11 “Hertzian waves” (radio waves) are named after Heinrich Hertz (1857-194), who first demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic radiation in 188. “Roentgen rays” (X-rays) are named after Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923), who discovered them in 1895. Although the electromagnetic spectrum had been almost completely elucidated by 1921, the notion that “thought waves” might belong to another such sector still had considerable currency in pseudoscientific parlance, as a hypothetical mechanism for such supposed phenomena as telepathy and psychokinesis.
12 Pierre Curie (1859-1906) and his wife Marie, née Sklodowska (1867-1934) published their discovery of radium in 1898; the third signatory of the key paper was the chief financial sponsor of their research, Gustave Bémont.
13 “Hertzobranlyan radioactivity” combines Hertz’s name with that of Edouard Branly (1844-1940), the inventor–in the early 1890s–of the Branly coherer, which eventually formed a key element in radio broadcasting equipment. “Crookes-Roentgen radioactivity” combines Roentgen’s name with that of William Crookes (1832-1919), who took up research on radioactivity in 1900 and emulated the Curies in extracting a new element from uranium ores; he was also a key scientific champion of spiritualism, and hence of the kinds of pseudoscience practiced by Glô von Warteck.
14 The 18th of Brumaire in year VII of the Revolutionary calendar (November 9, 1799), was the day on which Napoleon Bonaparte, having returned from Egypt, overthrew the Directoire; he was appointed First Consul and effective ruler of France the following day. Waterloo was, of course, his final defeat.
15 The paperback text places Wolf in the plane too at this point, but the subsequent chapter assumes that he was left behind and places him in the crew of the RC2. The latter alternative makes more sense, so I have eliminated the mistaken reference.
16 “Eloa” (1824) is an allegorical poem by Alfred de Vigny, in which the eponymous angel feels sorry for Satan and leaves Heaven to console him. Vigny implies that, if Satan had only been able to accept this gift in the spirit in which it was offered, he (and humankind) might have been saved from sin, but instead he seduces her and drags her down to damnation with him.
17 La Hire’s reference to “the third hour” does not signify that it is now 3 a.m., but that it is shortly after 2 a.m., at which point the day’s third hour begins.
18 Titian’s Danaë and the Shower of Gold (1544) is in the Musea del Prado in Madrid. Danaë is one of the many mortal women seduced by Zeus in different guises, the shower of gold being one of the most plausible disguise in metaphorical terms, though deeply problematic in regard to anatomical practicality. The point of the evocation here, though, is the awkward position attributed by the artist to Danaë’s right leg, which would indeed seem far more natural if it were allowed to dangle from the couch, but has to be raised and bent in order to conceal her genitalia. Le Hire is making the point that the particular standards of decency imposed on him by Le Matin did not require the leg to be raised, because he had been obliged–presumably against his authorial instincts–to leave his heroine’s underwear on.
Bibliography
1. L’Homme Qui Peut Vivre dans l’Eau : a. serialized in Le Matin (1909) ; b. reprinted as L’Homme Qui Peut Vivre dans l’Eau (Felix Juven, 1910) ; c. reprinted as 1. L’Homme Qui Peut Vivre dans l’Eau, 2. Les Amours de l’Inconnu (Roman d’Aventures (2ème série), Ferenczi et fils, 1926).
2. Le Mystère des XV : serialized in Le Matin (1911) ; b. reprinted as 1. Le Mystère des XV, 2. Le Triomphe de l’Amour (Romans d’Aventures (1ère série), Ferenczi et fils, 1922) ; c. reprinted as 1. Le Secret des XII, 2. Les Conquérants de Mars (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1954) (sans Leo).
3. Lucifer : a. serialized in Le Matin (1921-22) ; b. reprinted as 1. Lucifer; 2. Le Nyctalope contre Lucifer (Romans d’Aventures (1ère série), Ferenczi et fils, 1922) ; c. reprinted as 1. Lucifer, 2. Les Drames des Bermudes (Le Livre National (nouvelle série), J. Tallandier, 1936).
4. Le Roi de la Nuit : a. ? (1923) ; b. serialized in Le Matin (1943) ; c. reprinted as Le Roi de la Nuit (Le Livre Moderne, 1943) ; d. reprinted as Planète sans feu (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1953) (sans Leo).
5. L’Amazone du Mont Everest : a. (Romans d’Aventures, Ferenczi et fils, 1925) ; b. reprinted as La Madone des Cimes (Voyages & Aventures, Ferenczi et fils, 1933) ; c. reprinted as Le Mystère de l’Everest (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1953).
6. La Captive du Démon (a.k.a. L’Antichrist): a. serialized in Le Matin (1927) ; b. reprinted as 1. La Captive du Démon; 2. La Princesse Rouge (Le Livre National, J. Tallandier, 1929).
7. Titania : a. serialized in Le Matin (1929) ; b. reprinted as 1. Titania; 2. Ecrase ta Vipère (Le Livre National, J. Tallandier, 1931).
