PulpFest, celebrating pulp magazines, is returning with a live event on August 29-21, 2021. The convention will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry, located at 910 Sheraton Drive in Mars, PA.
The theme for PulpFest 2021 is “Love in the Shadows,” commemorating the centennial of Street & Smith’s Love Story Magazine (the bestselling pulp of all time) and the 90th anniversary of The Shadow (the magazine that became a pop culture phenomenon through radio, movies, comic books, and more).
One of the convention’s highlights is a panel dedicated to Shadow creator Walter B. Gibson and his fill-ins. Moderated by Ed Hulse (The Art of Pulp Fiction), the panelists will include writer Will Murray, artist Jim Steranko, and publisher Anthony Tollin – all of whom knew Gibson or writers who worked on The Shadow Magazine.
PulpFest also plans to honor Weird Tales artist Margaret Brundage, as well as artists Earle K. Bergey and Enoch Bolles, writer Edgar Rice Burroughs (creator of Tarzan, John Carter, Pellucidar), many other fantastic worlds and characters, and the great women editors of the pulps.
The dealers’ room will be filled with pulp magazines and related materials, vintage paperbacks, digests, men’s adventure magazines, true crime magazines, contemporary genre fiction, first edition hardcovers, series books, dime novels, original art, Big Little Books, Golden to Bronze Age comic books, old time radio shows, gaming materials, film serials, B-movies, and more related collectibles.
PulpFest members will also receive a complimentary copy of the convention’s program book, The Pulpster. This year, the magazine will celebrate its 30th issue.
Masks are required at this point, but as COVID-19 restrictions evolve, that requirement may change. They recommend that attendees be vaccinated against Covid.
More information on PulpFest 2021, including how to register, book a hotel room, programming schedule, and the Munsey Award, is available at pulpfest.com. Attendees can also learn more on the PulpFest Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Instragram.