Crossover of the Week

Summer 1903

A PIRATE’S LIFE 

Dr. Eric Palmer is brought before Captain Nemo and Robur, who need his help to investigate a murder at the Pirate’s Conference they are hosting, which is held every fifty years, and whose attendees include sea and air pirates. James Gunn and Archibald Haddock escort Palmer to the scene of the crime. The dead man is the Dread Pirate Roberts, who is supposedly over three-hundred-years-old, but part of a succession of men who have used that identity. Others attending the conference include the German Captain Mors and members of the Singh Brotherhood. Palmer asks Gunn about pirate dynasties, and the latter names the Turners and Sala’s band of women. Gunn introduces Palmer to the Nautilus’ first mate, Mister Ishmael. Captain James Hook asks Palmer about his progress on the case. The alleged Dread Pirate Roberts was really Manfred von Warteck, whose family aspires to rival the great criminal brotherhoods of Europe, such as the Black Coats. 

Short story by Travis Hiltz in Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 16: Voir Dire, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2020; reprinted in French in Les Compagnons de l’Ombre (Tome 27), Jean-Marc Lofficier, ed., Rivière Blanche, 2020. Dr. Eric Palmer is from Paul Féval, fils’ novel Felifax, the Tiger-Man. Captain Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus, are from Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and The Mysterious Island. Robur is from Verne’s Robur the Conqueror and Master of the World. James Gunn is a descendant of Ben Gunn from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Archibald Haddock is from Hergé’s comic The Adventures of Tintin. The Dread Pirate Roberts is from William Goldman’s The Princess Bride. Captain Mors is a German pulp hero. The Singh Brotherhood and Sala’s group, the Sky Band, are from Lee Falk’s comic strip The Phantom. The Turners are from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. Ishmael is from Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s comic book The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen portrayed Ishmael as the Nautilus’ first mate. Captain James Hook is from J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan. Manfred von Warteck is related to Baron Glô von Warteck, the villain of Jean de La Hire’s The Nyctalope vs. Lucifer. The Black Coats are from a series of novels by Paul Féval. 

This crossover writeup is one of hundreds included in my book Crossovers Expanded: A Secret Chronology of the World Volume 3, which will be published by Meteor House! All three volumes are AUTHORIZED companions to Win Scott Eckert's Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World Volumes 1 and 2!

Crossover of the Week

Winter 1990
DWELLING IN THE DARK 
Peyton Westlake, aka Darkman, meets with gangster Frank White disguised as his lawyer Joey Dalesio, who he diverted to another location after his meeting with Arty Clay. The vigilante is trying to find out who Robert Durant’s superior was. White and Durant are both members of the Black Coats, whose leader is Colonel Bozzo-Corona. Westlake spends the next several months traveling the country, clashing with Marsellus Wallace and posing as a fixer for Keyser Söze. He also gets valuable information on Gordon Gekko by posing as various employees of Jackson Steinem & Co., after two unsuccessful attempts to question him, first while impersonating FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast and later as reporter Carl Kolchak. Westlake comes face-to-face with the Colonel and his executioner, the Marchef. The Colonel mentions Westlake’s girlfriend, Julie Hastings, and says the last person who was able to hold his own against the Marchef was the Nyctalope. 
Short story by Matthew Dennion in Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 16: Voir Dire, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2019; reprinted in French in Les Compagnons de l’Ombre (Tome 27), Jean-Marc Lofficier, ed., Rivière Blanche, 2020. Darkman is from the titular movie and its sequels, as are Robert Durant and Julie Hastings. Frank White, Joey Dalesio, and Arty Clay are from the movie King of New York. The Black Coats, Colonel Bozzo-Corona, and the Marchef are from Paul Féval’s crime novels. Marsellus Wallace is from the film Pulp Fiction. Keyser Söze is from the movie The Usual Suspects. Gordon Gekko and Jackson Steinem & Co. are from the movie Wall Street. Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast is the protagonist of a series of novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Carl Kolchak is from the TV series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. The Nyctalope is Jean de La Hire’s pulp hero. 

This crossover writeup is one of hundreds included in my book Crossovers Expanded: A Secret Chronology of the World Volume 3, to be published by Meteor House! As with the first two volumes, this latest one is an AUTHORIZED continuation of Win Scott Eckert's Crossovers: A Secret Chronology of the World Volumes 1 and 2!