8. Belzebuth : a. serialized in Le Matin (1930) ; b. reprinted as 1. Belzebuth; 2. L’Île d’Épouvante (Le Livre Populaire, Arthème Fayard & Cie., 1930) ; c. reprinted as 1. Belzebuth; 2. L’Île d’Épouvante (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1954).
9. Gorillard! : a. serialized in Le Matin (1932) ; b. reprinted as 1. Gorillard; 2. Le Mystère Jaune (Le Livre National, J. Tallandier, 1932) ; c. reprinted as 1. Gorillard; 2. Le Mystère Jaune (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1954).
10. L’Assassinat du Nyctalope : (Le Disque Rouge, La Renaissance du Livre, 1933).
11. Les Mystères de Lyon : a. serialized in Le Matin (1933) ; b. reprinted as 1. Les Mystères de Lyon; 2. Les Adorateurs du Sang (Le Livre National, J. Tallandier, 1933-34) ; c. reprinted as 1. & 2. Les Mystères de Lyon (Marabout Nos. 1045 & 1046, 1979).
12. Le Sphinx du Maroc : a. serialized in Le Matin (1934) ; b. reprinted as Le Sphinx du Maroc (Les Meilleurs Romans de Drame et d’Amour, J. Tallandier, 1936).
13. La Croisière du Nyctalope : a. serialized in Le Matin (1936) ; b. reprinted as La Croisière du Nyctalope (Arthème Fayard, 1936) ; c. reprinted as Wanda (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1953).
14. Le Mystère de la Croix du Sang : a. serialized in Le Matin (1940) ; b. reprinted as La Croix de Sang (R. Simon, 1941) ; c. reprinted as La Croix du Sang (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1954).
15. L’Enfant Perdu : serialized in Actu (1942).
16. Rien qu’une Nuit : (Collection du Cyclope, 1944).
17. La Sorcière Nue : (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1954).
18. L’Enigme du Squelette : (Jaeger d’Hauteville, 1955).
18b. “Marguerite” (by Jean-Marc Lofficier): in Tales of the Shadowmen 2 : Gentlemen of the Night (Black Coat Press, 2006).
FRENCH MYSTERIES COLLECTION
M. Allain & P. Souvestre. The Daughter of Fantômas
A. Anicet-Bourgeois, Lucien Dabril. Rocambole
Guy d’Armen. Doc Ardan and The City of Gold and Lepers
A. Bernède. Belphegor
A. Bernède. Judex (w/Louis Feuillade)
A. Bernède. The Return of Judex (w/Louis Feuillade)
A. Bisson & G. Livet. Nick Carter vs. Fantômas
V. Darlay & H. de Gorsse. Lupin vs. Holmes: The Stage Play
Paul Feval. Gentlemen of the Night
Paul Feval. John Devil
Paul Feval. ’Salem Street
Paul Feval. The Invisible Weapon
Paul Feval. The Parisian Jungle
Paul Feval. The Companions of the Treasure
Paul Feval. Heart of Steel
Paul Feval. The Cadet Gang
Paul Feval. The Sword-Swallower
Emile Gaboriau. Monsieur Lecoq
Goron & Gautier. Spawn of the Penitentiary
Jean de La Hire. Enter the Nyctalope
Jean de La Hire. The Nyctalope on Mars
Jean de La Hire. The Nyctalope vs Lucifer
Jean de La Hire. The Nyctalope Steps In
Jean de La Hire. Night of the Nyctalope
Maurice Leblanc. Arsène Lupin vs. Countess Cagliostro
Maurice Leblanc. The Blonde Phantom
Maurice Leblanc. The Hollow Needle
Maurice Leblanc. The Many Faces of Arsène Lupin
Gaston Leroux. Chéri-Bibi
Gaston Leroux. The Phantom of the
Opera
Gaston Leroux. Rouletabille & the Mystery of the Yellow Room
Gaston Leroux. Rouletabille at Krupp’s
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 1
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 2
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 3
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 4
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 5
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 6
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 7
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 8
Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier. Tales of the Shadowmen 9
Frank J. Morlock. Sherlock Holmes vs Jack the Ripper
P.-A. Ponson du Terrail. Rocambole
Antonin Reschal. The Adventures of Miss Boston
P. de Wattyne & Y. Walter. Sherlock Holmes vs. Fantômas
David White. Fantômas in America
Acknowledgements: We are indebted to Marc Madouraud, Philippe Ethuin and Jean-Luc Buard for research assistance.
English adaptation, introduction and afterword Copyright 2007 by Brian Stableford.
Cover illustration Copyright 2007 by Denis Rodier.
Visit our website at www.blackcoatpress.com
ISBN 978-1-932983-98-2. First Printing. May 2007. Published by Black Coat Press, an imprint of Hollywood Comics.com, LLC, P.O. Box 17270, Encino, CA 91416. All rights reserved. Except for review purposes, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The stories and characters depicted in this novel are entirely fictional. Printed in the United States of America.
The Nyctalope vs Lucifer 3: The Triumph of the Nyctalope Page 20
