The Shadow 047 The Black Falcon

- Authors
- Maxwell Grant
- Publisher
- Street & Smith
- ISBN
- 9781932806274
- Date
- 1934-02-15T23:02:46+00:00
- Size
- 0.18 MB
- Lang
- en
THE BLACK FALCON was published in the February 1, 1934 issue of The Shadow Magazine. Who is The Black Falcon? That's what all of New York is asking. That's what the underworld wonders, as it admires the audacity of this master criminal. That's what the wealthy social class wonders, as it barricades itself seeking safety from the brutal kidnapper. And that's what the New York police department wonders as it attempts to unmask the strange mastermind behind the high-profile kidnappings. A black feather. The dyed feather of a falcon is the only clue to the man behind an insidious game of crime. Even his evil minions don't know his identity. Yet they readily accept his payments, packets of money banded along with a single black feather. The law receives taunting letters from the crime master, affixed with another of those black feathers. The Black Falcon boasts of his ability of kidnap wealthy society members and return them at will. And he makes good upon his boasts! First to be taken was Hubert Apprison, prominent New York banker. Apprison and his secretary, Jonathan Blossom, were in his upstairs study. Guests downstairs heard shots and rushed upstairs to find Jonathan Blossom lying dead on the study floor and Hubert Aprison gone. Abducted by The Black Falcon! Commissoner Ralph Weston receives a letter from The Black Falcon announcing his next kidnapping. Although the person is not named, Weston is sure he knows the identity of the next victim. Elias Carthers, the tobacco magnate, is in immediate peril. Commissioner Weston and his ace detective Joe Cardona attend an exclusive reception at the Carthers' Long Island home. They are there to safeguard Elias Carthers from the announced abduction. But their presence is for naught. Their efforts are futile, as Carthers is taken from under their noses. Who will be next? None other than Lamont Cranston! Yes, The Black Falcon has confirmed that Cranston is The Shadow, and determines to kidnap him. This will not only serve the purpose of a million-dollar ransom, but will also eliminate the threat from the black-cloaked avenger. And The Black Falcon isn't done yet! His next kidnapping is promised to be such a notable achievement that will startle all of New York. Who could possibly be his next victim? How can he be stopped? It will take all the unique abilities of The Shadow to thwart this Napoleon of crime. It will tax The Shadow to his fullest. And it's a classic early story that you won't want to miss. Featured in this story are underworld-agent Cliff Marsland, reporter Clyde Burke and long-time agent Harry Vincent, with Burbank and Rutledge Mann in brief appearances. The Shadow appears in disguise as Lamont Cranston. And representing law and order are Commissioner Weston and Joe Cardona. This story features the appearance of those unique rubber discs. The Shadow uses the concave suction cups to scale the sheer outside wall of a tall apartment house. These strange cups first appeared in the 1932 story "The Crime Cult" and were a popular feature in the early Shadow novels. In these early stories, The Shadow was apparently a bit of an inventor. He was occasionally mentioned as having invented some device that was used. In this one, Harry Vincent uses a wireless sending set, secreted in the rumble seat of his coupe. The equipment, it is mentioned, was The Shadow's own invention. Is there no end to what The Shadow is capable of? He can even impersonate the voice of Commissioner Weston. He does it in this story, giving a perfect representation in order to fool Weston's servant Kempton over the phone. In this early story, Harry Vincent does not know Lamont Cranston. In later years, of course, he knew Cranston and believed him to be another of The Shadow's agents. And in some of the later stories, he even knew Cranston was one of The Shadow's disguises. But not in this story. Here he comes face to face with Cranston, and views him as just another wealthy prisoner. Another feature of the early Shadow novels that disappeared after time was The Shadow's "horror face." It was suggested that the true face of The Shadow was so horribly disfigured that he always kept it hidden beneath the collar of his cloak and beneath his slouch hat. Either that, or he kept it hidden beneath a putty-like disguise. In later years, the horror face was discarded and we learned the under the slouch hat was the face of Kent Allard. Apparently it was Allard's true face and not disfigured. In this novel, however, The Shadow has his horror face, and reveals it to The Black Falcon in the exciting climax of the story. The Shadow tells The Black Falcon, "...those who have seen the true face of The Shadow have never lived to recite their discovery!" And then he unfolds his collar. The sight of his face causes The Black Falcon to slump in horror. His ashen face reveals terror, something the evil fiend had never felt before. Yes, this is The Shadow at his finest. It's a thrilling early pulp novel.