The team protects freedom fighters, takes out terrorists and drug cartels and protects fledgling African democracies. In the first book, Hard Corps, the background of each member is given in great detail as they protect their compound against attack, such as that Wentworth was raised in Japan by his Uncle Harmon after the death of his father, and that Caine had lived on the street and had deserted the army to join a Montagnard tribe. While these asides add nothing to the action of the story, they give us a better sense of these men and the reasons why they have embarked on this life.
Behind the Scenes
Chuck Bainbridge is a house name used by William Fieldhouse and Chris Lowder. William Fieldhouse has written a number of books in the Executioner franchise, including Phoenix Force and Stony Man. Under his own name, Fieldhouse has written several westerns including Klaw and Gun Lust.
Chris Lowder was a British author and comic book writer. Under the name Jack Adrian, he scripted several adventures of Judge Dredd for 2000AD and as Jack Hamilton Teed he contributed to the Gunships series set in the Vietnam war.
The Books
All books were published by Jove:
1. Hard Corps, 325 pages, 1986 (Fieldhouse)
2. Beirut Contract, 179 pages, 1987 (Fieldhouse)
3. White Heat, 185 pages, 1987 (Fieldhouse)
4. Slave Trade, 185 pages, 1987 (Fieldhouse)
5. Mercenary Justice, 186 pages, 1988
6. An American Nightmare, 170 pages, 1988
7. Scorched Earth, 202 pages, 1989
8. Devil's Plunder, 188 pages, 1989 (Lowder)
Hardball (Randall Dane)
Three books by William Sanders
Randall Dane is a Special Forces veteran, having served in Vietnam, and former CIA sharpshooter, who retired at age forty to a little island off the coast of Texas. The island had been the base of a drug dealer and confiscated by the DEA, who handed it to the CIA. Dane had lived on the island as caretaker and security man and eventually to undertake several highly classified actions; Dane became the owner of the island. His only friend in this retirement is Billy Jumper, an eighty-year-old Seminole Baptist preacher who retired to run a boat and bait shop in Bayport, Texas.
However, the retirement quickly becomes a semi-retirement when Dane discovers how much repairs to his island hideaway cost, especially after a hurricane. Randall becomes a freelance operative, taking missions to fund the repairs to his hideaway. Due his past as a sharpshooter, Dane is frequently called to kill people but he no longer undertakes these missions. Instead he tackles white supremacist militias, and prison breaks for American citizens held as political prisoners, wiping out drug operations and rescuing kidnapped engineers.
Behind the Scenes
William Sanders is a science fiction and mystery author who lives in Oklahoma. Sanders was approached by Berkley Books to write a series for them that would be "the next Travis McGee." The series was marketed as action adventure and, after three books, was cancelled. Sanders was also responsible for several mystery and science fiction novels, including Pockets of Resistance and /.
The Books
All books were published by Diamond Books:
1. Hardball, 214 pages, 1992
2. Aryan Legion, 199 pages, 1992
3. Skorpion, 200 pages, 1992
Hawk (Michael Hawk)
Fourteen books by Dan Streib
Michael Hawk is a freelance reporter, specializing in covering and exposing human rights violations. This specialty has not endeared him to dictators and communist regimes around the world. After being released from a Soviet gulag, Hawk's next investigation is to uncover the identity of a recluse living on a Greek island. The recluse is the daughter of a dictator deposed by the Soviet Union. The daughter has been hiding from Soviet assassins.
Hawk's investigation has led the assassins to her and with her dying breath she left Hawk the access codes to the secret account that holds all of the money that her father had stashed. Suddenly Hawk is in control of a vast fortune and now instead of just reporting events, he is able to influence them and establishes Crusader, Inc., to that end. Hawk uses his money to fight against people who exploit the weak, such as cult leaders, saboteurs, assassins, neo-Nazis, con artists, mobsters, terrorists, white slavers and mad scientists. During all of his investigations, Hawk is hunted by the KGB, who seeks to get his money and gain revenge for his reporting its human rights violations.
