a .25 caliber Model 1908, which replaced her Model 1930 (?). In the third story she also carries an air piston that fires tranquilizer pellets – her sting. By the 4th story we learn that she had trained in jiu-jitsu, karate, and learned the pressure points to render someone unconscious. Being a Texas farm girl she could lift her own weight, and hold her breath for nearly three minutes. Her outfit now contains not just folds for her equipment, but panel pockets; she also carries a police slapjack to knock crooks out.
Walter Evanston is the Angel Club’s owner, and the Velvet Wasp’s assistant and lover. The wall by his bedroom door contains a hidden recess; he tapped a button beside a medieval portrait and part of the wall parted, revealing an opening six feet across. The secret panel contained pistols, revolvers, sabers, epees, a couple flintlocks, and several smaller hand weapons.
Police officers Captain Sheridan and Sergeant Miller are really only present in the first story, and they are revealed to be under the pay of the Outlanders.
Hercules Hathaway is mentioned in most of the stories, but never makes an appearance. He is the local hero that usually protects Olympus City. Maybe he will appear in a future story.
There are four stories in this first volume, and they take place between 1927 and 1934: O Death, Where Is Thy Sting; Stinging Nettle Tea; The Sting of The Saboteur; The Sting of The Lash.
“The Velvet Wasp” (Pro Se Press) 2018