Although PulpFest is well known for its excellent programming — and rightfully so . . . click the “2016 schedule” button just below our banner on our home page to see all of the great programming we have lined up for 2016 — it is also lauded for its very substantial dealers’ room. Beginning on Thursday, July 21, the Battelle South exhibition hall on the third floor of the Greater Columbus Convention Center will house collectible pulp magazines and digests, vintage paperbacks, first edition hardcovers and series books, original art, B-movies and serials, collectible comic books, and more. And remember: for those members staying at the Hyatt-Regency Columbus, you’ll be able to partake in free, early-bird shopping on Thursday evening from 6 to 9 PM. For those staying elsewhere, early-bird shopping privileges will cost $10 if you pay by July 1. After that date, early-bird privileges will be available for an additional $25 (if prepaid) or $30 (at the door).
In addition to Thursday’s early-bird hours, the PulpFest dealers’ room will be open from 10 AM to 4:45 PM on July 22 – 23 and from 10 AM to 2 PM on Sunday, July 24. Note that buying and selling opportunities on Sunday may be limited as dealers pack up for their trip home.
Who will be selling at PulpFest 2016? For the next four days, we’ll be profiling some of our dealers, telling you a little bit about each of them so you get to know them a little better. Away we go . . .
RAY WALSH of the CURIOUS BOOK SHOP has been selling a broad array of paper collectibles – pulps, paperbacks, original artwork, collectible hardcovers, vintage comic books, and more — for nearly fifty years. Out of East Lansing, Michigan, Ray has been selling at PulpFest — and Pulpcon before it — for decades. We appreciate his strong support and heartily recommend the convention he sponsors — Classicon — held two times each year in Lansing, Michigan.
A new and used book store that also sells pulps and comic books, DARK STAR BOOKS is located about an hour from Columbus, in picturesque Yellow Springs, Ohio. A longtime PulpFest dealer, GARY DIEDRIECH will be representing Dark Star at our 2016 convention. He will be offering a wide range of material including pulps, digests, Big Little Books, Golden and Silver Age comic books, and collectible hardcovers and paperbacks.
DEARLY DEPARTED BOOKS of Alliance, Ohio is a brick & mortar shop open by appointment. It primarily sells via the Internet. Established in 1978 by SCOTT and LINDA EDWARDS, this loyal PulpFest dealer offers a large stock of mystery, science fiction, horror, fantasy, vintage paperbacks, first editions, pulp magazines, and related ephemera. Of particular interest this year is a collection of original Photoplay editions in dust jackets, highlighted by DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN and KING KONG, plus a large selection of Donald Grant books, including signed limited editions of Stephen King and Ray Bradbury titles.
Founded in 1977 and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this will be DREAMHAVEN BOOKS‘ second PulpFest. GREG KETTER specializes in new and used science fiction, fantasy, and horror, as well as books, magazines, posters, toys, and other materials related to the film industry. Greg has been selling books and pulps for over forty years. We look forward to having Dreamhaven return to our dealers’ room.
DOUG & DEB ELLIS, two of the founders of the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention, will be offering a wide selection of general fiction, science-fiction and other pulps as well as original art and other collectibles. They’ll also be bringing a number of issues of the first weird-menace pulp — DIME MYSTERY MAGAZINE — plus some Spicy pulps, and several early Burroughs magazines.
FANTASY PUBLISHING, founded by DICK & NORMA ENOS, will be selling the “new-pulp” adventures of Rick Steele, ace trouble buster from the fifties. A former test pilot with a trio of “ace” assistants, Rick will go anywhere in search of adventure. Dick and Norma will also have their Lara Destiny private-eye books, a series concerning New York’s only trans-gender detective. Visit the Dick Enos site on Amazon.com for more info and meet the author and his editor at PulpFest.
