TOP TEN(ISH) MOMENTS FROM PULPFEST 2025

PulpFest 2025 is officially in the books. Which means so are FarmerCon XX, ERBFest 2025, and DocCon 2025. I had a phenomenal time hanging out with old friends, making new friends, spending too much money, staying up too late, and driving to/from Cranberry PA … but it was all worth it. There were way more than 10 Top Moments of the Con(s), but here are a bunch of them:

 

BEING MISTAKEN FOR WIN ECKERT’S BROTHER

Win and I have known each other a good few years now. But this is the first time anyone seeing us next to each other has sincerely asked “are you guys brothers?” (In this case, our waitress at Primanti Brothers during our Wednesday night Pre-Con dinner). I, for one, took the question as a compliment. Check out my interviews with Win HERE and HERE to get a sense of why I consider it a compliment.

“Twins” Anthony R. Cardno and Win Scott Eckert

 

BEING A (SMALL) PART OF THE RETURN OF DOCCON

DocCon (the convention dedicated to all things related to Doc Savage) has a venerable history but has taken a few years off … until Jen DiGiacomo had the idea to revive it as the latest “mini-con” to happen under the PulpFest banner. I was a (very small) part of the planning committee (being perhaps the Least Knowledgeable Doc Savage Fan Ever), my main contribution being a marketing idea (that didn’t happen for this year but may be considered for 2026, so I don’t want to spoil it) and then being the “sub-in” guy at the DocCon tables when the other folks, mainly Ron Hill (who I interviewed HERE), needed to be on panels or introducing the film.

DocCon crew, L to R: Anthony R. Cardno, Anthony Rais, Bill Lampkin, Ron Hill, Scott Cranford

 

THE EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS INC PANEL

Okay, most of what Cathy Mann Willbanks (ERB Inc’s Vice President of Operations) and Christopher Paul Carey (Vice President of Publishing) announced on this panel had already been announced at San Diego Comic Con … but that didn’t stop me from being excited to hear the details in person. They announced upcoming novels (the next ERB Universe novel from the aforementioned Win Scott Eckert; a new Barsoom novel from Chris L. Adams under the “Wild Adventures” banner; new ERBU novels in the Land That Time Forgot and Monster Men series); a new John Carter and Woola action figure set from Frazetta Girls; and several new animation projects including a Victory Harben ERBU animated series in development! (My Interviews with Christopher Paul Carey HERE and HERE.)

Most of the ERB Inc panel. L to R: Christopher Paul Carey, Henry G. Franke III, Win Scott Eckert, Chris L. Adams, Douglas Klauba. Missing because my phone is a jerk: Cathy Wilbanks. SORRY, Cathy!

 

THE WICKER MAN

During a conversation with Craig McDonald during which I bought his used copy of the novelization of The Wicker Man, I discovered that not only is there a novelization of the film … the film was also based on a long out-of-print novel called Ritual by David Pinner (and that novel has a sequel, The Wicca Woman)! How out of print is it? So out of print that there’s no English language paperback edition (only a Spanish language version) and the original hardcover is going for over $1,000 on the secondary market. But there IS a reasonably priced e-book version of both of Pinner’s books. Which you know I’ve already ordered. (Interview with Craig McDonald HERE).

L to R: The copy of The Wicker Man novelization I bought from Craig McDonald, the cover to the e-book of Ritual, the cover to the e-book of Wicca Woman.

 

FLINCH-FEST

To say that I think highly of Jim Beard and John C. Bruening, co-founders of Flinch! Books, is an understatement. (And no, it’s not just because Jim included my essay on Jack Kirby’s short-lived 1970s DC Comics series The Sandman in his book Jack of All Comics! a few months ago. But why pass up a chance at a shameless plug? Also, HERE’s the Interview about the book with Jim.) Flinch! started ten years ago, and their panel at PulpFest talked a little about that history and featured reading from their new and upcoming releases (Jim’s fourth Sgt. Janus book, and John’s upcoming fourth Midnight Guardian book). These two have such an easy, funny, rapport. They are also great dinner companions and conversationalists. I also probably spent way too much time chatting with them at their table and lost them a few sales. (Kidding.)

L to R: Flinch! Books co-founders John C. Bruening and Jim Beard.

 

CHRISTOPHER LEE

During that conversation with Craig McDonald about The Wicker Man, our friend Kim Turk mentioned having seen some anthologies with Christopher Lee’s name on the cover as Editor, and I went to check out them out. Kim patiently waited for me to notice the real prize she’d already seen … a hardcover copy of Lee’s memoir … signed by the man himself! Reader, you know I bought it immediately.

 

MARK WHEATLEY AND DOUG KLAUBA

It is incredibly fun to sit in a room and watch two amazing artists, both of whom have drawn Tarzan and other Edgar Rice Burroughs characters, talk about all the great artists who have drawn the Lord of The Jungle over the years, including what they admire about those artists’ work. (Click on their names to find my interviews with Mark Wheatley and Doug Klauba.)

