Season 5, Episode 3: The VCRP Present Waterfront Fists!

Welcome back, Cromrades! This week we have a special episode, the Violet Crown Radio Players adaptation of Howard's Waterfront Fists!

By way of an explanation, this is a re-release of an recording provided to us by long-time friend of the show, Mark Finn! Besides Finn's scholarship and role as an editor for Skelos Magazine, Mark served as the creative director of the Violet Crown Radio Players from 2002-07. Unfortunately this group is defunct, but if you want to read more about them, check out their blog here. During the group's hey-day, however, Mark adapted Howard's classic "Sailor Steve Costigan" story, Waterfront Fists. Mark approached us about sharing the troupe's recording of that adaptation here on the Cromcast, and of course we jumped at the chance to showcase the performance!

Waterfront Fists was first published by Howard back in September of 1930 in Fight Stories (cover below). This story happens to be in the public domain like the Conan stories we've been reading and discussing, so if you're looking to read the original text, check it out here on Project Gutenberg!

Questions? Comments? Curses?
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Legal Mumbo-Jumbo 
Our episode is freely available on archive.org and is licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ The beginning tune is Moon Mullican's "Pipeliner Blues." The audio drama is Robert E. Howard's Waterfront Fists, as adapted by Mark Finn and performed by the Violet Crown Radio Players. 

Bonus Episode: The Violet Crown Radio Players' "Waterfront Fists!"

Hey all, we're back with a special episode! You can download it directly here.

We are happy to present a Howard story adapted by Austin's Violet Crown Radio Players!

By way of an explanation, we were approached with this opportunity by Mark Finn, a friend of the show with whom we had a chance to interview back in December regarding his Howard biography, Blood and Thunder. Didn't we mention on that episode that Mark is a multi-faceted fellow? 

Besides his scholarship, Mark served as the creative director of the Violet Crown Radio Players from 2002-07. Unfortunately this group is defunct, but if you want to read more about them, check out their blog here. During the group's hey-day, however, Mark adapted Howard's classic "Sailor Steve Costigan" story, Waterfront Fists. Mark approached us about sharing the troupe's recording of that adaptation here on the Cromcast, and of course we jumped at the chance to showcase the performance!

Waterfront Fists was first published by Howard back in September of 1930 in Fight Stories (cover below). This story happens to be in the public domain like the Conan stories we've been reading and discussing, so if you're looking to read the original text, check it out here on Project Gutenberg!

Hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!

Questions? Comments? Curses? Email us! (thecromcast at gmail dot com)

Other stuff...

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The beginning tune is Moon Mullican's "Pipeliner Blues." Used without permission. The audio drama is Robert E. Howard's Waterfront Fists, as adapted by Mark Finn and performed by the Violet Crown Radio Players. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Howard's Horrors: Sea Curse!

"Then the days grew shorter, the nights longer and darker, and the cold grey tides came sweeping along the bleak strands, bearing the rain and sleet of the sharp east breezes." - Robert E. Howard

Hey all, Luke here! Just finished another REH story, Sea Curse, before the Thanksgiving Weekend (and before I jump into Queen of the Black Coast). Have you read Sea Curse? If not, check it out for free on Project Gutenberg. 

Here's Tim Seeley's interpretation of ol' Moll and her fair niece...

First published in Weird Tales (1928), this is a morality tale that drips with inevitability. The story is all plot; there's no dilly-dallying on any character. In short, there are actions and their are consequences. And good for that, as the main drive of the plot is to see exactly how Kulrek and Lie-Lip will meet their demise. Given this, Sea Curse bears little resemblance to the other horrific stories I've read by REH. There are no Lovecraftian draperies, nor evidence of heroism, just a horrible deed followed by a horrible curse. REH's prose bounces between colloquial sea-faring speech and almost lyrical punctuations of text setting the tone. For me, it was this unsettling tone that carried the story along.

Aside from the aforementioned comic adaptation by Seeley in Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword (by Dark Horse Comics), I've not found much in the way of commentary / criticism regarding this story. Which is a shame, as I heartily recommend this story... Especially if you are looking for a shorter weird tale to rip through. If you've read this story, what did you think? Sound off in the comments section below!

With that, I'll leave you with the cover art of an edition of The Saga of Faring Town (including Sea Curse) published by the REH Foundation back in 2009. Happy Thanksgiving!!!