Crossover of the Week

2012

THE IDES OF MARS

Martin Mystère finds himself in a holographic representation of Mars, where he is greeted by Colonel Bozzo and the Marchef. Bozzo is the head of the criminal organization once called the Brotherhood of Mercy or the Black Coats, now known as BlackSpear Holdings. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the Nyctalope prepares to do battle with the last survivor of the evil Martians he destroyed decades ago. Bozzo tells Martin some of the Martians’ technology was acquired by Kiang-Ho of the Golden Belt, who was defeated by Rama Rundjee, alias Doctor Mystère, after whom Martin was named. He also says Jean de La Hire was the Nyctalope’s biographer, just as Watson was Holmes,’ Ponson du Terrail was Rocambole’s, Burroughs was Greystoke’s, and Féval was Bozzo’s own. Bozzo knew Martin’s ancestor Remy d’Arx very well.

Short story by Jean-Marc Lofficier in Night of the Nyctalope, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2012; reprinted in French in La Nuit du Nyctalope, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Rivière Blanche, 2012. Martin Mystère’s exploits have been portrayed in comics by Alfredo Castelli. Colonel Bozzo (aka Colonel Bozzo-Corona), the Marchef, the Black Coats, and Remy d’Arx appear in a series of novels by Paul Féval. BlackSpear Holdings, the present-day incarnation of the Black Coats, also appears in Castelli and Lofficier’s graphic novel The Treasure of the Veste Nere and Lofficier’s novel The Katrina Protocol. The Nyctalope was the hero of French pulp stories by Jean de La Hire. Kiang-Ho of the Golden Belt is the archenemy of Philip Reade’s dime novel boy inventor (or “Edisonade”) Tom Edison Jr. Doctor Mystère’s adventures were recounted by Paul d’Ivoi; Castelli has established the Doctor’s adopted son Cigale is Martin Mystère’s great-great-grandfather.

Crossover of the Week

1936

ONCE MORE, THE NYCTALOPE (LE SURHOMME EST-IL FRANÇAIS?)

An Invisible Man named Jacques enters the mansion of his friend Leo Saint-Clair, the Nyctalope, and sees an oil painting of Leo and his late wife Sylvie. Leo introduces Jacques to Briar Rose, also known as Belle and the Phantom Angel, alongside whom Leo fought Belphégor. Jacques’ children have been kidnapped; the mastermind behind the abductions is Professor René Belloq. Below the house are a series of secret rooms that were used by Sylvie’s stepfather Mathias Lumen in his fight against Leonid Zattan, which have been converted by Leo into a laboratory. Leo uses a device that allowed him to overcome Lucifer in the early ‘20s to prevent the kidnappers from tracking Jacques’ aura. The three attend a lecture given by Belloq, whose other guests include archaeologist Artistide Clairembart and Tryphon Tournesol. Also in attendance are journalist Jerôme Fandor and Dutil-Parot, Jacques Roll’s predecessor as President of the Council of Ministers. Belloq announces Doctor Haushofer of the Thule Society will tell the audience the results of his research on the use of Vril as a psychic energy source. Leo’s friend Gno Mitang initiated him into the Japanese fighting disciplines.

Short story by Emmanuel Gorlier appearing as “Le Surhomme est-il français?” in Les Compagnons de l’Ombre (Tome 14), Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Rivière Blanche, 2014, and then in English in Tales of the Shadowmen Volume 11: Force Majeure, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2014. Jacques Roll (formerly known as Joe Rollon) and Dutil-Parot are from Jean de La Hire’s book Joe Rollon, the Invisible Man. The Nyctalope is the hero of a series of novels by de La Hire. Sylvie, Mathias Lumen, Leonid Zattan, Lucifer, and Gno Mitang are from the Nyctalope series. The Phantom Angel has appeared in several stories by Randy Lofficier in the Tales of the Shadowmen series, and is meant to be the title character of the French fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.” Belphégor is the title character of a French film serial; she encountered Leo and Belle earlier in the month in Gorlier’s story “Une Voce Poco Fa.” Professor René Belloq encountered Indiana Jones in the film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Aristide Clairembart is from Henri Vernes’ Bob Morane novels, while Tryphon Tournesol (Cuthbert Calculus in English translations) is from Hergé’s Tintin comics. Jerôme Fandor is one of the greatest foes of Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre’s villain Fantômas, and may in fact be the “Lord of Terror’s” illegitimate son. Doctor Karl Haushofer was a real person whose geopolitical views may have influenced Hitler. The Vril energy is from Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s novel The Coming Race.

