The Penetrator #38: Hawaiian Trackdown by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1980
Price I paid: 60¢
Big men are making big money off little children, and the Penetrator has found an explosive new cause!
From the sleepy suburbs of the San Fernando Valley, to the smut-ridden streets of Hollywood, and over to the island paradise of Hawaii, Mark Hardin draws his deadly leash tighter and tighter around a vicious pornography ring bent on the sexploitation of innocent children.
The Penetrator #11: Terror in Taos by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1975
Price I paid: 60¢
Mark Hardin is known to his enemies as The Penetrator. He penetrates in several ways: by fighting his way in, by easing in…or by dropping in via parachute.
He’s half-Cheyenne and half-Welsh. In quest of his warrior heritage, Mark Hardin has learned Indian skills: to track a man, but to not leave tracks; to use a crossbow, a garrote, a spear, a knife; to live on the land; to speak his native tongue.
As a child he grew up in orphanages, boarding schools, and foster homes. He’s seen all sides of life. He knows it is too often evil, and it has become his mission to eradicate crime and lawlessness in any way he can. His ancestors bequeathed him special knowledge in these things.
Now, as he dropped through the air, scanning the desert for David Red Eagle’s smoke signal, his mind flashed back to similar jumps in Vietnam. Another time, another enemy. In the fetid rice paddies and rubbled hamlets the enemy had a yellow skin and slanted eyes. Today Hardin would be fighting foes of his own kind, men of white skin and red skin.
It all started with the theft of some valuable turquoise and silver relics and the murder of an Indian holy man. It would accelerate with the entry of militant young indians, State Troopers, the National Guard…and the Mafia.
It would climax in a desert bloodbath!
The Penetrator #9: Dodge City Bombers by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1975
Price I paid: 75¢
It was always a tactical advantage to know the enemy’s intended route of march, in addition to his identity. The Penetrator knew the Shadowmen were moving their operations into the Dodge City area. After the pasting they had taken near Liberal, the Penetrator was certain they wouldn’t make any further attacks until they had regrouped.
But who were the Shadowmen? Those who had seen them described them as younger Hell’s Angels without the bikes, unsavory clothing, and bizarre rituals. But they were every bit as violent—and ambitious for anything that could make money. The big question was who was behind their vicious swath of destruction, and why?
Only the Penetrator had the guts and cunning to get to the heart of the terrorist gang and ruthlessly wrench it out.
The Penetrator #8: Northwest Contract by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1975
Price I paid: 75¢
Business…
…is what a gang of crooked cops has been taking care of—big and dirty business. Seattle, that northwestern stronghold of law, order, and the American way, is the scene. Mark steps in when he finds that a former Vietnam war buddy—now a cop—has been shot to death in a robbery. But who was robbing whom? Mark doesn’t know for sure, and he has to find out…
Just which boys in blue have sold their souls to profit outside the law while pretending to uphold it? The enemy is everywhere, and they will stop at nothing. It’s a stinking whirlpool of corruption that includes grand larceny, prostitution—and murder for hire! It’s up to Mark to slice out the cancer. It’s a walk through hell, but the Penetrator has been there before…and he does what he has to do!
The Penetrator #39: Cruise Into Chaos by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1980
Price I paid: 75¢
Modern-day pirates in World War II U-boats are slipping stealthily through the peaceful waters between Los Angeles and Acapulco, attacking and robbing unwary cruise ships—completely eluding the Coast Guard. But Mark Hardin picks up the scent as he goes about demolishing one of the deadliest and best-planned Mafia scams of all time.
Once again it will take more than the impossible to daunt the Penetrator as he strikes out to prove that he too has the power to make waves.
The Penetrator #29: Aryan Onslaught by Lionel Derrick
Pinnacle Books, 1979
Price I paid: ??? (I lost the tag)
Coalville, Summit County, Utah…a peaceful, law-abiding community until the Aryan Brotherhood creates havoc. The streets are swarming with swastika-tattooed ex-cons lusting for blood and flesh, loot and power. As these swaggering arrogant bullies take over the town, the local citizens, for some strange reason, act as if nothing is happening.
The Penetrator thinks it’s all pretty weird. Until he discovers the brotherhood is polluting the town’s water supply with a mind-controlling drug, then brainwashing the people with programmed subliminal messages broadcast over TV. Under this facade of normalcy, they are manipulated, raped, and degraded into slavery by the storm troopers.
But this is only the beginning of the organization’s evil conspiracy. Unless stopped, they will establish a neo-Nazi order, using dangerous drugs to overpower the unsuspecting. It’s a mind-blowing situation…even for the Penetrator.
(mostly) short reviews of (mostly) short fiction
Classic detective fiction and impossible crimes
Be not ashamed, my brothers, to stand before the proud and the powerful. Tagore
The many tongues of translated speculative fiction
Adventures in Fiction
Superheroes - Autism - Fantasy - Science Fiction
Kevin O'Leary Reviews Every Issue of Uncanny X-Men from the 1960s to the Present
Movies, thoughts, thoughts about movies.
Defending the planet from bad science fiction
Reviews of Vintage Science Fiction (1945-1985)
Joseph Nebus's work in progress.
Schlock Value 