Behind the Scenes
Dan Streib, born in 1928, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War (1950-53) and died in 1996 of a heart attack. An extensive traveler for both work and pleasure, San Diego-based Streib used the locales he visited in his works, which include the Counter Force series under his own name, Death Squad series as Frank Colter, romances under the names of Louise Grandville and Lee Davis Whilloughby, and westerns under the names Jonathan Schofield and J. Faragut Jones.
The Books
All books were published by Sphere:
1. Deadly Crusader, 192 pages, 1980
2. Mind Twisters, 203 pages, 1980
3. Power Barons, 185 pages, 1980
4. Predators, 192 pages, 1980
5. California Shakedown, 183 pages, 1981
6. Seeds of Evil, 215 pages, 1981
7. Death Riders, 208 pages, 1981
8. Enemy Within, 187 pages, 1981
9. Down Under and Dirty, 183 pages, 1981
10. Cargo Gods, 188 pages, 1981
11. Terror Merchants, 188 pages, 1981
12. Virgin Stealers, 188 pages, 1981
13. Hawaiian Takeover, 188 pages, 1981
14. Treasure Divers, 188 pages, 1981
Hawk Macrae
Six books by Albert Barker
Hawk Macrae is the son of a Scottish oil speculator father and a Chiricahua Apache mother. Little is known about his early life but Macrae was raised by his mother on a reservation in the Southwest.
Macrae broke into the movies and became a major star in westerns.
But what his fans don't know is that Macrae is also a fully trained agent of the DIA and also freelances for Interpol. Macrae's Hollywood career gives him the perfect cover to travel anywhere in the world either filming a movie, scouting and preparing for a movie, or living the jet-setting lifestyle of a Hollywood star.
Hawk investigates the kidnapping of the widow of a former president, and investigates a drug ring for his uncle, who works for Interpol, which leaves him addicted to drugs under the cover of the USO. A trip to China to film a documentary to improve relations between the two countries serves as a cover to meet anti-communists rebels. Hawk also stops a conspiracy to destabilize America while filming in Alaska. Traveling with his Interpol agent uncle in Portugal, Hawk discovers a counterfeiting ring and finally Hawk investigates stolen art when his body double is released from jail.
Behind the Scenes
Albert Barker, born 1900, has written several reference books for young readers on topics such as the history of printing, the spice trade and town planning. Barker is also the author of the Reefe King series for Award Books. Given the similarity of the two series, it is possible that some of Macrae books were unused books from the King series.
The Books
All books were published by Curtis Books:
1. If Anything Should Happen to Me, 1973
2. Big Fix, 1973
3. Dragon in Spring, 1973
4. Blood of Angels, 192 pages, 1974
5- Diamond Hitch, 1974
6. The Straw Virgin, 1975
Hawker (James Hawker)
Eleven books by Carl Ramm
James Hawker is an ex-Chicago cop, founder of Chicago SWAT, and decorated detective. He retired for personal reasons and went into partnership with Jacob Montgomery Hayes, one of the wealthiest men in the world. Together, they have worked together in a vigilante partnership, with Hawker as the man of action and Hayes financing the operation. Hawker has copper-colored hair and grew up in the Irish section of Chicago.
Hawker ta
ckles the threats the police are unable to handle, such as helping people combat the gangs and eliminating the leaders, or stopping a South American organization from destabilizing America and even avenging the death of a friend. Like many serial vigilantes, Hawker leaves a calling card, usually a chalk drawing of a hawk's head.
Behind the Scenes
Carl Ramm is the pseudonym of Randy Wayne White. White, under his own name, writes the "Doc" Ford Eco-Adventure Mysteries, which have been often been compared to Travis McGee. White is a former boat captain and tour guide operating out of southwest Florida. He has also written several nonfiction works on his fishing adventures. Under the pen name Randy Striker, White also writes the Dusky MacMor- gan series.
