Black Cat Weekly 1

The Black Cat web site has been around for almost four years now, serving up a weekly buffet of new and classic mysteries—and more recently science fiction—to thousands of readers each week. Rather than continue to release all these novels and stories as individual ebooks, we have decided to bundle them up into a convenient weekly magazine…which is a lot more fun to work on! So here is Black Cat Weekly #1, for your enjoyment pleasure. To make the first issue memorable, we are including a lot more content than usual—double the usual word count, in fact. This time we have no less than three complete novels and 7 short stories—and even a “true crime” feature by Erle Stanley Gardner, creator of Perry Mason! There’s something here for everyone to enjoy, whether you’re a fan of traditional mysteries, psychic detectives (in the case of Frank Lovell Nelson’s story, a telepathic detective, the first of 12 stories featuring Carlton Clarke from 1908, all of which will run in the Black Cat’s pages). Looking for modern detection? We have that, too. And if your taste runs to the fantastic, we also have adventures across parallel worlds and well into the future. (And monsters. Did I mention monsters?) Included are: REMISSION, by Michael Bracken A KEY FOR REBECCA, by Hal Charles AUROVIA’S FAMOUS LODGE CASE, by Frank Lowell Nelson THE CASE OF THE KNOCKOUT BULLET, by Erle Stanley Gardner HAND IN GLOVE, by James Holding THE SKULL OF THE WALZING CLOWN, by Harry Stephen Keeler HAVER, by Brian Evenson A ZLOOR FOR YOUR TROUBLE, by Mack Reynolds VALLISNERIA MADNESS, by Ralph Milne Farley LAST CALL FOR DOOMSDAY! by S. M. Tenneshaw WORLDS OF THE IMPERIUM, by Keith Laumer

Conjure up the perfect Halloween read with this 3D novelty board book that’s shaped like a black cat! Black cat sets out on Halloween in the dark, without being seen. One black cat is out on Halloween night. As he walks along, he meets some trick-or-treaters dressed as unicorns, superheroes, and princesses! Will he be able to find his perfect witch? One Black Cat is a perfectly playful celebration of Halloween night!

Collects Marvel's Spider-Man: The Black Cat Strikes (2020) #1-5. Peter Parker, web-slinging star of the hit video game Marvel’s Spider-Man, now finds himself in the middle of a gang war raging through New York City. But as he butts heads with the likes of Hammerhead and the Maggia, the unexpected reappearance of old flame Felicia Hardy — also known as the Black Cat — sets his world on fire! The Cat’s heroic days are long behind her, but what is the secret behind the treasures she’s stealing? And why would Spider-Man ever let her go?! Witness previously untold tales of their relationship as the Black Cat’s return tangles the web for Peter and Mary Jane — and Hammerhead’s explosive war continues making life complicated for everybody! Featuring the triumphant return of Silver Sable! The Black Cat steals the Gamerverse spotlight!

Train and his partner Sven go after a huge bounty, attempting to track down a weapons smuggler who is dealing dangerous new technology on the black market. They cross paths with an elegant thief who offers to help them, but will the alliance be fruitful, or will the burglar bring bad luck to Black Cat? -- VIZ Media

Welcome to Black Cat Weekly #10. Carlton Clarke, the famed Chicago telepathic detective, returns to our pages with “The Broken Marconigram.” First published in 1915, this tale takes Clarke and Sexton, his “Watson,” to New Orleans in search of a friend who’s been kidnapped by a Satanic cult. These chronicles of the first “telepathic detective” originally appeared in newspaper syndication across the United States in 1908, and I continue to be impressed by them. There is much here for Sherlock Holmes fans to appreciate. Our roving mystery editor, Barb Goffman, has tracked down by gem by David Dean, “The Duelist.” Plus Hal Charles—the byline of writing team Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet—contributes another solve-it-yourself mystery. Prolific pulp author Dale Clark—whose copyrights I purchased some years ago—makes his Weekly debut with a terrific World War II-era tale about an undercover F.B.I agent. I don’t think it’s ever been reprinted. And science fiction writer Murray Leinster (real name Will Jenkins) contributes one of his rare mysteries, “One Corpse, Guaranteed!” They don’t make titles like that any more! This issue’s mystery novel is a Bull-Dog Drummond tale by “Sapper.” See my introduction to for more info on this series and author. And that’s just the mysteries! For science fiction fans, we have “The Dangerous Scarecrow,” by Carl Jacobi—he was a member of the Lovecraft Circle, whose talents extended far beyond weird fantasy into science fiction. Plus I’ve snuck in another of my own tales, “Tap Dancing,” a gentle ghost story. I never truly understood it when other writers said some stories were “gifts” that just came to them—until this story came to me. George Scithers placed it in the 300th issue of Weird Tales. It was the best thing I had written at that point in my career, and I wrote it almost word for word in its final form in one sitting. Truly it was a gift. We have not one, but two science fiction novels—Eando Binder’s 1971 classic, The Secret of the Red Spot, and Stephen Marlowe’s Revolt of the Outworlders. Good stuff. Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries “One Corpse, Guaranteed!” by Murray Leinster [short story] “Thieves’ Blueprint,” by Dale Clark [short story] “Only Time Will Tell,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself short-short] “The Duelist,” by David Dean [Barb Goffman Presents short story] Bull-Dog Drummond’s Third Round, by Sapper [novel, Bulldog Drummond series] “The Broken Marconigram,” by Frank Lovell Nelson [short story, Carlton Clarke #9]] Science Fiction & Fantasy “Tap Dancing,” by John Gregory Betancourt[short story] “The Dangerous Scarecrow,” by Carl Jacobi [short story] Revolt of the Outworlds, by Stephen Marlowe [novel] The Secret of the Red Spot, by Eando Binder [novel]