L to R: Mark Wheatley, Douglas Klauba

 

DOC SAVAGE, THE JLA, AND THE JSA

Did I mention that I spent too much money? I’m not going to post pictures of every book, magazine, and print I bought … but along with the Christopher Lee book, the other Most Pricey purchases including six original Doc Savage pulps (I’ll post 1 or 2 of their covers below) and four Silver Age Justice League issues featuring the annual crossovers with the Justice Society. (I was also eye-ing a Golden Age issue of The Black Knight, but it was way outside my price range.)

 

FARMERCON DINNER AND LOBBY HANGOUTS/CHATTING AT DEALER AND AUTHOR TABLES

The reason I started attending this convention was to meet in person my fellow Philip Jose Farmer fan friends, who had been so welcoming to me in various online forums, and hanging out with them at dinner(s) and in the lobby after even programming ends is always one of, if not THE, highlight of the weekend. It was no different this time, even though our numbers were slightly smaller than usual thanks to scheduling conflicts and other things. There is such a big overlap between PJF, ERB, and Doc Savage fans at this convention that most of the people I’ve mentioned above, and many I haven’t, were present at all times. And visiting with authors like Glen Held, Brian K. Morris and Charles F. Millhouse and artists like Don Simpson and folks like Henry Franke of the Burroughs Bibliophiles at their tables is always fun as well. (Interviews with Glen, Henry, Brian and Charles at the links; interview with Don coming soon!)

L to R: Anthony R. Cardno, Brian K. Morris, Charles F. Millhouse (The “Middle Initial Squad”)

For those interested, my report on PulpFest 2024 can be found HERE. And my interview with Mike Chomko of the PulpFest committee can be found HERE.

Interview: HENRY G. FRANKE III

Today I chat with Henry Franke, organizer for this year’s Edgar Rice Burroughs Fest (ERBFest), one of the mini-cons that are a part of PulpFest this year.

Henry Franke (standing, right) with Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee, Awesome Con, 2017

 Henry G. Franke III is a longstanding Edgar Rice Burroughs fan who has written about Burroughs and his works with book introductions, forewords, afterwords, articles, and interviews.  He has also spoken about Burroughs at numerous conventions and fan gatherings.  He has served three times as the Official Editor of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Amateur Press Association and since 2010 has been the Editor of The Burroughs Bibliophiles, the nonprofit literary and educational society devoted to ERB and his works, and which publishes The Burroughs Bulletin journal and The Gridley Wave newsletter.  (Henry served in the U.S. Army for over 31 years, then for 10 years as a U.S. Army government civilian.)


Hi Henry!  Thanks for taking some time to chat!

Thanks, Anthony.  I am always happy to talk about Edgar Rice Burroughs and The Burroughs Bibliophiles.

This year, ERBFest is returning to be a part of PulpFest.  Can you tell me how ERBFest came to be associated with PulpFest, and how (or if) it differs at all from various other Edgar Rice Burroughs fan events throughout the year?

Edgar Rice Burroughs Fest (ERBFest for short) was originally meant to be a one-shot “sub-convention” in 2021 to fill a void for ERB fans who might want to gather in-person that year.  As we were starting to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, PulpFest was back as an in-person convention in 2021, but neither of the regular ERB fan get-togethers was scheduled.  These were The Burroughs Bibliophiles’ Dum-Dum convention and the ERB Chain of Friendship (ECOF) Gathering.

So Mike Chomko, who programs PulpFest, approached me with the idea of an ERB fan component to PulpFest.  The general model was FarmerCon, the annual convention for the author Philip José Farmer, which had aligned itself with PulpFest several years earlier.  Ironically, because of the pandemic, FarmerCon was virtual-only in 2021.

I got with some key ERB fans on what to name this event.  The final decision was “ERBFest” for “Edgar Rice Burroughs Fest.”  We worked out already-planned and new panels and presentations that would be aligned with ERBFest.  ERB, Inc. was now participating in PulpFest, so they were incorporated in ERBFest.  I had hosted an ERB art show at PulpFest in 2019, and had offered to host another one for ERBFest.  In order to reduce the chance of infection with people gathering in confined spaces, however, we decided against it.

I created an ERBFest program booklet as a giveaway, since there was no registration fee for this “sub-convention.”  Artist Mark Wheatley had worked up a logo for the event, and that general design has inspired subsequent logos.

It is fitting that the convention hotel is located in the Borough of Mars.

