For more than fifty years, PulpFest has celebrated mystery, adventure, science fiction, and much more. In the pulp magazines of the early twentieth century — which gave PulpFest its name — the hardboiled detective, science fiction, and sword and sorcery genres developed and flourished. They gave us Buck Rogers, Conan the Barbarian, Cthulhu, Doc Savage, Hopalong Cassidy, John Carter of Mars, Sam Spade, The Shadow, Solomon Kane, Tarzan, Zorro, and many other pop culture icons.
PulpFest 2024 will celebrate “Spice, Spies, Shaw, and More,” at this year’s convention. We’ll be marking the 90th anniversary of Harry Donenfeld’s “Spicy” pulps and the 150th anniversary of the birth of legendary Black Mask editor Joseph T. “Cap” Shaw. It’s also the 90th anniversary of Secret Agent X, Operator #5, and other espionage pulp heroes.
But that’s not all. Once again, the fans of Philip José Farmer will be returning to PulpFest in 2024 for FarmerCon XIX.
Since 2011, PulpFest has hosted FarmerCon, a convention celebrating the life and times of the longtime pulp fan and Grand Master of Science Fiction, born over 100 years ago on January 26, 1918.
By holding the convention alongside PulpFest, Farmer fans get a variety of programming and a room full of pulp and book dealers to enjoy. Of course, the premier publisher of Farmer and related works, Meteor House, will have a prominent spot in our dealers’ room. And don’t forget the after-hours socializing that the fans of Philip José Farmer are known to enjoy. These gatherings are always vibrant, entertaining, and informative.
One of the highlights of FarmerCon XIX will be the convention’s panel, “Secrets, Crossovers, and the Full Account,” scheduled for 1:30 pm on Saturday, August 3. It will feature panelists Paul Spiteri, Sean Lee Levin, and Win Scott Eckert, with moderator Keith Howell. The panel will take a look at the latest projects from Philip José Farmer and Meteor House — Around the World in Eighty Days/The Other Log of Phileas Fogg: The Full Account by Jules Verne and Farmer; Crossovers Expanded 3 by Levin; and the Secrets of the Nine omnibus by Farmer.
Of related interest will be award-winning novelist, journalist, and editor Craig McDonald’s conversation with Chicago artist and illustrator Douglas C. Klauba who has contributed cover art to Meteor House and other publishers.
Also of note will be the debut of the fifth Meteor House chapbook, The Lazarus Cabal, written by Sean Lee Levin. We’ll have more on the book later this week. Sean will sign all 100 copies at PulpFest/FarmerCon in August.
Additionally, “Flearunners” and other Doc Savage fans, will gather during the PulpFest Pizza Party on Thursday evening, August 1, in the hotel lounge where Win Scott Eckert will offer a toast to the late Rick Lai, winner of the 2022 Munsey Award. Rick sadly passed away on April 29 of this year. Everyone is encouraged to chime in with their own toasts and remembrances of Rick.
And don’t forget the after-hours socializing that the fans of Philip José Farmer are known to enjoy. These gatherings are always vibrant, entertaining, and informative. So be sure to join “Fraternize at FarmerCon” on Friday, August 2, or any other night that you find the “Freinds of Phil” gathered in the Ember & Vine lounge at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry.
All this and more will be part of FarmerCon XIX, the 2024 convention for all things Farmer, taking place at this summer’s PulpFest.
Make your plans now to head for Mars, Pennsylvania from August 1 – 4 for PulpFest 2024, FarmerCon XIX, and ERBFest 2024 (profiled yesterday).
That’s three conventions for the price of one, only at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry. You can become a member of all three conventions by clicking the registration button on the PulpFest website.
Our featured image is excerpted from Walter Baumhofer’s front cover for the March 1933 number of Doc Savage Magazine, the first issue of the hero pulp to be published by Street & Smith. Along with Tarzan, Doc Savage was one of pulp fan Philip José Farmer’s favorites.
Our lead image was adapted by William Lampkin from Gray Morrow’s cover for Philip José Farmer’s The Mad Goblin, originally released in 1970 as half of an Ace Double (paired with Farmer’s Lord of the Trees).
Our final image, painted by Keith Howell, is the front cover art for Sean Lee Levin’s chapbook, The Lazarus Cabal. It will be released at PulpFest/FarmerCon in August 2024.
Leslie Silberberg is a writer and popular culture enthusiast who began posting on our website in 2022. She enjoys the science fiction pulps, particularly the work of such leading female writers as Leigh Brackett, Claire Winger Harris, Zenna Henderson, Judith Merril, C. L. Moore, Margaret St. Clair, Wilmar H. Shiras, Francis Stevens, and Leslie F. Stone. Last week, she profiled some of our dealers who will be exhibiting at PulpFest 2024. We look forward to more contributions from Leslie in the years ahead.
For more on Doc Savage — one of Phil’s favorites — visit our YouTube Channel.
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