On behalf of the staff, the contributors, and myself, I’d like to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving. (You may all burst into traditional Thanksgiving carols, should you wish.) Here’s our holiday lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “The Restavek,” by Neil S. Plakcy [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Case of the Tipsy Turkey,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “he Final Course,” by Stacy Woodson [Barb Goffman Presents short story] “Tiger Island,” by Carl Jacobi [short story] Tiger Island, by Jack Ritchie [serial novel, part 1 of 3] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Baad-hin’jan and the Chickpea,” by Anna Tambour [short story] “The Music of the Sphere” by Norman Spinrad [short story] “Go To Sleep, My Darling,” by Winston K. Marks [short story] “The Statistomat Pitch,” by Chan Davis [short story] The Eagle’s Wing, by Francis Jarman [serial novel, part 1 of 4]

Black Cat Weekly #22 features a change of pace fantasy story from Michael Bracken, who is best known for his mysteries and crime stories—selected by Cynthia Ward. It’s our featured story this issue. But that’s not to say the other science fiction and fantasy stories aren’t great, too! “Alien,” by Lester del Rey, is a different take on the crash-landed alien who wants to eat everyone around him. And I’m sure you’ll get a chuckle from Larry Tritten’s gonzo sendup of generic fantasy and science fiction quest stories, “The Lord of the Land Beyond (Book One).” (Hint: don’t look for a sequel.) Classics from Unknown by Malcolm Jameson and from Weird Tales by Manley Wade Welllman round out the section. Mystery readers, too, have a lot to explore. Charlotte Morganti leads off with “Deadly Drama,” selected by Michael Bracken—it begins with an accordion festival—rejoice if you like polkas!—but I don’t want to say too much. Read it yourself! Barb Goffman brings us “All Prayers Are Answered,” a powerful story by Eric Rutter of a homeless man whose friend is murdered. He is drawn into the investigation out of fear a young woman investigating the crime will come to harm—or unearth a terrible secret from his past. If you like your detectives hardboiled, Frank Kane returns with another Johnny Liddell mystery. Traditional mystery fans will enjoy a Madame Story novel from Hulbert Footner. And western and historical readers will enjoy a great pulp novel by Max Brand. And of course, where would we be without our solve-it-yourself mystery? Pit your wits against Hal Charles (the writing tream of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet) and see if you can solve “The Coin Flip” without reading the solution! Lastly, “The ‘Rexmel,” by Ralph Milne Farley, has an improbable invention, but it’s not really science fiction, even though it’s by a science fiction writer and appeared in a fantasy magazine. Maybe you could call it a pulp sea-story with shaggy dog elements? Here’s the complete lineup: Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure “Deadly Drama at the Accordion-o-Rama,” by Charlotte Morganti [short story] “A Coin Flip,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “A Package for Mr. Big,” by Frank Kane [short novel] “All Prayers Are Answered,” by Eric Rutter [short story] The Death Notice by Hulbert Footner [novel] A Shower of Silver, by Max Brand [novel] “The ‘Rexmel’,” by Ralph Milne Farley [short story] Science Fiction & Fantasy “The Fishmonger’s Wife,” by Michael Bracken [Cynthia Ward Presents, short story] “The Lord of the Land Beyond (Book One),” by Larry Tritten [short story] “Alien,” by Lester del Rey [short story] “Doubled and Redoubled,” by Malcolm Jameson [short story] “Old Dhoh,” by Manly Wade Wellman [short story]

If you like some of the series we’ve been publishing, you’re in for a treat this time. We have a new Smith Sisters story by Veronica Leigh, a Sexton Blake story by Hal Meredith, a Johnny Liddell novel by Frank Kane, and a Jules de Grandin story by Seabury Quinn. I don’t want to slight our non-series contents—it’s quite an all-star lineup, with tales such modern masters as Aeryn Rudell and Vinnie Hansen (courtesy of Acquiring Editors Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman), plus classics by Robert Silverberg & Randall Garrett, Lester del Rey, and Gore Vidal. And, of course, a solve-it-yourself mystery by Hal Charles. Here’s the complete lineup— Mysteries / Suspense / Adventure: “A Slice of Life,” by Veronica Leigh [short story, the Smith Sisters series] “Every Trick in the Book,” by Hal Charles [Solve-It-Yourself Mystery] “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” by Vinnie Hansen [short story] “The Clue of the Ash,” by Hal Meredith [short story, Sexton Blake series] Green Light for Death, by Frank Kane [novel, Johnny Liddell series] Science Fiction & Fantasy: “Time On My Hands,” by Aeryn Rudel [Michael Bracken Presents short story] “The Girl from Bodies, Inc.,” by Robert Silverberg and Randall Garrett [short story] “Whom the Gods Love,” by Lester del Rey [short story] “Body and Soul,” by Seabury Quinn [short story, Jules de Grandin series] Messiah, by Gore Vidal [novel] COVER: Ron Miller