Checklists

The Shadow Magazine

The Shadow Magazine was the first, and arguably the best, of the "character hero" pulp magazines. Launched in 1931 it soon established a monthly schedule and then, in 1932, doubled that to a twice-monthly schedule, which it maintained for over 10 years, before dropping back to a monthly schedule in 1943. This marked the beginning of the end with the schedule dropping to bimonthly in 1947 and then to quarterly in 1948, before the magazine finally expired in Summer 1949.

In all, 325 issues appeared, each containing a lead novel featuring Kent Allard, "The Shadow", as well as a small number of short stories and other features. Most of the novels were written by Walter B. Gibson (under the byline Maxwell Grant) although a small number were written by Lester Dent, Bruce Elliott and Theodore Tinsley (all under the Grant byline). There were also three reprint volumes entitled The Shadow Annual in the 1940s.

For much of its life there was also a parallel Canadian reprint edition, although full details of this are unclear. From May-1932 to Apr-1936 it seems to have reprinted the US issues from 5-6 months previously, and then, for a few months at least, reprinted the US issues of the same date. Following the War Exchange Conservation Act of 1940 which banned the direct import of US pulps, a new series started with (very poorly) redrawn cover art. This ran on a monthly basis from the middle of 1941 to early 1945 (at least) reprinting consecutive US issues starting from early 1941 (and thus continually falling further behind as the US magazine was publishing twice monthly during this period).

A British reprint edition ran for about a dozen isues under the name Street & Smith's Shadow Mystery Magazine. It then changed its name to Street & Smith's Mystery Detective reprinting stories from a variety of US magazines, running to a total of 40 issues for the two series together.

1931
v1 #1
Apr
v1 #2
Jul-Sep
v1 #3
Oct
v1 #4
Nov
v1 #5
Dec

1932
v1 #6
Jan
v2 #1
Feb
v2 #2
Mar
v2 #3
Apr
v2 #4
May
v2 #5
Jun
v2 #6
Jul
v3 #1
Aug
v3 #2
Sep

1932
v3 #3
Oct 1
v3 #4
Oct 15
v3 #5
Nov 1
v3 #6
Nov 15
v4 #1
Dec 1
v4 #2
Dec 15

1933
v4 #3
Jan 1
v4 #4
Jan 15
v4 #5
Feb 1
v4 #6
Feb 15
v5 #1
Mar 1
v5 #2
Mar 15
v5 #3
Apr 1
v5 #4
Apr 15
v5 #5
May 1
v5 #6
May 15
v6 #1
Jun 1
v6 #2
Jun 15

1933
v6 #3
Jul 1
v6 #4
Jul 15
v6 #5
Aug 1
v6 #6
Aug 15
v7 #1
Sep 1
v7 #2
Sep 15
v7 #3
Oct 1
v7 #4
Oct 15
v7 #5
Nov 1
v7 #6
Nov 15
v8 #1
Dec 1
v8 #2
Dec 15

1934
v8 #3
Jan 1
v8 #4
Jan 15
v8 #5
Feb 1
v8 #6
Feb 15
v9 #1
Mar 1
v9 #2
Mar 15
v9 #3
Apr 1
v9 #4
Apr 15
v9 #5
May 1
v9 #6
May 15
v10 #1
Jun 1
v10 #2
Jun 15

1934
v10 #3
Jul 1
v10 #4
Jul 15
v10 #5
Aug 1
v10 #6
Aug 15
v11 #1
Sep 1
v11 #2
Sep 15
v11 #3
Oct 1
v11 #4
Oct 15
v11 #5
Nov 1
v11 #6
Nov 15
v12 #1
Dec 1
v12 #2
Dec 15

1935
v12 #3
Jan 1
v12 #4
Jan 15
v12 #5
Feb 1
v12 #6
Feb 15
v13 #1
Mar 1
v13 #2
Mar 15
v13 #3
Apr 1
v13 #4
Apr 15
v13 #5
May 1
v13 #6
May 15
v14 #1
Jun 1
v14 #2
Jun 15

