Doc Savage: 70 years of Heroism

Categories: The Spotlight|Published On: March 28, 2003|Views: 5|

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We recently spoke with our friend Tim Lasiuta, who filled us in on his
reflections as one of the most historically significant of the Pulp superheroes,
Doc Savage, celebrates his 70th anniversary. Doc Savage, who first
appeared in Pulp magazine stories by Lester Dent (a.k.a. Kenneth Robeson), came
onto the scene in early 1933. His tales were published by Street and Smith, who
had released The Shadow just a year before. And for 181
action-packed issues, Doc Savage and his associates traveled the globe having
high adventure and aiding those in need.

Though he remained a Pulp
feature until 1949, Doc made his first comic book appearance in Shadow Comics
#1
in March of 1940. There was also a brief run with his own comic book
title shortly thereafter, as well as forays on the radio, a 1975 film starring
Ron Ely, several comic book revivals throughout the ’90s, and rumors of a new
film, which would star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course, while Doc Savage has
always managed to stay in the eye of his fans, it was in his Pulp days that he
really made the most impact. So without further ado, let’s see what Tim had to
say about this dashing hero…

Before Superman, before The Phantom, even
before Batman, there was Doc Savage. He was unlike any other hero before him.
Adventurer, scientist, humanitarian, defender of the innocent…he was all that,
and more. And just a few weeks ago, he celebrated his 70th
anniversary. It’s hard to believe that The Man of Bronze is 70!

My first
encounter with Doc Savage was memorable, it seems like it was yesterday. I had
been looking through my father’s books, and Kenneth Robeson’s The Quest of
Qui
caught my eye. I pulled it off the shelf, looked at the James Bama
cover, flipped the book open, and was soon caught up in an exciting, fast-paced
adventure story, the likes of which I’d never read before. I must have been
weak, because after reading only one Doc Savage story, I was hooked!

Doc
Savage, the Man of Bronze, was born on the newsstands on February 15, 1933. And
since that day, the world of adventure has never been the same. In that first
tale, The Man of Bronze, we meet Clark Savage Jr. as he begins
investigating his father’s death. After numerous rescues and near death escapes
of his own, and the subsequent discovery of a lost Mayan culture, Doc Savage
solves the mystery and becomes heir to the treasure of the lost
valley.

What a concept.

Limitless wealth and Deus ex machina
gadgets, plus a good, selfless main character who possessed incredible skills
and led a life free of attachments. All this combined to give Doc Savage the
attributes of a modern day technological savior. Consider then his skilled and
enthusiastic supporting cast – 6 characters, each of whom also possessed special
skills of their own – and you have a group of men without equal, a “super-team”
long before “super” was part of our everyday vocabulary.

But Doc Savage
was more than a superhero. In the era of the depression, he was an inspiration,
and a symbol of all that was good. To emphasize this, Lester Dent composed the
Doc Savage Creed.

Let me strive every moment of my life, to make
myself better and better, to the best of my ability, that all may profit by
it.

Let me think of the right and lend all my assistance to those who
need it, with no regard for anything but justice.

Let me take what
comes with a smile, without loss of courage.

Let me be considerate of
my country, of my fellow citizens and my associates in everything I say and
do.

Let me do right to all, and wrong no man.

So, not only
did Doc Savage challenge his readers to be men and women of value, honor, and
integrity, but he also gave them an example of physical and mental conditioning.
According to the sagas, Doc spent 2 hours every day honing and expanding his
abilities. He also spent time away at the Fortress of Solitude in research and
mediation. And because of him, many young men developed their minds and bodies
by studying harder and focusing more on exercise and training. Even grown men
and women, growing disenchanted with life’s struggles, found hope in the
altruistic adventures of Doc Savage. Generations of readers and writers were,
and still are, inspired by Doc and his associates. In fact, it’s probably safe
to say that the influence of Lester Dent’s masterful creation will never
die.

But not only were the tales of Doc Savage an inspiration, so also
were the gorgeous illustrations that accompanied them. Walter Baumhofer was
responsible for the pulp magazine covers. James Bama, the ultimate Doc Savage
artist, drew the covers for the first 67 paperbacks for Bantam using Steve
Holland as a model (Bama later went into fine art prints, several of which can
still be found). Other famous Doc cover artists include Bob Larkin, Joe DeVito
and the legendary Boris Vallejo. In the comic books, Neal Adams, Jim Steranko,
Ross Andru, the Kubert brothers, and Tony DeZuniga all put their pens to paper
to show us their portrayal of Doc and his friends.

Doc Savage, however,
despite his popularity, never became a huge merchandising bonanza. What
has been produced, including radio premiums, prints, a 60th
anniversary bust and many other great items, are now sought after and highly
valued. The pulp magazines, paperbacks, early comics, and hardcovers are also
very difficult to find.

So, hats off to 70 years of Doc Savage – one of
our most enduring, and inspirational heroes.


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