G-8 (character)

G-8
Publication information
PublisherPopular Publications
First appearanceG-8 and His Battle Aces #1
Created byRobert J. Hogan
In-story information
Alter egoUnknown
Supporting character ofBattle
Nippy Weston
Bull Martin

G-8 was a heroic aviator and spy during World War I in pulp fiction.[1] He starred in his own title G-8 and His Battle Aces, published by Popular Publications. All stories were written by Robert J. Hogan, under his own name. The title lasted 110 issues, from October 1933 to June 1944. Many of the novels have been reprinted by a wide range of publishers including comic books.

While not as dramatic a pulp character as Doc Savage or the Shadow, his stories were often outlandish, with many supernatural or science fiction elements. G-8's true identity was never revealed. He had a girlfriend, a nurse who aided his group, and her name as well was never revealed. His English manservant was named Battle. His wing-men were the short Nippy Weston, who flew an aircraft numbered 13, and the tall and muscular but superstitious Bull Martin, whose aircraft was numbered 7. Both of them were Americans. His adventures entailed fighting against the lethal super technology that was constantly created by the Kaiser's mad scientists. Reoccurring villains included Herr Doktor Krueger, the Steel Mask, and Grun.

A character based on G-8 made two appearances in the comic book Planetary alongside many other pulp analogues as part of a society for the betterment of humankind.[2][3]

List of G-8 and His Battle Aces titles

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  1. The Bat Staffel
  2. Purple Aces
  3. Ace of the White Death
  4. The Midnight Eagle
  5. The Vampire Staffel
  6. The Skeleton Patrol
  7. Squadron of Corpses
  8. The Invisible Staffel
  9. The Dynamite Squadron
  10. The Dragon Patrol
  11. The Hurricane Patrol
  12. The Panther Squadron
  13. The Spider Staffel
  14. The Mad Dog Squadron
  15. The Blizzard Staffel
  16. The X-Ray Eye
  17. Squadron of the Scorpion
  18. The Death Monsters
  19. The Cave Man Patrol
  20. The Gorilla Staffel
  21. The Sword Staffel
  22. Wings of the Juggernaut
  23. The Headless Staffel
  24. Staffel of Beasts
  25. Claws of the Sky Monster
  26. Staffel of Invisible Men
  27. Staffel of the Floating Heads
  28. The Blood Bat Staffel
  29. Skeletons of the Black Cross
  30. The Patrol of the Dead
  31. Scourge of the Sky Beast
  32. The Wings of Satan
  33. Patrol of the Cloud Crusher
  34. Curse of the Sky Wolves
  35. Vultures of the Purple Death
  36. Wings of Invisible Doom
  37. Skies of Yellow Death
  38. Death Rides the Ceiling
  39. Patrol of the Mad
  40. Scourge of the Steel Mask
  41. Patrol of the Murder Masters
  42. Fangs of the Sky Leopard
  43. Vultures of the White Death
  44. Flight of the Dragon
  45. Flight from the Grave
  46. Patrol of the Purple Clan
  47. Vengeance of the Vikings
  48. Flight of the Green Assassin
  49. The Hand of Steel
  50. The Flight of the Hell Hawks
  51. The Drome of the Damned
  52. Satan Paints the Sky
  53. Wings for the Dead
  54. Patrol of the Phantom
  55. The Black Aces of Doom
  56. The Flames of Hell
  57. Patrol of the Iron Hand
  58. Fangs of the Serpent
  59. Aces of the Damned
  60. Patrol of the Sky Vulture
  61. The Condor Rides with Death
  62. Flying Coffins of the Damned
  63. The Bloody Wings of the Vampire
  64. Raiders of the Silent Death
  65. The Sky Serpent Flies Again
  66. The Black Wings of the Raven
  67. Death Rides the Last Patrol
  68. Three Fly with Satan
  69. Flight of the Death Battalion
  70. Wings of the Black Terror
  71. Patrol of the Iron Scourge
  72. Wings of the White Death
  73. The Black Buzzard Flies to Hell
  74. Red Fangs of the Sky Emperor
  75. The Falcon Flies with the Damned
  76. Sky-Guns for the Murder Master
  77. White Wings for the Dead
  78. Sky Coffins for Satan
  79. Wings of the Dragon Lord
  80. The Green Scourge of the Sky Raiders
  81. Red Wings for the Death Patrol
  82. The Damned Will Fly Again
  83. Death Rides the Midnight Patrol
  84. Bloody Wings for a Sky Hawk
  85. Red Skies for the Squadron of Satan
  86. Here Flies the Hawk of Hell
  87. Squadron of the Damned
  88. Death To the Hawks of War
  89. Hordes of the Wingless Death
  90. Raiders of the Red Death
  91. Wings of the Doomed
  92. Fangs of the Winged Cobra
  93. Death is My Destiny
  94. Squadron of the Flying Dead
  95. Horde of the Black Eagle
  96. The Death Divers
  97. Raiders of the Death Patrol
  98. The Mark of the Vulture
  99. The Death Master's Last Patrol
  100. Wings of the Gray Phantom
  101. The Squadron of Death Flies High
  102. The Patrol to the End of the World
  103. Wings of the Hawks of Death
  104. Scourge of the Sky Monster
  105. Winged Beasts of Death
  106. Bombs from the Murder Wolves
  107. Wings of the Iron Claw
  108. The Devil's Sky Trap
  109. Wings of the Death Monster
  110. Wings of the Death Tiger

Reprints

[edit]

During the craze for hero pulp reprints in the 1970s started by the success of Doc Savage reprints, Berkley Books reprinted 8 G-8 novels. The first 3 had covers by Jim Steranko and a logo inspired by Doc Savage's. After that, the covers reprinted the original pulp covers.

In more recent years, some G-8 novels were reprinted by small presses like Adventure House. Adventure House recently started a reprint series of G-8 in similar size to the original pulps, including covers and interior artwork. So far, they have reprinted over 40 issues.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Robinson, Frank M.; Robinson, Frank Melvin; Davidson, Lawrence; Davidson, L. (1998). Pulp Culture: The Art of Fiction Magazines. Collectors Press, Inc. ISBN 978-1-888054-12-5.
  2. ^ "Planetary Issue 1". Home.earthlink.net. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
  3. ^ "Planetary Issue 5". Home.earthlink.net. Retrieved 2010-11-05.
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