In 2023, perhaps, Mike Chomko asked me again about hosting another ERBFest – or at least a number of Burroughs fans who had attended the 2022 PulpFest suggested another ERBFest.  This was in part because no regular ERB fan convention had been held in the East for a number of years.  First, I asked key FarmerCon people if they would be okay with another ERBFest and the possible competition between sub-conventions.  They said they had no issue with this.  I also spoke face-to-face with two members of the Board of Directors of The Burroughs Bibliophiles the last day of that PulpFest, and they thought it was a good idea.  So I gave Mike Chomko my okay to host another ERBFest, with the caveat that I would not host an ERBFest any time that a regular ERB convention was held in the East, in order to avoid competition.

      So I have hosted an ERBFest in 2023 and 2024 and will do so again in 2025.  Each of these has had a theme, along with a special item created as part of PulpFest and linked to themes.

2023 – (1) centennial of the establishment of ERB, Inc; (2) 100th anniversary of the first publication of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Moon Maid (in Argosy All-Story starting with the weekly issue cover-dated 5 May 1923).  A special envelope was created, which was then postmarked by the Moon, VA, Post Office on 5 May 2023.  I also hosted an ERB Art Show.

2024 – centennial of the first-edition hardcover book, The Land That Time Forgot.  A special envelope was created, then postmarked by the Dinosaur, CO, Post Office on 14 June 2024, 100 years after the official release of the first-edition book.

2025 – (1) ERB’s 150th birthday (1 September 1875); (2) the centennial of the first-edition hardcover book, The Cave Girl.

Over the years, even before the focus of ERBFest, many PulpFest attendees joined The Burroughs Bibliophiles, so that today a significant portion of our membership has come from PulpFest.

What can Burroughs fans expect in terms of programming at this year’s ERBFest at PulpFest?

Panels and presentations on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  In fact, the first programming is an ERBFest panel Thursday evening.  I am also hoping that ERB fans with meet up with me on Thursday afternoon and late Saturday evening for informal bull sessions (I hope to give out a few door prizes).  And there will be another ERB Art Show, set for Friday and Saturday. 

Come by the ERBFest table, which will be next to the PulpFest registration tables outside the dealers room, sign in, and pick up a free ERBFest packet that will include a program booklet and six Venus art prints signed by artist Richard Cox.  Here is the full ERBFest schedule; note that all programming outside of the dealers room is FREE and does not require a PulpFest registration fee.

Thursday, 7 August

4:00 – 6:45 pm — “ERB Palaver and Pizza at ERBFest” in the DoubleTree hotel lounge.  ERB fans meet at 4:00 pm to talk.  Expect door prizes.  Note that PulpFest has pizza served free at the Ember & Vine for PulpFest attendees, starting at 5:00 pm.

6:55 – 7:40 pm — ERBFest panel, “Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Male Ideal” (Bernice Jones and Cathy Wilbanks)

9:25 – 10:10 pm — ERBFest presentation, “Tarzan: Lord of the Merchandising Jungle” (Jim Beard)

Friday, 8 August

11:30 am – 1:30 pm — Art Show, “Edgar Rice Burroughs, Master of Adventure,” with works inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs (hosted by Henry G. Franke III in the Chestnut Room)

2:30 – 3:25 pm — ERBFest panel, “The Universe According to Edgar Rice Burroughs” (Christopher Paul Carey, Cathy Wilbanks, Chris L. Adams, Win Scott Eckert, and Henry Franke)

8:35 – 9:20 pm — ERBFest panel, “The Masters of Tarzan Illustration” (Mark Wheatley and Douglas Klauba)

Saturday, 9 August

11:30 am – 1:30 pm — Art Show, “Edgar Rice Burroughs, Master of Adventure,” with works inspired by Edgar Rice Burroughs (hosted by Henry G. Franke III in the Chestnut Room)

7:40 – 8:25 pm — ERBFest presentation, “Ray Bradbury, Burroughs’ Disciple” (Garyn Roberts)

11:35 pm – ?? am — ERBFest:  “Barsoomian Bull Session” — Socialize and discuss ERB in the hotel lounge by the Ember &       Vine.  Expect door prizes.

You are a lifelong Burroughs fan, I know.  When did you first encounter Burroughs’ work, and how did it affect/influence you?

While I had probably seen some Tarzan movies when I was very young, what made a real impression on me were the Dell Comics and then Gold Key Comics’ “Tarzan” comic books, which I saw when we were in Germany in the early 1960s (my father was in the U.S. Army).  I even read the three-part “John Carter of Mars” mini-series reprinted by Gold Key.  I then read a number of the Whitman hardcover editions of Tarzan novels.  At the time the name “Edgar Rice Burroughs” on the covers of the comic books and Whitman books did not click.  I finally realized that there was a writer named Edgar Rice Burroughs who had not only created of Tarzan of the Apes but also a long list of stories set on Mars and other worlds when I saw a full-page order form for Ballantine Books in a Gold Key “Tarzan” comic book in 1969 while we were in Okinawa.  My father placed an order, and those books with covers by Dick Powers and Bob Abbett were my 1969 Christmas present.  I read two a day during the holiday break.  We moved to Copperas Cove, TX, in 1971, where the family went to a local bookstore every Saturday.  This was when the second ERB paperback boom kicked in, and I acquired nearly every book published by Ballantine and Ace Books.  Those were good years.  I got to know ERB the man with Irwin Porges’ authorized biography, published in 1975 and given to me for Christmas that year.  Over the years, ERB’s story and his creations became windows into 20th-century American popular culture media, including pulps, newspaper serializations, radio shows, and more.  ERB gave me a personal focus outside of the long hours of Army service.  I became the Official Editor of the ERB Amateur Press Association in 1994, which prompted me to attend my first ERB fan convention.