The Books
All books were published by Dell Books:
1. Florida Firefight, 191 pages, 1984
2. L.A. Wars, 188 pages, 1984
3. Chicago Assault, 190 pages, 1984
4. Deadly in New York, 176 pages, 1984
5. Houston Attack, 173 pages, 1985
6. Vegas Vengeance, 172 pages, 1985
7. Detroit Combat, 173 pages, 1985
8. Terror in D.C., 175 pages, 1986
9. Atlanta Extreme, 170 pages, 1986
10. Denver Strike, 173 pages, 1986
11. Operation Norfolk, 174 pages, 1987
Hell Rider (Jesse Heller)
Two books by Dan Killerman
Jesse Heller is a Vietnam veteran who on his return to America became a bounty hunter. When his family and fiancee are killed by the Satan's Avengers Biker gang, he conducts his own investigation and collects evidence to put these men away. When the law does not convict them, Heller takes matters in to his own hands, taking violent revenge on the bikers. The public applaud Heller's war on the bikers, but the police, somewhat embarrassed by how effective his war is, try to arrest him and point out that while just, his actions are illegal. Heller is hunted by Detective Garrett, who also investigated his family's murder.
Garrett and Heller have many discussions on justice and the law. While Garrett points out that society does not allow killing, Heller points that society had no problems giving him a gun and sending him to Vietnam to kill. This is the same society that shunned him and his fellow veterans when they returned from Vietnam and helped create biker gangs like the Satan's Avengers, comprised of disaffected Vietnam veterans unable to return to society. Heller gains his revenge on the people who killed his family but is on the run from their fellow bikers and the police. No longer fighting for revenge, Heller is fighting for his survival against the various rednecks and backwoods sheriffs he encounters on the run.
Behind the Scenes
Dan Killerman is the pen name of Dan Schmidt. Schmidt is the author of a number of horror novels as well as writing several Executioners as Don Pendleton and, as Frank Garrett, he wrote the Killsquad series.
The Books
Both books were published by Pinnacle:
1. Hellrider, 1985
2. Blood Run, 168 pages, 1985
Hit Man (Mike Ross)
Eight books by Kirby Carr
By day Mike Ross is a private eye based in Los Angeles but by night he dons his skintight black costume and a hockey mask to eliminate those the system wouldn't allow him to deal with during the day. The Hitman is somewhat unique in the serial vigilante field in that he maintains a secret identity and wears a mask. In many ways, Ross more closely resembles his pulp ancestors, the Shadow and the Whisperer, and comic book cousins Batman and the Adrian Chase version of the Vigilante than other serial vigilantes. The Hitman is a legendary figure only hinted at by the media. The Hitman wages war on crime from his artillery-laden van. Ross in the guise of the Hitman fights murders, cop killers and religious cults with seeming supernatural abilities, cop killers and religious cults
Behind the Scenes
Kirby Carr is the pen name of Kin Platt. Platt, born in 1911, made his break into writing working on the radio shows for George Burns and Jack Benny. He then moved into screenwriting, working for Disney. Platt then moved into comic book both as an artist and writer. His series the Mask, written and drawn for Exciting Comics in the '40s, featured district attorney-turned-vigilante Tony Colby, a character blinded by gangsters who secretly regained his sight and fought crime as the Mask.
After the war Platt moved into humor writing both in comics and animation working on The Flintstones, Yogi Bear and The Jetsons as well as creating Supermouse. Platt also wrote a number of young adult mystery novels, including contributions to the Three Investigator series.