1935
v14 #3
Jul 1
v14 #4
Jul 15
v14 #5
Aug 1
v14 #6
Aug 15
v15 #1
Sep 1
v15 #2
Sep 15
v15 #3
Oct 1
v15 #4
Oct 15
v15 #5
Nov 1
v15 #6
Nov 15
v16 #1
Dec 1
v16 #2
Dec 15

1936
v16 #3
Jan 1
v16 #4
Jan 15
v16 #5
Feb 1
v16 #6
Feb 15
v17 #1
Mar 1
v17 #2
Mar 15
v17 #3
Apr 1
v17 #4
Apr 15
v17 #5
May 1
v17 #6
May 15
v18 #1
Jun 1
v18 #2
Jun 15

1936
v18 #3
Jul 1
v18 #4
Jul 15
v18 #5
Aug 1
v18 #6
Aug 15
v19 #1
Sep 1
v19 #2
Sep 15
v19 #3
Oct 1
v19 #4
Oct 15
v19 #5
Nov 1
v19 #6
Nov 15
v20 #1
Dec 1
v20 #2
Dec 15

1937
v20 #3
Jan 1
v20 #4
Jan 15
v20 #5
Feb 1
v20 #6
Feb 15
v21 #1
Mar 1
v21 #2
Mar 15
v21 #3
Apr 1
v21 #4
Apr 15
v21 #5
May 1
v21 #6
May 15
v22 #1
Jun 1
v22 #2
Jun 15

1937
v22 #3
Jul 1
v22 #4
Jul 15
v22 #5
Aug 1
v22 #6
Aug 15
v23 #1
Sep 1
v23 #2
Sep 15
v23 #3
Oct 1
v23 #4
Oct 15
v23 #5
Nov 1
v23 #6
Nov 15
v24 #1
Dec 1
v24 #2
Dec 15

1938
v24 #3
Jan 1
v24 #4
Jan 15
v24 #5
Feb 1
v24 #6
Feb 15
v25 #1
Mar 1
v25 #2
Mar 15
v25 #3
Apr 1
v25 #4
Apr 15
v25 #5
May 1
v25 #6
May 15
v26 #1
Jun 1
v26 #2
Jun 15

1938
v26 #3
Jul 1
v26 #4
Jul 15
v26 #5
Aug 1
v26 #6
Aug 15
v27 #1
Sep 1
v27 #2
Sep 15
v27 #3
Oct 1
v27 #4
Oct 15
v27 #5
Nov 1
v27 #6
Nov 15
v28 #1
Dec 1
v28 #2
Dec 15

1939
v28 #3
Jan 1
v28 #4
Jan 15
v28 #5
Feb 1
v28 #6
Feb 15
v29 #1
Mar 1
v29 #2
Mar 15
v29 #3
Apr 1
v29 #4
Apr 15
v29 #5
May 1
v29 #6
May 15
v30 #1
Jun 1
v30 #2
Jun 15

1939
v30 #3
Jul 1
v30 #4
Jul 15
v30 #5
Aug 1
v30 #6
Aug 15
v31 #1
Sep 1
v31 #2
Sep 15
v31 #3
Oct 1
v31 #4
Oct 15
v31 #5
Nov 1
v31 #6
Nov 15
v32 #1
Dec 1
v32 #2
Dec 15

1940
v32 #3
Jan 1
v32 #4
Jan 15
v32 #5
Feb 1
v32 #6
Feb 15
v33 #1
Mar 1
v33 #2
Mar 15
v33 #3
Apr 1
v33 #4
Apr 15
v33 #5
May 1
v33 #6
May 15
v34 #1
Jun 1
v34 #2
Jun 15

1940
v34 #3
Jul 1
v34 #4
Jul 15
v34 #5
Aug 1
v34 #6
Aug 15
v35 #1
Sep 1
v35 #2
Sep 15
v35 #3
Oct 1
v35 #4
Oct 15
v35 #5
Nov 1
v35 #6
Nov 15
v36 #1
Dec 1
v36 #2
Dec 15

1941
v36 #3
Jan 1
v36 #4
Jan 15
v36 #5
Feb 1
v36 #6
Feb 15
v37 #1
Mar 1
v37 #2
Mar 15
v37 #3
Apr 1
v37 #4
Apr 15
v37 #5
May 1
v37 #6
May 15
v38 #1
Jun 1
v38 #2
Jun 15

