Edgar Rice Burroughs has been called “The Master of Adventure.” It can also be said that he was a “Master of Romance.”
Who can forget the concluding paragraphs of Burroughs’ most famous novel, Tarzan of the Apes?
Here was the man who had Tarzan’s title, and Tarzan’s estates, and was going to marry the woman whom Tarzan loved — the woman who loved Tarzan. A single word from Tarzan would make a great difference in this man’s life.
It would take away his title and his lands and his castles, and — it would take them away from Jane Porter also.
“I say, old man,” cried Clayton, “I haven’t had a chance to thank you for all you’ve done for us. It seems as though you had your hands full saving our lives in Africa and here. . . If it’s any of my business, how the devil did you ever get into that bally jungle?”
“I was born there,” said Tarzan, quietly. “My mother was an Ape, and, of course, she couldn’t tell me much about it. I never knew who my father was.”
Tarzan, the greatest of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ male characters, sacrifices fame, fortune, and his own happiness, thinking it will assure the happiness and prosperity of the woman whom he loves.
We hope you’ll join PulpFest 2025 on Thursday, August 7, at 6:55 pm as Pittsburgh pulp and Burroughs fan Bernice Jones and the Vice President of Operations for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Cathy Wilbanks discuss “Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Ideal Man.”
What, in Burroughs’ view, makes a man great?
A resident of Western Pennsylvania — not far from Cranberry Township — Bernice Jones is a writer, researcher, public speaker, and voracious reader. She first met Tarzan as a child, while visiting her great-grandmother’s house. Needing reading material, she asked: “If I’m very careful, can I read great-grandpa’s books?”
She credits her great-grandfather who passed five years before her birth for her deep love of Edgar Rice Burroughs. There in the barrister case were the first five Tarzan novels. Reading them was a wonderful experience and Bernice was hooked.
She attended her first Pulpfest in 2022 in the company of the man who is now her husband. Listening to the panels and talking to other fans, Bernice started thinking about the characters she loved from ERB. She realized that aside from the main characters, her favorites are the women in his novels: Jane Porter, Dejah Thoris, Duare of Amtor, and the many other strong female characters.
Intrigued, she read and thought more. Having read many books from the early 20th century, she realized that not only did Burroughs portray his characters differently than his contemporaries, but one could see ERB’s growth as a twentieth-century human being through both his male and female characters.
Bernice lives with her husband, Neal, and their three cats — Bastion, Carter John, and Dejah Thoris. Obviously, Bernice didn’t name Bastion.
Cathy Wilbanks began working for Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. while she was still in high school. She worked part-time with Danton Burroughs — the author’s late grandson — inventorying and organizing materials in the warehouse. After a career in teaching, Wilbanks rejoined the company in 2001. Now Vice President of Operations of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., she is responsible for all internal operations of the organization and continues to assist with the marketing of the many fantastic creations of that master of romance and adventure, Edgar Rice Burroughs. You’ll find Cathy on Facebook and Instagram.
Bernice and Cathy will discuss the great men that Edgar Rice Burroughs brought to life in novel after novel. Their talk is part of this year’s ERBFest, taking place alongside PulpFest 2025 from August 7 through August 10 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry in Mars, Pennsylvania.
Co-hosted by Henry G. Franke III — the editor of The Burroughs Bibliophiles — ERBFest is a salute to the Master of Romance and Adventure, Edgar Rice Burroughs. Now in its fourth iteration, ERBFest started in 2021 when it seemed as if a second summer was going to pass without both of the usual Burroughs conventions — The Edgar Rice Burroughs Convention (formerly known as the Dum-Dum) and the Edgar Rice Burroughs Chain of Friendship (ECOF) gathering.
PulpFest 2025 begins on August 7 and runs through August 10 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry in Mars, Pennsylvania. We’ll be celebrating the “Masters of Blood and Thunder,” the “Great Pulp Villains,” Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, and more at this year’s convention.
The general public is welcome to attend our evening programming events free of charge. To learn more about our programming, please click the 2025 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 register button at the top of this page. And don’t forget to book a room at the DoubleTree. They’re going fast!
Remember, in addition to your membership in PulpFest 2025, you’ll also be a member of Doc Con XXI, ERBFest 2025, and Farmercon XX. That’s four conventions for one price! You can’t beat that deal.
If you’re interested in selling at PulpFest, our dealers’ room is full. However, we are considering adding tables in the pre-function hallway outside of the dealers’ room. These tables will cost $125 each and will be guarded by security overnight. If you are interested, please write to Jack Cullers at jack@pulpfest.com to be added to our waiting list.
For more on Edgar Rice Burroughs and his creations, please visit our YouTube Channel.
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Our lead image was adapted by William Lampkin from N. C. Wyeth’s original cover art for the August 1913 New Story Magazine, illustrating Edgar Rice Burroughs’ serial, “The Return of Tarzan.” An excerpt from Wyeth’s painting also serves as our featured image.
J. Allen St. John painted the cover for the June 1941 issue of Amazing Stories, illustrating “The Black Pirates of Barsoom.” The story was later incorporated into the book, Llana of Gathol, part of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars saga. The series featured John Carter who, along with Tarzan and others, was one of the great male characters created by the author.
Trademarks Tarzan®, Tarzan of the Apes®, Jane Porter®, John Carter®, Dejah Thoris®, Llana of Gathol®, Barsoom®, Edgar Rice Burroughs®, Master of Adventure™, 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.