Please welcome to PulpFest author PHIL FARINA. Born in New York City and raised in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn, Mr. Farina is a water treatment professional, working on developing technologies to improve our water supplies. He lives with his wife in Toledo, Ohio and writes books for the love of the story. He will be selling copies of his “coming-of-age” novel, GRAVESEND, at this year’s PulpFest. We are looking forward to hosting this Ohio author for years to come.
JIM BEARD & JOHN BRUENING of FLINCH BOOKS, publishers of “in-your-face pulp-style adventure fiction,” will be on hand with their noted prose anthologies BIG TOP TALES and SOMETHING STRANGE IS GOING ON: NEW WORLDS OF FLETCHER HANKS. They’ll also have copies of John’s brand new full-length novel, THE MIDNIGHT GUARDIAN: HOUR OF DARKNESS. Jim — who also also provides regular content for Marvel.com, the official Marvel Comics website — will also be offering a wide selection of his own fiction work, including publications from Airship 27, Meteor House, and Pro Se Productions.
Stop by and visit with BOB FLOWERS of central Illinois. He’ll have his dad, Big Bob, and his son, James, along to help. This good-natured collector and dealer usually has a little bit of everything. He sells pulps, paperbacks, fanzines, and related material. His offerings come from a wide range of genres – hero, detective, adventure, science fiction, and western — all reasonably priced. Shop with Bob for variety and good, honest deals. We think you’ll be extremely happy with your purchases.
A widely published old-time radio and pop culture historian, MARTIN GRAMS also carries a large selection of classic DVDs, along with books and magazines. He’ll have copies of his many award-winning books for sale – THE SHADOW: THE HISTORY AND MYSTERY OF THE RADIO PROGRAM, INNER SANCTUM MYSTERIES, THE GREEN HORNET: A HISTORY OF RADIO, MOTION PICTURES, COMICS AND TELEVISION, THE TWILIGHT ZONE: UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO A TELEVISION CLASSIC – and much more.
If you are a dealer or collector who would like to sell at PulpFest, please click the “Register for 2016” button just below the banner at the top of our home page or email convention chairperson Jack Cullers at jack@pulpfest.com for further information about selling at the convention.
As of June 21, the Hyatt Regency Columbus had a small number of rooms available for July 21 through July 23. Their PulpFest rate ends on June 30. Please see our post “There Are Rooms at the Hyatt!”
At www.columbusconventions.com/thearea.php, you’ll find a list of area hotels courtesy of the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Alternately, you can search for a room at tripadvisor or a similar website to find a hotel near the convention. Thanks so much to everyone who has reserved a room at our host hotel. By staying at the Hyatt Regency, you’ve helped to ensure the convention’s success.
We’ll be profiling more of our 2016 PulpFest dealers in the days ahead. Please come back tomorrow.
(One of the themes of PulpFest 2016 will be a celebration of the 120th anniversary of the first pulp fiction magazine, Frank Munsey’s ARGOSY. Throughout its long history, the magazine featured a lot of great stories and wonderful covers, including Paul Stahr’s painting illustrating Eustace L. Adams’ “Hell Island,” featured on ARGOSY WEEKLY for May 11, 1935.
You might find the June 1941 issue of AMAZING STORIES, featuring “Black Pirates of Barsoom,” by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and front cover art by J. Allen St. John in the PulpFest dealers’ room. Come to Columbus from July 21 – 24 and find out for yourself.
The Shadow, appeared in 326 issues of his own pulp magazine and became the hero of a long-running radio program, broadcast from 1937 through 1954. The cover art for Martin Grams’ history of THE SHADOW radio program is a re-working of George Rozen’s cover to the July 15, 1934 issue of the pulp magazine, illustrating “Chain of Death.”
Ever since the first PulpFest in 2009, the convention has attracted new and old writers of fiction and non-fiction to its fold. Witness the annual “New Fictioneers” readings at each and every PulpFest since its beginning, and such writers as Jim Beard, John Bruening, Dick and Norma Enos, and our newest convert, Phil Farina. Mr. Farina’s GRAVESEND has been called, “Suspenseful and surprising” and, “An absolutely wonderful read.”)
