The Destroyer 38: Bay City Blast (1979) by Warren Murphy part 1
Friday, 10. March 2006, 14:26:40
I can honestly say that without this book this blog would not exist. How could this be I hear you ask? Until I'd read this book I was quite happy reading just the Destroyer. Sapir and Murphy's hero was the best, I remember getting into a fight with a schoolmate because he dared to suggest that Bolan, Able Team and Phoenix Force would beat Remo in a fight.And I still believe that Remo would win. And this book proves it. See Murphy decided to have the Destroyer battle parody versions of Pinnacle's other heroes. Instead of Mack Bolan, the Executioner we have Mark Tolan, The Exterminator, instead of Bucher the ex mob boss, The Butcher, we have Al Baker, former numbers runner, The Baker and Richard Camellion, The Death Merchant is replaced by Nicholas Lizzard, The Lizard.
Chuin deals with The Baker and the Lizard in 2 seconds flat and Remo takes down the Exterminator in similar fashion.
After reading this novel, I was able to figure out the original characters thanks to the ads in the back of The Destroyer novels but I wanted to know more. Was the The Butcher a low life wannabe mobster? Was The Death Merchant an alcoholic with a pechant for dressing as a woman? Was Mack Bolan a kill crazy monster?
The internet was very little help in my search, I found webpages for the Destroyer and the Executioner but little on anyone else. (BTW did you know Butchers sell meat online?)
Hungry for knowledge I began to hunt down the orignal novels of those three series and then expanded to other aggressor series and then to here to share what I know with the world.
Stay tuned for part two where I will compare the originals to the parodies.
WIDGETIZE
Anonymous # 6. September 2006, 21:41
I picked up a copy of this at my local used books store. This is the first Destroyer I've read and probably the first Aggressor fiction I've read. I must say I really enjoyed it. It was really funny. I actually laughed out loud quite a few times which is very rare for me. Sapir and Murphy's prose style has perfect comic timing. This is something I've seen very rarely.
I don't plan to read a lot of Aggressor fiction since it seems that a lot of crap. I know that Brad reads for content as much as quality. I couldn't do that. But would like suggestions as to what Aggressor fiction has a great quality. (For now on I am going to keep an eye out for early Destroyer novels, too.)
AggressorBrad # 7. September 2006, 08:32
Pretty much everything Destroyer is really good (there are a few exceptions *cough 108-110 cough*, The Pinnacle Executioners, there's going to be an element of personal taste here I like the Penetrator, (actually Chet Cunningham's stuff is good The Avenger, The Specialists) Stone MIA hunter (by Joe Lansdale under a psuedonym), Chant (by George C Hesbro under a psuedonym), The Hunter by Ralph Hayes (I quite like Hayes work Stoner, Agent for COMINSEC), Brian Garfield's Death Wish.
I haven't ready any but The Lone Wolf is highly recommended.
Going into precursors Leslie Charteris' The Saint, Ian Fleming's James Bond, Doc Savage, The Shadow, Edgar Wallace's THE FOUR JUST MEN, Peter O'Donell's Modesty Blaise.
That's off the top of my head.
Brad
Anonymous # 12. September 2006, 18:22
I read several Doc Savage and Shadow novels and one Modesty Blaise novel. MIA hunter looks interesting since I like Joe Lansdale's work. The guy took a rediculous concept like Elvis fighting a mummy and turned it into a surprising moving story.
I'm curious as to what about each author and series attracts you to them?
AggressorBrad # 15. September 2006, 23:56
The Destroyer - My first love, as it were, whilst most of the other series are grim and gritty, this one has a sense of humour. The relationship between Remo and Chuin is also key factor.
The Executioner- Don Pendleton started the ball rolling with these 38 books.
The Penetrator and Chet Cunningham - The Penetrator is The Spider to the Executioner's Shadow, to use a pulp comparison. What could have been simply a pale imitation of the Executioner was given a life of it's own which utilised Native American mysticism.
Each of Chet Cunningham's series has it's own voice and the central characters aren't interchangable - I couldn't go through an Avenger and change Matt Hawke to Mark Hardin and have a Penetrator.
Stone MIA Hunter - The premise of this series was interesting but Stone and his team really make this worth reading.
Chant - the notion of a hero trained by evil and then choosing to not follow that path is an interesting one (and it has been used elsewhere) but Chesbro really highlights the conflict of Chant being tempted by the evil path.
Ralph Hayes - like Chet Cunningham each of heroes is individual.
Death Wish - I'm part way through watching the first movie (I have young children so I'm limited to when I can watch it) but I read the novel. In a sense, Paul Benjamin is what an aggressor would be like if a person with no real training were to adopt the role. Benjamin demonstrates the rage and helplessness a crime victim feels.
Ultimately, I like to see a fresh perspective on the type and characters who are enjoyable to read about. The execution of the novel may not be perfect but if the idea behind it is interesting and the characters are interesting I'm willing to enjoy myself. I've never not finished an aggressor book.
Anonymous # 16. September 2006, 20:49
Thanks for the information.
Anonymous # 2. December 2006, 14:43
Hi All,
Nice blog here, Brad.
Just a quick note to notify you of the upcoming New Destroyers to be cowritten by my Dad and Jim Mullaney. Not sure if you're aware or not, but the new publisher is Tor. The first New Destroyer is due out in May of 07. The current Ting Pidgeon Um, Gold Eagle book will end the pain, that's for sure (although Somheil ahs been getting OK as he goes along.
The neatest thing is that Dad will be returning to cowriting the series. So his hand will be there to have a direct influence on Jim Mullaney's writing style (pertaining to the series). Jim's great already, so this should be fantastic!
For more information and news, keep an eye on warrenmurphy.com and destroyerclub.com 2 great site, to be sure.
Keep up the great work here!
SIncerely,
Brian Murphy
webmaster@warrenmurphy.com
Anonymous # 4. December 2006, 02:49
Yeah, I heard. Tor I know as one of the best publishers of science fiction around and there picking up the series was part of the reason I decided to try the series. I read one of Mullaney's books and liked it.
AggressorBrad # 9. December 2006, 00:13
Thank you for dropping by and the kind words. I can barely wait for the new Tor Destroyers.
Brad