1941
v38 #3
Jul 1
v38 #4
Jul 15
v38 #5
Aug 1
v38 #6
Aug 15
v39 #1
Sep 1
v39 #2
Sep 15
v39 #3
Oct 1
v39 #4
Oct 15
v39 #5
Nov 1
v39 #6
Nov 15
v40 #1
Dec 1
v40 #2
Dec 15

1942
v40 #3
Jan 1
v40 #4
Jan 15
v40 #5
Feb 1
v40 #6
Feb 15
v41 #1
Mar 1
v41 #2
Mar 15
v41 #3
Apr 1
v41 #4
Apr 15
v41 #5
May 1
v41 #6
May 15
v42 #1
Jun 1
v42 #2
Jun 15

1942
v42 #3
Jul 1
v42 #4
Jul 15
v42 #5
Aug 1
v42 #6
Aug 15
v43 #1
Sep 1
v43 #2
Sep 15
v43 #3
Oct 1
v43 #4
Oct 15
v43 #5
Nov 1
v43 #6
Nov 15
v44 #1
Dec 1
v44 #2
Dec 15

1943
v44 #3
Jan 1
v44 #4
Jan 15
v44 #5
Feb 1
v44 #6
Feb 15
v45 #1
Mar 1

1943
v45 #2
Apr
v45 #3
May
v45 #4
Jun
v45 #5
Jul
v45 #6
Aug
v46 #1
Sep
v46 #2
Oct
v46 #3
Nov
v46 #4
Dec

1944
v46 #5
Jan
v46 #6
Feb
v47 #1
Mar
v47 #2
Apr
v47 #3
May
v47 #4
Jun
v47 #5
Jul
v47 #6
Aug
v48 #1
Sep
v48 #2
Oct
v48 #3
Nov
v48 #4
Dec

1945
v48 #5
Jan
v48 #6
Feb
v49 #1
Mar
v49 #2
Apr
v49 #3
May
v49 #4
Jun
v49 #5
Jul
v49 #6
Aug
v50 #1
Sep
v50 #2
Oct
v50 #3
Nov
v50 #4
Dec

1946
v50 #5
Jan
v50 #6
Feb
v51 #1
Mar
v51 #2
Apr
v51 #3
May
v51 #4
Jun
v51 #5
Jul
v51 #6
Aug
v52 #1
Sep
v52 #2
Oct
v52 #3
Nov
v52 #4
Dec

1947
v52 #5
Jan
v52 #6
Feb/Mar
v53 #1
Apr/May
v53 #2
Jun/Jul
v53 #3
Aug/Sep
v53 #4
Oct/Nov
v53 #5
Dec/Jan

1948
v53 #6
Feb/Mar
v54 #1
Apr/May
v54 #2
Jun/Jul
v54 #3
Aug/Sep
v54 #4
Fall

1949
v54 #5
Winter
v54 #6
Spring
v55 #1
Summer

The Shadow Annual

1942

1943

1947

The Shadow (Canada)

Some issues are extrapolated and have not been confirmed. Other issues probably exist.

1932
v1 #1
May
v1 #2
Jun
v1 #3
Jul
v1 #4
Aug
v1 #5
Sep
v1 #6
Oct
v2 #1
Nov

1932
v2 #2
Dec 1 v2 #3
Dec 15

1933 v2 #4
Jan 1 v2 #5
Jan 15 v2 #6
Feb 1 v3 #1
Feb 15 v3 #2
Mar 1 v3 #3
Mar 15
v3 #4
Apr 1
v3 #5
Apr 15 v3 #6
May 1 v4 #1
May 15
v4 #2
Jun 1 v4 #3
Jun 15

1933 v4 #4
Jul 1
v4 #5
Jul 15
v4 #6
Aug 1
v5 #1
Aug 15
v5 #2
Sep 1 v5 #3
Sep 15
v5 #4
Oct 1
v5 #5
Oct 15
v5 #6
Nov 1 v6 #1
Nov 15
v6 #2
Dec 1
v6 #3
Dec 15