You are also on the Board of Directors of The Burroughs Bibliophiles, which publishes a wonderful magazine dedicated to all things ERB.  Tell me about the history of the organization and your involvement in it.

Edgar Rice Burroughs approved Vern Coriell’s request to publish an ERB fanzine in 1947.  This was titled The Burroughs Bulletin, and it has been in print ever since.  ERB had also approved the idea of an official fan organization, although it was not formed until September 1960.  Called The Burroughs Bibliophiles, it adopted The Burroughs Bulletin, plus the new newsletter, The Gridley Wave, both edited by Coriell.  In the early years, the Bibliophiles met for a luncheon or banquet called the Dum-Dum (the name ERB gave to gatherings of the Mangani great apes in the Tarzan novels) during the World Science Fiction Convention.  Later, a multi-day annual convention separate from the WorldCon was adopted.  Last year the name of the convention was changed to the “Edgar Rice Burroughs Convention” (ERBCon).  George T. McWhorter took over as Editor for the Bibliophiles.  The Bibliophiles was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and then as a literary and education society was designated a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service.

When George McWhorter wanted to retire as Editor and Treasurer, I wound up being selected as Editor and Treasurer as his replacement.  When George decided not to continue serving as a Board Director, I was elected to fill his position.

 

How does one go about joining The Burroughs Bibliophiles?

Anyone interested in learning more about us or joining straightaway can go to our website (http://www.BurroughsBibliophiles.com) and download the membership form, or contact me at BurroughsBibliophiles@gmail.com and request a copy of the membership form in pdf or Word formats.  The current regular membership period is two years.  A member living in the U.S. pays $35 for dues, with the benefits of four issues of the Bulletin (only published) in paper and 24 digital issues of our monthly newsletter, The Gridley Wave, in pdf format.  Paper copies of The Gridley Wave require an additional charge of $20 for the two-year period.  Members living in Canada pay a higher dues amount, as do members living outside the U.S. and Canada.  Dues payments can be made by check, money order, or PayPal/

If you join during PulpFest, you will receive a free back issue of The Burroughs Bulletin.

 Note that besides our webpage we have a Facebook page and a YouTube channel.  We plan on releasing more special publications under our House of Greystoke imprint.

Enquiring minds want to know: What would your dream ERB-related project be, if you could choose one book/movie/TV project to happen?

For some time now I have championed an adaptation of Tarzan at the Earth’s Core as a theatrical film or a streaming miniseries.  Unfortunately, we may be too late because of the recent Godzilla/King Kong movies.  Another approach with adapting this novel would be partnering with another franchise, notably the Predator, in line with the 1990s Dark Horse Comics miniseries, Tarzan vs Predator at the Earth’s Core.  Unfortunately, we may be too late because of the new Predator movie.  Even a pairing with King Kong has to deal with the preemption of the Godzilla/King Kong mashups.

What other ERB fan events do you have coming up in 2025?

Since 2025 is the 150th anniversary of ERB’s birth, there have been a number of events this year.  Two significant events coming up are:

-- The British ERB Society’s (BERBS) visit to Greystoke Castle in the United Kingdom on 1 September, ERB’s 150th birthday.

-- The 2025 ERB Chain of Friendship (ECOF) Gathering in Willcox, Arizona, from 25 to 28 September, at the Willcox Elks Lodge.  The formal dedication of the ERB 7th Cavalry Historical Monument at the Willcox Southern Pacific Railroad Depot is set for 27 September.

Thanks again, Henry, for taking some time to chat! See you at PulpFest shortly!

 

Readers, it is not too late to register for and attend Pulpfest 2025 (THE pulp magazine-focused convention in the Northeast) and the other three conventions it hosts: FarmerCon (dedicated to the works of Philip Jose Farmer), ERBFest (dedicated to the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs) and DocCon (dedicated to all things Doc Savage related). Check out the Pulpfest website for registration and hotel information!

Interview: Mark Wheatley

Today as part of my on-going series focused on the writers, artists, and publishers who will be appearing at Pulpfest this week, I chat with artist Mark Wheatley.

