Friday, March 11, 2011






I found it mighty interesting.









The update editor ran into other trouble with the cape.
With the cape removed, this line doesn’t make sense:





Some updates reflect changes in word usage . . .








OLD: I’m afraid I lost thy knife, O warrior!
NEW: I’m afraid I lost your knife.



OLD: Almost he had despaired
NEW: He had almost despaired

OLD: If the gods were good
NEW: If luck was with him

OLD: In a trice
NEW: Soon

OLD: Good God, what an end for a man!
NEW: What an end for a man!

OLD: “Geez!”
NEW: “Jesus!”


Covers, top to bottom:
1. 1975: First in Pocket Books updated series.
2. 1935: The Real Thing.

More Forgotten Books: pattinase!


A said...

Very interesting post. I've never read The Spider, but as a whole I can't stand when books are updated to appeal to the current age's sensibilities. The language of the past was so much richer and the context and atmosphere of the work can change from the revision as well.

Charles Gramlich said...

The only one that makes any sense to me is the "gay" thing. Other than that they made it so much more vanilla.

Cullen Gallagher said...

Hot damn! This is an awesome comparison, very thorough and fascinating to read. I've actually never read The Spider before, but this gave me a solid overview of the different version. Many thanks for the swell education!

There is something unintentionally amazing about this line:

Deka Black said...

Good article. These updates makes no sense! At all! Is like update Dashiel Hammet! Or Mark Twain!

Call me a fanboy if you want. But this to me is a total lack of respect to the work of the original writer. (Yes, i'm looking at all of you who messes with REH)

really, this piss me off.

Jerry House said...

Great post!

If I remember correctly, in the original, the Spider wore an Alamo necktie; in the revised version he carried a copy of EQMM featuring a Skyler Hobbes story. Of course, memory plays tricks.

Randy Johnson said...

I have these four as well. As you admit, glad to have them at the time, though dissatisfied with the updates. never did the comparisons though. Nice post.

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Sorry about that, there were too many typos in that first try.

This story, excuse me, "novel", isn't one of the ones I have in my Spider Double reprints by Girasol, I guess they haven't gotten to it yet, though I do have Wings of Black Death, but that's not the same, though I haven't read it either. Matter of fact, I haven't read most of them yet, but I'll get to them.

Greta post, especially the side-by-side part. I'll take the old style, please, with mustard.

J F Norris said...

Now what would Batman look like in a turtleneck and Harlequin mask? Pretty darn silly. Wardrobe updates - sheesh. Did some 1970s fashionista rewrite these?

Admirable job! Hope you didn't sprain a finger joint with the endless page flipping.

pattinase (abbott) said...

My four year old grandson is reading Spiderman books. It starts early doesn't it? This love of the fantastic.

Deka Black said...

Pattinase, your grandson is very young, but wise ;)

Cap'n Bob said...

There were times I wore a black turtleneck and comfortable pants, and darned if I didn't project fearful majesty.

I'm reading a very old western now and it uses gay a lot, but in the traditional sense. "Don't go gay on me" means don't be flippant in this book. It's also very un-P.C. in describing Mexicans, blacks, Asians, and everyone else, but I just accept it as a reflection of the times and don't let it twist my knickers.

Unknown said...

I remember James Reasoner complaining to me about these at the time they were published. I wish I still had that letter.

Evan Lewis said...

I'm glad to know it wasn't James who did the revisions. Gotta wonder if they were done by a writer, or just some editor at Pocket.

David Cranmer said...

I had no idea of these updated books. But then again, I never read The Spider like I did The Shadow or Doc Savage.

Great history here, Evan.

George said...

DEATH REIGN OF THE VAMPIRE KING, no one comes up with titles like this anymore.

Deka Black said...

George... how accurate are you!

Evan: Don't nowwho did it. Sure was only someone doing his job. But... really,i can't stand it. I s like update the El Borak tales to set them in modern times.

Todd Mason said...

Speaking of eye and typing strain, Evan...I suspect that if supposedly literate people can't understand Twain's use of language in FINN, they certainly aren't going to respect Page's in THE SHADOW novels/novellas. Remakable, though...particularly the ones that indeed, as Charles suggests, bland out the work.

Jerry's memory needs further investigation.

Shavager said...

Bought all four of these paperbacks since I'm a big Spider fan, did NOT like the updated changes vs the original words and terminology employed by Norvell Page. Thought the covers were nice, but changing the character's original image to suit a different audience is an insult to the reading public who should notice the description inside the story will NOT match the cover image.

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TC said...

Bantam's Doc Savage paperback reprints were not (AFAIK) "reviled," but some fans, including Jim Harmon and Larry Ivie, disliked the way Doc was portrayed on the covers, with the crew cut and the widow's peak.

I had 3 of the Berkley reprints of The Spider, and I saw the 1975 Pocket versions, although I never bought any of the latter. So I didn't know until now that they made changes in the text as well as the covers.

TC said...
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