In 1911, having failed at nearly every enterprise or profession that he had tried, Edgar Rice Burroughs took pen to paper and composed half of an adventure novel that he called “‘Under the Moons of Mars.”
I had no idea how to submit a story or what I could expect in payment. Had I known anything about it at all, I would never have thought of submitting half a novel, but that is what I did. Thomas Newell Metcalf, then editor of The All-Story, published by The Frank A. Munsey Co., wrote me that he liked the first half of the story and if the second was as good he thought he might use it.
Burroughs finished the second half of his novel and received $400 for the first magazine serial rights. Today, his novel — since retitled “A Princess of Mars” — is acclaimed by scholars as the turning point of twentieth-century science fiction, and new editions of it continue to be published each year throughout the world.
After failing with a second novel — a historical work — he tried again. With his third story, Burroughs’ future was decided forever. “Tarzan of the Apes” was an astonishing success in its appearance in The All-Story magazine in October 1912. When it was later published as a book by A. C. McClurg and Co., it became a 1914 best-seller.
In all these years, I have not learned one single rule of writing fiction. I still write as I did thirty years ago; stories which I feel would entertain me and give me mental relaxation, knowing there are millions of people just like me who will like the same things I like.
With Tarzan of the Apes and the more than 80 novels that followed, Edgar Rice Burroughs became a true American success story.
One hundred years ago, Edgar Rice Burroughs founded his own company and became the first author to incorporate himself. Today Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., is still owned by his heirs; operates out of Tarzana, California, on the property of Mr. Burroughs’ former ranch; and is actively engaged in promoting his legacy and licensing the rights to his works of wonder and imagination.
We hope you’ll join PulpFest 2023 on Thursday, August 3, at 7:15 pm for “100 Years of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.,” featuring the company’s Director of Publishing, Christopher Paul Carey, and Vice President of Operations, Cathy Mann Wilbanks. Joining them will be authors Chris Adams, Win Scott Eckert, and Will Murray. They’ll be live from the PulpFest 2023 stage in Mars, Pennsylvania. It’s part of this year’s ERBFest and our salute to Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Cathy Wilbanks joined ERB, Inc. in 1984 and served as the company’s Archivist, overseeing the company’s vast library of historical publications, artwork, and other artifacts owned by the company. In her current duties, she is responsible for all internal operations of the organization and helps with the firm’s marketing activities. Cathy lives in the Los Angeles area, and believes she has the best job ever!
Christopher Paul Carey is the author of several books, including Swords Against the Moon Men — an authorized sequel to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Moon Maid — and the Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe novel Victory Harben: Fires of Halos. He has also scripted comic books featuring Burroughs’ characters such as Tarzan, Dejah Thoris, and Carson of Venus and written novels inspired by the work of Philip José Farmer. Not only is Chris the Director of Publishing for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., but he also serves as the creative director of the Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe series. He has also edited more than sixty collections, anthologies, and novels for a variety of publishers. He lives in southern California.
A resident of West Virginia, Chris L. Adams fell in love with the work of Edgar Rice Burroughs as a kid. He spent many of his formative years reading Burroughs’ works, later turning to Robert E Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith, and others. It’s hoped that his latest book, Dark Tides of Mars, will go up for preorder the week of PulpFest 2023.
For the last quarter-century, Win Scott Eckert has written or co-written novels and short stories featuring characters such as Philip José Farmer’s Patricia Wildman and Doc Caliban, as well as classic properties such as The Avenger, the Green Hornet, Tarzan, and Zorro. Author of The Monster on Hold, Tarzan: Battle for Pellucidar, and other works, Win’s Korak at the Earth’s Core will be out in a few months from Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
Will Murray has written over twenty adventures of Doc Savage, three novels about the Popular Publications hero, The Spider, as well as new adventures of Cthulhu, King Kong, Pat Savage, Sherlock Holmes, Tarzan, and other characters. His latest book — Tarzan: Back to Mars — was recently released in softcover. The twelfth adventure in “The Wild Adventures of Edgar Rice Burroughs,” Will’s novel is the sequel to his popular Tarzan, Conqueror of Mars.
The general public is welcome to attend our evening programming events free of charge. To learn more about our programming, please click the Schedule button at the top of this page.
For those who also want to enjoy our dealers’ room, you can join PulpFest by clicking the Registration button at the top of this page. And don’t forget to book a room at the DoubleTree. They’re going fast!
Our lead image was adapted by PulpFest advertising director William Lampkin from Clinton Pettee’s cover art for the October 1912 issue of The All-Story, illustrating Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel, “Tarzan of the Apes.” Pettee contributed to many of the Munsey magazines as well as the pulp, Short Stories.
Christopher Paul Carey is the author of several books, including Swords Against the Moon Men — an authorized sequel to Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Moon Maid. At PulpFest 2023/ERBFest 2023 we’ll also be saluting the centennial of “The Moon Maid,” originally published in the May 5, 1923 issue of Argosy All-Story Weekly, with cover by P. J. Monahan.
For more on the centennial of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., please visit our YouTube Channel to view Craig McDonald’s video marking the company’s 100th anniversary. While you’re there, please be sure to subscribe to the PulpFest Channel.
We’d like to thank Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. for allowing us to quote from “100 Years Ago Today: Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., Celebrates Its Centennial,” published March 26, 2023.
Artwork © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Trademarks Tarzan®, John Carter®, John Carter of Mars®, Warlord of Mars®, Dejah Thoris®, Barsoom®, The Moon Maid™, The Moon Men™, Victory Harben™, Edgar Rice Burroughs®, Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe™, ERB Authorized Library™, ERB Universe™, and others owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Associated logos, characters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Used by Permission.