Mark Wheatley holds the Eisner, Inkpot, Golden Lion, Mucker, Gem and Speakeasy awards and nominations for the Harvey award and the Ignatz award. He is also an inductee to the Overstreet Hall of Fame. His work has often been included in the annual Spectrum selection of fantastic art and has appeared in private gallery shows, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Toledo Museum of Art, Huntington Art Museum, Fitchburg Art Museum, James A. Michener Art Museum, the Rice Gallery and the Library of Congress where several of his originals are in the LoC  permanent collection. He has designed for Lady Gaga, created set pieces for The Black Eyed Peas, contributed designs for ABC’s Beauty and the Beast, and Square Roots, as well as Super Clyde, The Millers and 2 Broke Girls on CBS. Several of his original graphic novels have been optioned for motion pictures and television. His most recent print projects include the Edgar Rice Burroughs Visions of Adventure portfolio, Songs of Giants, Doctor Cthulittle, Tarzan and the Dark Heart of Time, Swords Against the Moon Men, The Philip Jose Farmer Centennial Collection, Mine! and Wild Stars. Past creations include Return Of The Human, Ez Street, Lone Justice, Mars, Breathtaker, Black Hood, Prince Nightmare, Hammer Of The Gods, Blood Of The Innocent, Frankenstein Mobster, Miles The Monster, Skultar and Titanic Tales. His interpretations of established characters such as Tarzan, Dick Tracy, The Green Hornet, The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen, Jonny Quest, Dr. Strange, The Flash, Captain Action, Argus, The Spider, Stargate Atlantis, The Three Stooges, Doctor Who and Torchwood have brought them to life for a new generation of readers. He has written for TV, illustrated books, designed cutting-edge role-playing games, hosted a weekly radio program, and was an early innovator of the on-line daily comic strip form.

 

Your cult classic mini-series Breathtaker, co-created with Marc Hempel, is being remastered and released in trade paperback this fall, including some new material. I’d love to hear about the process of bringing it back, and of creating the new material.

It is hard to believe it has been 35 years since Breathtaker first saw print! Breathtaker was one of the very first creator-owned books to come out under the DC Comics banner—though it took some heavy lifting to make that possible. Our attorney, Richard Theibert, spent more than a year in negotiations with DC’s Lillian Laserson to hammer out a new kind of publishing agreement. What came out of those talks would eventually become the blueprint for creator-owned contracts at DC, opening the door for many others after us.

The series launched as a four-issue Prestige Format run and took off quickly, going into multiple reprints and even earning a Harvey Award nomination. It helped shine a light on both Marc Hempel’s work and mine—we were each honored with Inkpot Awards, thanks in large part to Breathtaker's success. When DC decided to collect the series, that edition made history as the first book to carry the new Vertigo imprint. Over the next ten years, it would go through seven printings.

We had big plans for a sequel—but after our editor, Mike Gold, moved on from DC, those plans stalled. Eventually, Marc and I got the rights back. For a moment, it looked like Breathtaker was headed to the big screen: Sony optioned the property, with Kate Hudson lined up to star. But as happens in Hollywood, a change in leadership at the studio sent the project into limbo.

Then something remarkable happened. In 2008, the Norman Rockwell Museum added Breathtaker to their touring LitGraphic exhibition, showcasing the book alongside work by Eisner, Crumb, and Ditko. That exhibit turned out to be their most attended show ever. Later, the Rockwell created a full-scale solo exhibition devoted to Breathtaker, which—after pandemic delays—finally opened at McDaniel College in 2022.

Back in 2014, Marc and I turned to Indiegogo to support a full remaster of the book. Titan Comics came on board as publisher, and we were ready to roll—until a series of curveballs hit: shifting distributors, a global pandemic, and multiple industry slowdowns. We even had the book on press in 2020 when the world came to a halt.

Ironically, every delay gave us time to go further and deeper with the material. What we’ve finally produced is not just a reissue but a definitive edition—a fully remastered Breathtaker with nearly 80 pages of bonus material. That includes a brand-new story, rare behind-the-scenes content, and an introduction by the legendary Walter Simonson.

Marc Hempel and I are good friends and we get to hang out and catch dinner on an irregular schedule. But we have not had any real opportunity or inclination to collaborate in decades. But this new edition of Breathtaker got us thinking about a cool new story featuring THE MAN.

MAKE WAY FOR THE MAN #138 is the in-universe comic book from Breathtaker brought to life. In the original story, The Man isn’t just a government super-agent—he’s also a full-blown media franchise. He’s got a TV show, video games, toys, branded apparel… and, yes, even his own long-running comic book. In one scene, a fan even asks him to sign a copy of MAKE WAY FOR THE MAN #137.

So to mark Breathtaker's 35th anniversary, Marc and I teamed up again—our first real collaboration in decades—to finally create issue #138. We thought: why not make it real? It’s our chance to explore the absurdity of The Man’s mythos from inside his own over-the-top world.

