If you missed the last one…
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1927 sees Arthur J. Burks expanding his story types and his markets. We get straight adventure tales, flying stories for three different magazines including one for children. AJB’s detective fiction for Edwin Baird sees its final appearance. Weird Tales remains his only source for fantastic fiction. (He will eventually discover Science Fiction and write for John W. Campbell.) 1928 gives us his first Sports story for Fight Stories and his first Northern for Northwest Magazine. Burk has twenty-four magazine appearance for 1928. The professional has arrived!
Much of Burks production by 1928 was for the Aviation magazines. He appeared in most issues of Air Stories for 1927-1928. AJB had not been in the Air Force but the Marines, but his military background obviously helped in producing tales of the air. (As Robert Kenneth Jones mentions in his book, The Shudder Pulps (1975) many pensters: “‘… had never been within fifty feet of an airplane.’ Pulp writers quickly learned one lessen: it was better to know nothing about their subject. Then, facts wouldn’t get in the way of the plot.” I don’t think AJB was one of these. He uses accurate details that probably came from actual observation.
The editor, Jack B. Kelly, at Fiction House was quickest to capitalize on Lindbergh’s historic transatlantic flight in May 1927 with Air Stories, “The First Air Story Magazine!” Burks was prominently on the covers by 1928. Wings was also a Fiction House magazine. (As were Fight Stories, Action Stories and Northwest Stories. It wasn’t unusual for Pulp writers to work for a particular chain, writing in whatever genres were needed for a stable of various magazines. It guaranteed work but was not so good if the writer fell out of favor with an editor like Ray A. Palmer.)
1927
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“Faces” (Weird Tales, April 1927) Reprinted in Hutchinson’s Mystery Story Magazine July 1927
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“The Black Scorpion” (The Danger Trail, May 1927)
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“The Unofficial Observer” (Real Detective Tales, June/July 1927) as “Lieutenant Arthur J. Burks. AJB wasn’t above using his old military title as a by-line.
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“Jerry the Hawk” (Air Stories, August 1927) This was the first issue of Air Stories, only three months after Charles Lindbergh’s famous transatlantic flight.
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“Marked Money” (Real Detective Tales, September 1927)
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“Into the Darkness” (The St. Nicholas Magazine, November 1927)
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“The Invading Horde” (Weird Tales, November 1927)Â This lead story has America invaded by an Asian cult. Unlike most SF of this sort, the invaders win. That cover shows the last two defenders dying on a beach in melodramatic style. For more on “Yellow Peril in the SF Pulps”, go here.
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“The Bells of Oceana” (Weird Tales, December 1927)
1928
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“Bennie of the Marines” (Action Stories, February 1928)
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“The Wingless One” (Air Stories, March 1928)
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“Three Coffins” (Weird Tales, May 1928)
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“Yellow Shadows” (Action Stories, May 1928)
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“Beyond Kiukiang” (The Danger Trail, June 1928)
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“Ghost Treasure” (Action Stories, June 1928)
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“Referee’s Decision” (Fight Stories, June 1928)
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“Air-Shy” (Wings, July 1928)
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“Hammers and Tongs” (Fight Stories, July 1928)
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“Trouble Shooters” (Action Stories, July 1928)
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“The Fight Before Christmas” (Fight Stories, August 1928)
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“The Man Code” (Action Stories, August 1928)
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“Flying Luck” (Air Stories, September 1928)
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“Invisible Threads” (Weird Tales, September October 1928)
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“Flyers of the Snow” (Air Stories, October 1928)
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“Shanghai Alleys” (Action Stories, October 1928)
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“Don Queue” (Northwest Stories, November 22, 1928) is the first in a series of stories about Don Queue.
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“The Flame of Courage” (Fight Stories, November 1928)
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“Ghosts of the Deep” (Action Stories, November 1928)
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“The Winged Cavalier” (Wings, November 1928)
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“Wings of China” (Air Stories, November 1928) This is not the same story as “Wings of China”, Air Trails, October 1930.
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“Fearless Wings” (Air Stories, December 1928)
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“The Winged Cavalier Repeats” (Wings, December 1928)
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