BLACK MASK was arguably the most famous crime pulp of them all. Like all pulps, it was founded to make money. It did. Its success funded the publication of THE AMERICAN MERCURY, and BLACK MASK was quickly sold. Its new owners made it famous, and it provided the outlet for stories by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Rare issues with stories by these authors can command prices of a thousand dollars and more. When someone writes a history of BLACK MASK they will talk about its famous authors, its importance in the history of pulp magazine publishing, and its lasting effects on American popular culture. You can read more about this magazine in the BLACK MASK Profile pages.

All Black Mask covers, the Black Mask logo, and the mask device are copyright © Keith Alan Deutsch. Used with permission.