"The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay. The Shadow knows! The Knight of Darkness crushes crime in two classic pulp thrillers by Walter B. Gibson writing as "Maxwell Grant." First, "The Strange Disappearance of Joe Cardona" sets The Shadow on the trail of the Purple Death. Then, a sinister criminal organization called "The Hand" challenges the Dark Avenger to a fight to the finish, in the first installment of the legendary pulp epic that inspired the premier adventure of DC Comics' Seven Soldiers of Victory. This instant collector's item showcases both of George Rozen's color pulp covers and the classic interior illustrations by Edd Cartier, with historical commentary by Maggie Thompson and Will Murray.(Sanctum Books) Softcover, 7x10. B&W, $12.95