TH"E BLACK, BLACK WITCH

[Dave]

DOC fighting Nazis in 1943. Well, not exactly.

The first few chapters a good enough with DCO and monk playing hide-
and-seek with Nazis in occupied France. The Nazis are looking for
the secret of the black, black witch, who can predict the future. But
the big dopes let an interned American diplomat steal the secret,
escape from their prison chateau, steal a plane, and fly off to South
America. The guy then flies to New York City and embarks on a plan of
personal revenge against his enemies.

SPOILER ALERT







But his enemies turn the tables, in order to steal the secret of the
black, black witch. DOC does some wandering around somewhere out in
the swamps of Jersey before he gets thinks straightened out. The
whole predicting the future gimmick flips over into fantasy, with a
lame explanation about a secret gas made of herbs that lasted in
hiding for four centuries, but that the guy used the very last of, and
nobody can figure out the recipe for,

Disappointing, but it shows how the war killed off the hero pulps.
They were always rrealistic, but the war just emphasized their
unrealism. And people wanted their realism, but in ways they could
handle -- why SF and westerns were so popular at the time.

dave

[berk]

DOC fighting Nazis in 1943.  Well, not exactly.
The first few chapters a good enough with DCO and monk playing hide-
and-seek with Nazis in occupied France.   The Nazis are looking for
the secret of the black, black witch, who can predict the future.  But
the big dopes let an interned American diplomat steal the secret,
escape from their prison chateau, steal a plane, and fly off to South
America.  The guy then flies to New York City and embarks on a plan of
personal revenge against his enemies.
SPOILER ALERT
But his enemies turn the tables, in order to steal the secret of the
black, black witch.  DOC does some wandering around somewhere out in
the swamps of Jersey before he gets thinks straightened out.  The
whole predicting the future gimmick flips over into fantasy, with a
lame explanation about a secret gas made of herbs that lasted in
hiding for four centuries, but that the guy used the very last of, and
nobody can figure out the recipe for,
Disappointing, but it shows how the war killed off the hero pulps.
They were always rrealistic, but the war just emphasized their
unrealism.  And people wanted their realism, but in ways they could
handle -- why SF and westerns were so popular at the time.
dave

This reminds me that sometimes Doc's Adventures are All Doc-All the
Time, and other times he's almost MIA at times while the character(s)
of the moment take center stage.

Your description leads me to think of the later.


berk

[mikey]

I read this one a year or so ago and can't remember a thing about it,
but I do like the Bantam cover with Doc showing the jack booted krauts
who's boss with a whistling hay maker.