It’s a wild mix of slick spy action and tongue-in-cheek commentary—very James Bond, and very meta. We leaned into the fun, even spoofing those old Hostess snack cake ads with a custom parody strip starring The Man. This is a full comic, not just a throwaway extra.

And to top it off, we brought in the amazing Mike Oeming to create a special variant cover—his take on The Man is fantastic and adds another layer of cool to the project.

The book is already out in Germany and Spain. We’ve had the chance to hold the hardback Breathtaker in our hands! And having seen those editions, I can say with confidence: this is the version we always dreamed of making.

BREATHTAKER: Love, Death, Sex, Power will be on sale in the US on September 3rd.

Blood of the Innocent was my first exposure to your work and Marc Hempel’s. Is there any chance that we’ll get a nice trade paperback collected edition?

No current plans. But it is something that Marc, Rickey Shanklin and I would love to make happen.

What drew you to art? Who were your earliest artistic influences? And who inspires you currently?

Comic books introduced me to art. The earliest artist I could identify was Steve Ditko on Spider-Man. Then one day I discovered the Flash Gordon comics Al Williamson was drawing. Those comics had ads for the Nostalgia Press Flash Gordon collection by Alex Raymond. I got that for Christmas. Once I discovered Raymond, I was on track to discover all the classic Golden Age illustrators, starting with NC Wyeth! To this day, Wyeth is still my favorite artist. But I am inspired by everything! From impressionism to modern installations, music, film, audio recordings, all of it bubbles away in my head. And hey, the current Flash Gordon creator, ‪Dan Schkade is a new inspiration! Maybe I owe it all to Flash?

You’ve worked in many different mediums over the years. Do you have a favorite, a “go-to”? And has that changed over the course of your career?

For real media painting, my medium of choice is watercolor and gouache. I’ve been getting an increasing number of gigs for my line art. For that I use Japanese pens and brushes and ink. Zebra brush pens, Kuretake water brushes, and Sumi ink. For ink work, I prefer a hot press surface. Pencil works better for me if the surface has a tooth. But most of my painting now is digital, if only for schedules and to satisfy my clients who always want changes! But I’ve come to enjoy working digitally. And as my eyes get older, it is a real advantage to be able to enlarge area of a painting as I work! For digital, I have a Cintiq and I work in Photoshop, using my own custom brushes. To get the kind of detail, texture, and color subtlety I expect, most of my digital paintings are about 10’ tall at 300dpi. I offer museum quality giclee prints at conventions and signings, and you can easily see just how “real” my paintings actually are.

I absolutely love your painted work (the Doctor Who covers, the book covers for Meteor House and Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc, Doctor Cthulittle, the book of poetry by pulp-era writers (Songs of Giants), and so much more). I’d be interested to hear about your process of taking them from original concept to finished project.

I keep a sketch book. I generate ideas there. But often, too often, clients come to me with little lead time on the deadline. So, I take as much time as I can to research the piece. This means I spend, sometimes, days scouring the internet, searching for photos, videos, anything that gives me some accurate reference for what I am expected to create. Then, depending on the budget, if there is money for roughs, I come up with some basic ideas, compositions. If approved, I move to working up the final piece. If there is time (there never is) I will sketch some figures. Not a full composition, but some of the pieces of the image. Working out emotions, impressions. When I have something that I’m happy with, I will turn that into a full drawing, maybe taking it to an inked piece. I’ll scan that and start painting. But more often than not, there is no time or budget. And I go from making a few sketches to drawing on the Cintiq, right in Photoshop and the image forms in the fastest way I can manage. Gradually drifting from sloppy, chunky bits, pieces I’m cutting and pasting and distorting until it starts to work for me.

Usually, when I begin a new painting, there is a moment when I think, “Hey this time I think I finally have an amazing piece developing!” Then a few hours later I think, “I can’t draw. I can’t paint! Why do I even try?” But I keep at it, getting rid of anything that offends me, until I finally think, “Maybe I can make this work. It won’t be too bad.”  I work on it longer, and finally a moment comes after I’ve been staring at the painting for a long time and have not seen anything I can do to it. And it is done.

 This is going to be weird to say, but I’m always sort of happy when I hear that even the professionals whose work I love have those moments of doubt during the process of creation. Thanks for sharing that.

Finally, do you have anything in the works you’d like folks to know about?

I’ve got a couple of major projects underway that I can’t talk about just yet—NDAs and all that—but what I can say is that I’m especially excited for people to finally get their hands on the new edition of Breathtaker. It’s been a long time coming, and this is the most complete version we’ve ever done. There are some fantastic events tied to the release, especially at Baltimore Comic-Con this October.

Before that, we’re kicking things off with a launch party on September 6th at Beyond Comics in Frederick, Maryland. It’s a great space, and we’re expecting a big crowd—so if you’re anywhere nearby, definitely come by. Marc Hempel and I will be there, and it’s shaping up to be a really fun celebration.