Crossover of the Week

1899

FIRST STEPS

Seeking a use for his newfound powers, Leo Saint-Clair begins debunking mediums alongside his friend Robert Champeau. He attends a séance held by the Prillants. Among those in attendance are the Baldwins and the pregnant Mrs. Anne Jones and her chaperone, Ms. Loveday Brooke. The medium is Simon Orne, who conjures a demonic being. Leo later discovers another attendee at the séance was Lily Flowers, a member of the gang called the Vampires. Leo and Robert meet the Sâr Dubnotal, who reveals Orne summoned the creature, Baal, using a page from the Necronomicon. Inspector Milfroid accompanies Leo to another séance in order to arrest Orne.

Short story by Travis Hiltz in Night of the Nyctalope, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2012; reprinted in French in Les Compagnons de l’Ombre (Tome 11), Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Rivière Blanche, 2013. Leo Saint-Clair, aka the Nyctalope, is a hero in novels by Jean de La Hire. Robert Champeau and the Prillants are also from the Nyctalope stories. The Baldwins, Lily Flowers, and the Vampires are from Louis Feuillade’s serial Les Vampires. Anne (or Anna) Jones is the mother of noted archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones, Jr. Since Indiana Jones was born in 1899, the date of 1900 assigned to this story must be incorrect. Loveday Brooke is from The Experiences of Loveday Brooke, Lady Detective by Catherine Louisa Pirkis. Simon Orne is from Lovecraft’s The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. The Necronomicon is a mainstay of Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. The Sâr Dubnotal appeared in his own self-titled pulp magazine penned by an anonymous author (possibly Norbert Sévestre). Baal is from the novel of the same name by Renée Dunan. Inspector Milfroid is from Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera.

Crossover of the Week

October 1949

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

            Boxer Marcel Cerdan’s sparring partner Steve Costigan once fought “Tiger” Valois. Cerdan and Costigan meet with lawyer Tom Hagen, who represents Vito Corleone. Hagen asks Cerdan to throw an upcoming match, but Cerdan refuses. Hagen meets with Don Vito, whose son Michael has been forced into exile in Italy by the vendetta of other mob families. The Nyctalope attends Cerdan’s fight. The hero’s old foe Gofrey Cultnom has been tasked by Corleone to use his mystic powers to affect Cerdan’s performance. After Leo defeats Cultnom, Corleone assigns Roman Orgonetz to engineer Cerdan’s death in a plane crash.

            Short story by Emmanuel Gorlier in Night of the Nyctalope, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Black Coat Press, 2012; reprinted in French in La Nuit du Nyctalope, Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier, eds., Rivière Blanche, 2012. Marcel Cerdan was a real boxer. Sailor Steve Costigan’s two-fisted exploits were chronicled by Robert E. Howard; he fought “Tiger” Valois in “The Bulldog Breed.” Don Vito Corleone, his son Michael, and his consigliere/lawyer/adopted son Tom Hagen are from Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather, as well as the film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Michael Corleone also appears in Puzo’s The Sicilian, bringing in that novel as well. The Nyctalope is the hero of French pulp novels by Jean de La Hire; he battled Cultnom in de La Hire’s story “Night of the Nyctalope.” Roman Orgonetz is a professional assassin and agent of the spy cartel SMOG in Henri Vernes’ novels about adventurer Bob Morane.

Crossover Cover: Return of the Nyctalope

This novella by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier is a sequel to Jean de La Hire’s original Nyctalope novel The King of the Night; a translation and adaptation of that novel by Brian Stableford is also included in the book. In 2014, the Nyctalope returns to the planet Rhea, which he first visited in 1935. Leo currently works for Auguste Pichenet, the head of the French Intelligence Service. Leo’s lover is Gisèle d’Holbach, his liaison to French Intelligence. Rhea is revealed to have been created by a race called the Sarvants. “Auguste Pichenet” is an alias frequently used by Langelot, a young spy for SNIF (Service National d’Information Fonctionnelle) featured in novels by “Lieutenant X” (Vladimir Volkoff.) Apparently Langelot runs SNIF himself in the 21^st century. Gisèle d’Holbach is related to Langelot’s fellow SNIF agent Gersende “Aspirant Mistigri” d’Holbach. The Sarvants are from Maurice Renard’s novel The Blue Peril, which has also been translated and adapted by Brian Stableford.