This is the first issue of the iconic crime fiction magazine, and it's also an issue I used to own. I read it about twenty years ago. And what an issue it is, with part one of a serial by Mickey Spillane and stories by William Irish (Cornell Woolrich), Kenneth Millar (better known as Ross Macdonald), a Shell Scott story by Richard S. Prather, Evan Hunter, and Frank Kane. Oddly enough, considering that all-star line-up, the story I remember liking the best was a novelette by the now largely forgotten Floyd Mahannah. But here's what really interests me about this issue now: there's another story, and it's by none other than Charles Beckman Jr., also known as Charles Boeckman, still alive, still writing, and a pulp legend I'm proud to call my friend, something that never would have entered my mind when I read this issue all those years ago.
I still have about a dozen issues, including the first four issues. Plus a couple duplicates I would love to swap for issues I don't have.
ReplyDeleteMANHUNT is one of my favorite digest fiction magazines. I started buying it in 1956 as a kid mainly because of the sexy covers but I had to stop because I couldn't afford both the SF and crime magazines.
ReplyDeleteI had a full set of all the issues which I sold when I retired but I immediately missed the magazine and I was lucky enough to buy another set.
I told about my collecting adventures with MANHUNT at http://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=11822
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ReplyDeleteI have two copies of this edition and many others. I believe the Spillane story was serialized in the first four editions. I remember liking it a lot.
ReplyDeleteIMO, Manhunt was the best of the crime fiction digests.
Now THAT is a sexy cover. What an issue, what a magzine, what a legend.
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ReplyDeleteJames, do you know if Manhunt bought ALL RIGHTS or only First Publication Rights / First Serial Rights, etc? I know you mention your friend having written here, and no doubt know others, so perhaps you can nail this down for me. I figure the same would apply to Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine. I can't imagine they bought all rights. Best, Morgan
ReplyDeleteMorgan,
ReplyDeleteI don't know about MANHUNT, but MSMM bought first serial rights only, except for the Mike Shayne stories themselves, for which they bought all rights and copyrighted those stories in the Brett Halliday name.