In the studio, I’ve been deep into work on The Land That Time Forgot for ERB Books. I’ve painted the cover for the first volume and I’m working on a number of interior illustrations now. I’m also illustrating a new book by my Doctor Cthulittle collaborator, G. D. Falksen—it’s been a fantastic collaboration. And I’m continuing to contribute covers for the Robert E. Howard Foundation’s Ultimate series, which has been a real honor.

Next on the calendar is PulpFest, where I’ll be giving a presentation with Doug Klauba on the “Masters of Tarzan Illustration.” I’m really looking forward to it—it’s always a great chance to connect with people who love this material as much as I do.

Thanks again for taking the time to chat, Mark! See you in just a few days at Pulpfest! And readers, don’t forget you can see more of Mark’s work on the Mark Wheatley Gallery website!

 

Readers, it is not too late to register for and attend Pulpfest 2025 (THE pulp magazine-focused convention in the Northeast) and the other three conventions it hosts: FarmerCon (dedicated to the works of Philip Jose Farmer), ERBFest (dedicated to the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs) and DocCon (dedicated to all things Doc Savage related). Check out the Pulpfest website for registration and hotel information!

PULPFEST 2024 Report

Those who follow me on Instagram or are friends with me on Facebook know that I spent this past weekend (actually, 5 days: July 31 to Aug 4) at Pulpfest in Cranberry, Pennsylvania. Pulpfest is a convention dedicated to the pulp magazines of the early 20th century (so called because they were printed on pulp/newsprint paper as compared to the “slick” magazines). It’s a convention I look forward to every year, probably my favorite. (Yes, I also love Readercon, held in Quincey, Massachusetts in July, but for different reasons.)

Before I talk about why I love Pulpfest so much and tell you a bit about this year’s convention, allow me to present you with a photo featuring every pulp magazine I own:

 

Yes, that’s it. Five pulp magazines. One issue of Startling Stories (which happens to include stories by the great Robert Bloch and also John Broome); one issue of Doc Savage (including the novel The Flaming Falcons); three issues of Planet Stories (one of which has a story by Fredric Brown, another of which has a short novel by Gardner F. Fox). And I am perfectly fine with the fact that I only own five pulp magazines, none of them in any salable condition (in fact, they were all gifts from a friend, duplicates of his own collection).

So why go to a convention dedicated primarily to pulp magazines, if I don’t collect pulp magazines?

Camaraderie.

See, Pulpfest is really three conventions in one. While the focus of Pulpfest panels is the preservation of the history of pulp magazines in all their multi-genre splendor (pulps ranged from romance/spicy to horror, adventure, mystery, western, science fiction, fantasy, and probably some genres I’m forgetting, to the “single character” pulps (both heroic, like The Shadow, The Avenger, and Doc Savage, and the villainous, like Doctor Satan.)), they also have welcomed FarmerCon (dedicated to celebrating the work of Philip Jose Farmer) and ERBFest (dedicated to celebrating the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs). And next year (2025), Pulpfest will expand to being “FOUR conventions for the price of one!” with the addition of DocCon, celebrating Doc Savage.

I started going to Pulpfest because of FarmerCon. I’d been online friends for quite a few years with a group of fans of Philip Jose Farmer and was finally convinced to meet them in person when Pulpfest relocated from Columbus, Ohio to Pittsburgh (Cranberry) Pennsylvania around 2018. I could (and will, one of these days) write an entire post, or even series of posts, about how Phil Farmer’s books (most notably, his fictional biographies of Tarzan and Doc Savage) inspired and intrigued me. Among the group of Farmer fans, I am easily the least knowledgeable about Farmer and his works. But that’s okay, they don’t hold it against me. They welcomed me with open arms, and I absorb their knowledge (and their book recommendations and writing advice) eagerly. These people have become more than friends (and far more than just online acquaintances) over these past few Pulpfest/FarmerCons.

Many of the FarmerCon folks are also big fans of Edgar Rice Burroughs – another relatively early influence on me (thanks in part to an adult neighbor who lent me some of the novels after seeing me reading some Marvel and DC Tarzan and John Carter of Mars comics), and another author about whom I am the least knowledgeable among our friend group when we gather. (See above for why I’m fine with that.) This year, it was decided to hold an ERBFest as part of Pulpfest, including the 2024 Dum Dum Banquet (if you’re fan of the Tarzan books, you know why it’s called that).

Many of the FarmerCon and ERBFest folks are also big fans of Doc Savage. You see where this is going – lather, rinse, repeat the above.

I LOVE (yes, in all caps) just hanging out and talking with all of these people in the hotel lobby until way later than is healthy for me, as well as attending panels and dinners and wandering the dealers’ room having conversations with the people I know, and people I’ve never met before. I usually don’t stop smiling and laughing the whole time I’m there unless I’m sleeping. These folks are “good medicine,” as my father used to say.