1934 v6 #4
Jan 1
v6 #5
Jan 15 v6 #6
Feb 1 v7 #1
Feb 15
v7 #2
Mar 1 v7 #3
Mar 15
v7 #4
Apr 1
v7 #5
Apr 15
v7 #6
May 1 v8 #1
May 15
v8 #2
Jun 1 v8 #3
Jun 15

1934
v8 #4
Jul 1 v8 #5
Jul 15
v8 #6
Aug 1 v9 #1
Aug 15
v9 #2
Sep 1
v9 #3
Sep 15
v9 #4
Oct 1
v9 #5
Oct 15
v9 #6
Nov 1
v10 #1
Nov 15
v10 #2
Dec 1
v10 #3
Dec 15

1935
v10 #4
Jan 1
v10 #5
Jan 15
v10 #6
Feb 1
v11 #1
Feb 15
v11 #2
Mar 1
v11 #3
Mar 15
v11 #4
Apr 1 v11 #5
Apr 15 v11 #6
May 1
v12 #1
May 15
v12 #2
Jun 1
v12 #3
Jun 15

1935 v12 #4
Jul 1
v12 #5
Jul 15
v12 #6
Aug 1
v13 #1
Aug 15 v13 #2
Sep 1 v13 #3
Sep 15
v13 #4
Oct 1
v13 #5
Oct 15 v13 #6
Nov 1
v14 #1
Nov 15
v14 #2
Dec 1 v14 #3
Dec 15

1936
v14 #4
Jan 1 v14 #5
Jan 15
v14 #6
Feb 1
v15 #1
Feb 15 v15 #2
Mar 1
v15 #3
Mar 15
v15 #4
Apr 1
v15 #5
Apr 15
v17 #5
May 1 v17 #6
May 15 v18 #1
Jun 1
v18 #2
Jun 15

1936 v18 #3
Jul 1 v18 #4
Jul 15 v18 #5
Aug 1
v18 #6
Aug 15
v19 #1
Sep 1
v19 #2
Sep 15

1941
v1 #1
Jul v1 #2
Aug
v1 #3
Sep v1 #4
Oct
v1 #5
Nov
v1 #6
Dec

1942
v1 #7
Jan
v1 #8
Feb
v1 #9
Mar
v1 #10
Apr
v1 #11
May
v1 #12
Jun
v2 #1
Jul v2 #2
Aug
v2 #3
Sep v2 #4
Oct v2 #5
Nov
v2 #6
Dec

1943 v3 #1
Jan
v3 #2
Feb v3 #3
Mar v3 #4
Apr v3 #5
May v3 #6
Jun
v3 #7
Jul
v3 #8
Aug
v3 #9
Sep
v3 #10
Oct
v3 #11
Nov
v3 #12
Dec

1944
v4 #1
Jan v4 #2
Feb
v4 #3
Mar v4 #4
Apr
v4 #5
May
v4 #6
Jun
v4 #7
Jul
v4 #8
Aug
v4 #9
Sep
v4 #10
Oct v4 #11
Nov v4 #12
Dec

1945
v5 #1
Jan
v5 #2
Feb

Street & Smith's Shadow Mystery Magazine (UK)

Titled Street & Smith's Mystery Detective from August 1955.

1954
v1 #1
Jun
v1 #2
Jul
v1 #3
Aug
v1 #4
Sep
v1 #5
Oct
v1 #6
Nov
v1 #7
Dec

1955
v1 #8
Jan
v1 #9
Feb
v1 #10
Mar v1 #11
Apr
v1 #12
May
v2 #1
Jun
v2 #2
Jul
v2 #3
Aug
v2 #4
Sep
v2 #5
Oct
v2 #6
Nov
v2 #7
Dec

1956
v2 #8
Jan
v2 #9
Feb
v2 #10
Mar
v2 #11
Apr
v2 #12
May
v3 #1
Jun
v3 #2
Jul
v3 #3
Aug v3 #4
Sep
v3 #5
Oct
v3 #6
Nov
v3 #7
Dec

1957
v3 #8
Jan
v3 #9
Feb v3 #10
Mar
v3 #11
Apr v3 #12
May
v4 #1
Jun
v4 #2
Jul
v4 #3
Aug
v4 #4
Sep