The Books
Books 1-4 were published by Canyon Books. Books 5-8 were published by Major Books:
1. Who Killed You, Candy Castle?, 190 pages, 1974
2. Let Me Kill You, Sweetheart, 1974
3. Girls Who Came to Murder, 1974
4. You Die Next, Jill Baby, 191 pages, 1975
5. They're Coming to Kill You, Jane, 1975
6. Don't Bet on Living, Alice, 1975
7. You're Hired, You're Dead, 1975
8. The Impossible Spy, 176 pages, 1976
The Hitman (Dirk Spencer)
Three books by Norman Winski
In many ways, this series harks back to the pulp heroes that inspired the serial vigilante genre. While serial vigilantes tend to be ordinary blue-collar types, the pulp heroes were typically rich playboys (the Spider, the Shadow, the Phantom Detective, etc.). Dirk, like those pulp heroes, is a wealthy playboy. An electronic genius, he runs a multimillion-dollar company with his father.
Dirk, Cherokee on his father's side, studied at West Point, as well as serving in Vietnam and now crusades against those who escape justice. Like many of the other serial vigilantes, he leaves a calling card (the Executioner originally left a marksman medal and the Penetrator left a flint arrowhead). In the Hitman's case, it's a glass eye and false teeth signifying an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
The Hitman tackles neo-Nazis, child pornographers, drugged-out sex cults, drug dealers and others who escape the law. The Hitman is one of the few serial vigilantes to wear a mask; his balaclava forms part of his Hitman outfit. The Hitman also has his red Lamborghini Contach riddled with secret compartments and various devices he finds useful in his fight against crime.
Behind the Scenes
Norman Winski was also the author of the novelization of The Sword and the Sorcerer and several works on astrology. Winski was also a member of the Chicago Beat scene and Charles Bukowski (Barfly) was godfather to his son.
The Books
All three books were published by Pinnacle Books:
1. Chicago Deathwinds, 192 pages, 1984
2. LA Massacre, 184 pages, 1984
3. Nevada Nightmare, 169 pages, 1984
Home Team
Three books by Dennis Chalker, USN (Ret.), and Kevin Dockery
Serving in Bosnia, Navy SEAL chief Ted "Grim" Reaper disobeyed a direct order from a corrupt superior, Captain Cary Paxtun, and was forced to leave the military or face court martial. After settling into civilian life as a gunsmith with Keith Deckert, a former army sergeant confined to a wheelchair after a racing accident, the pair developed the Jackhammer, an automatic shotgun. Paxtun, now a trusted member of al Qaueda, kidnapped Reaper's wife and son to force him to make a batch of Jackhammers for a terrorist attack. Reaper, not being one to surrender to terrorist demands, formed a small strike force of former special operations personnel consisting of:
• Titus "Bear" Parnell: former SEAL
• Max Warrick: former Marine and sharpshooter
• Ben MacKenzie: Former para-rescue jumper and paramedic
• Enzo Caronti: Special Boat commander
The team rescues Reaper's family and prevents the terrorist attack but with the loss of Bear. The team is about to be arrested when Reaper's old admiral, Alan Straker, intervenes and makes the team a deal. Straker now works for Homeland Security and offers to make the team unofficial consultants and troubleshooters for the departmen
t. As part of Homeland Security, the team has since prevented a Mexican drug cartel and terrorists from smuggling a "dirty" nuclear warhead into America and biological weapons from being used in America.
Behind the Scenes
Dennis Chalker rose to the rank of Command Master Chief serving with the SEALs. He was a founding member of SEAL Team Six under Richard Marcinko and later joined Marcinko in Red Cell, the unit that tested the security of naval bases. Chalker gives a brief autobiography in Marcinko's The Real Team. Born in Ohio in 1954, Chalker was a three-and-a-half-year veteran in the Army before joining the SEALs. Since his retirement Chalker has joined GSGI, a training and advisory firm. It was this work that landed him a role as a SEAL in the Nicholas Cage-Sean Connery film The Rock.
Kevin Dockery is a military historian who co-authored two special-warfare books with Dennis Chalker: Hell Week: SEALS in Training and One Perfect Op: Navy SEAL Special Warfare Teams as well as writing a documentary on the SEALs which aired on the History Channel.
Serial Vigilantes of Paperback Fiction. An Encyclopedia from Able Team to Z-Comm Page 13