The panels I attended this year included:

·       “The Women of Edgar Rice Burroughs,” where panelists Cathy Mann Wilbanks (Vice-President of Operations at Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc.) and Bernice Jones discussed both the real women in Burroughs’ life (his mother, daughter, and two wives) and the strong, independent, progressive-for-the-time women in his fiction (Jane Porter Clayton, wife of Tarzan; Dejah Thoris, wife of John Carter of Mars; Duare, wife of Carson of Venus; Maggie Lynch, the main character of Burroughs’ novel The Girl From Farris’s; and many others). If there was one complaint from the attendees, it was that the panel wasn’t long enough to cover all of the strong, capable female characters Burroughs created (notable absences: Meriem, wife of Korak (son of Tarzan); Betty Caldwell and Llana of Gathol (from the John Carter books); and Virginia Maxon (from Burroughs’ The Monster Men).

·       “Flinch!Fest,” focused on current and recent releases from small press publisher Flinch! Books, during with Flinch co-publishers Jim Beard and John C. Bruening read passages from their stories in the western anthology Six Gun Legends, Bruening’s novel The Midnight Guardian: Gods and Sinners, and the Flinch anthology Quest for the Space Gods: The Chronicles of Conrad von Honig, which led into panel guest Brian K. Morris reading from the newest Flinch release, Quest for the Delphi Occulus, which Morris wrote for the press and which also features Conrad von Honig.

·       “The Universe According to Edgar Rice Burroughs,” during which ERB Inc Vice-President of Operations Cathy Mann Wilbanks and Vice-President of Publishing / Creative Director Christopher Paul Carey were joined by Joe Ferrante, one of the producers of the upcoming John Carter of Mars: the Audio Series (currently funding on Kickstarter), to discuss the audio project (including a video message from Sean Patrick Flannery, who will be voicing John Carter)  before launching into announcements of the next slate of ERB Universe books (including a new Land That Time Forgot novel, Fortress Primeval, by Mike Wolfer in 2025, as well as the very soon to release A Princess of Mars: Shadows of the Assassins by Ann Tonsor Zeddies (the first full length Dejah Thoris novel) and several projects featuring Victory Harben), as well as the next slate of books in the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library.

·       “Farmercon XIX Panel,” moderated by Keith Howell, during which Meteor House Press publishers Paul Spiteri and Win Scott Eckert discussed the recent Meteor House releases of The Full Account (which combines, in alternating chapters, Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days with Philip Jose Farmer’s The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, which tells the same story from a different, more science fictional, angle) and the Secrets of the Nine Omnibus (which brings together under one cover Farmer’s A Feast Unknown, The Mad Goblin, and Lord of the Trees, as well as some connected short stories and essays by Eckert, Frank Schildiner, and others). They were joined by Meteor House author Sean Lee Levin, who talked about his non-fiction release Crossovers Expanded: The Secret History of the World Volume 3 as well as his fiction debut chapbook The Lazarus Cabal.

Sadly, due to my own poor scheduling, I had to miss several panels, including “Burroughs, Farmer, and Pulp,” in which author Craig McDonald interviewed one of my favorite artists, Douglas Klauba, about his work on various book covers for Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc and Meteor House. I would have loved to listen to Doug talk about his process.

I also got to see the world premiere of We Are Doc Savage, a documentary about Doc Savage fandom directed by Ron Hill, which will soon be making the film festival rounds. I readily admit I teared up several times, and finished the documentary thinking not only how wonderful Doc Savage fandom is in general and how the Doc Savage stories have influenced so many people but also thinking “Damn, I know some really incredibly cool and wonderful people,” since so many of my friends were interviewed for the film.

And of course, I bought stuff. Too much stuff. No pulps, but a lot of paperbacks, some hardcovers, two art prints (one by Doug Klauba, the other by Mark Wheatley), some comics, and a small pile of DVDs. On the vintage paperback side, I made progress filling in some series I’m re-collecting (including Dark Shadows and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) and started (and possibly completed) two more (Strange Paradise and Mathew Swain). I also found a first edition hardcover of the novelization of Miracle on 34th Street. And I bought current releases from the tables of small press publishers Flinch! Books, Becky Books, Stormgate Press, Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., and Meteor House, as well as from authors Craig McDonald and Brian K. Morris. If you’d like to see pictures of everything I purchased, head on over to my Instagram page.

I could go on and on about the dinner time and late-night conversations; there were SO MANY in-jokes, and so many instances of just basking in friends talking about the things they love. But this post is already way longer than my usual.

Pulpfest 2024 is over … but Pulpfest 2025 (including Farmercon XX, ERBFest, and DocCon!) is a mere 53 weeks away: Thursday, August 7th through Sunday, August 10th, 2025, at the Doubletree by Hilton in Cranberry, PA. Join us!