Welcome to the online home of The Dark Man: The Journal of Robert E. Howard Studies. While inactive in 2003, publication began again in 2004 with a new editorial board, which has been stable through 2006. With our revised procedures we have been able to produce issues 7 & 8 for 2004, double issue Vol 2 No 1/2 (9) for 2005, and Vol 3 No 1 and Vol 3 No 2 for 2006. Both of these are in effect double issues.

The Dark Man is an academic journal devoted to the study, discussion, and criticism of the life and literary works of Robert Ervin Howard (1906-1936).  The journal is intended to provide a scholarly forum for the study of Howard's legacy, literary achievement, influences, and the impact he has had on other writers and popular culture. 

Individuals are encouraged to submit essays, book reviews, short notes and comments to the editor, Mark Hall.  See the submission guidelines for further details. 

Subscriptions and Sales

Subscriptions start with the current issue. The journal appears once a year minimum; however, we are attempting to maintain a bi-annual appearance. Back orders are available on some issues.

Subscription orders orders should be sent to:

Gavin Smith, Gavinicuss Books

http://www.gavinicussbooks.com/

Payment is by PayPal online or Money Order.  Subscription orders are paid for in US dollars.  Individual copies can be purchased from Gavinicuss or specialty fantasy book dealers in the USA, UK, and Canada. A subscription is 2 issues of $8 value, typically one year, or one double issue at $16.

BACK ISSUES of issues No. 5 and No. 6 are available exclusively from  Gavinicuss Books, and some specialty dealers. Back issues of No. 7 and No. 8 are available from Gavinicuss, and other specialty dealers. Issue 9, Vol 2 No 1/2 may be available from some dealers below. No. 11 Isle of Eons remains available through most dealers. Early Necronomicon Press issues No. 1~4 are only available from used dealers or eBay. Recommended specialty dealers are:

Bloodletting Books, CA...............Borderlands Books, CA

The Coven, CA..........................Dark Hollow Books, NH..............DreamHaven Books, MN

Lisa's Lair Bookstore, ON.............Mythos Books, MO....................Shocklines, NY

Ziesing Books, CA

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Current Issue

Vol. 3 No. 2, Apr. 2007 (Whole #11) This issue has a variety of articles that should prove interesting and perhaps controversial in some cases. In addition to news there is a hefty section of letters to the editor. This issue is due for sale on Apr. 25, 2007. The print run is limited to 200. It is highly recommended to order your copy as soon as possible if you have not already pre-ordered, from your bookdealer. Orders can also be sent to the editor, Mark Hall.

DARK MAN, Vol. 3, No. 2 for 2007. The contents are:

Editorial Comments by Charles Gramlich

The Influence of Joseph A. Altsheler's Young Trailers Series on
Howard's Pictish Wilderness Fiction

by Robert M. McIlvaine

Review of The Black Stranger and Other American Tales
by Ian Nichols

Mind-forg'd Manacles? Back to School with Robert E. Howard
by Steve Tompkins

Conan the Shakespearean/Hamlet the Barbarian
by Jeffrey Kahan

News: Contributions by Paul Herman and S. T. Joshi

Letters to the Editor

This issue is about 118 pages, cover designed by Scotty Henderson. Price is $15 plus postage & handling. A single issue first class is $3.50 postage & handling.

The cover design is an amalgamation of mostly French NeO paperback covers, designed by Scotty Henderson. The intent was to illustrate covers with most of the major well-known Howard characters, with their creator, and his ghost.

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Back Issues

Some back issues are available.  Back issues are priced at $7.50 each plus postage for #5 and #6, and $8.00 for #7 and #8.  Vol. 2, issue No. 1/2 (# 9) is now out of print. Vol 3 No 1 is still available at this time, but is close to being sold out. Postage will vary depending on the quantity ordered.  Email Gavinicuss Books for these issues or check with one of the dealers listed above..

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 The Dark Man is actively seeking submissions relevant to the foci of this journal.  We are looking for original works, previously unpublished in the form submitted.  Simultaneous submissions are not permitted.  Since we are an academic journal, please realize that all submissions undergo a formal review.  The types of works we are actively seeking include:

Articles of 3,000 words or more in length. 

Notes of less than 3,000 words in length. 

Review essays of books over 1,500 words in length. 

Book reviews under 1,500 words in length. 

Letters less than 1,500 words in length. 

Feel free to talk to the editor about any concerns or ideas you have regarding your submission. 

 All articles, book reviews, notes, and review essays should be formatted in accordance to the style conventions of the Modern Language Association (MLA Style).  Examples of the MLA Style sheet can be found here and on many other sites on the internet.  Alternatively, one can also check in bookstores and libraries for The Essentials of MLA Style (by Joseph Trimmer), or MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing (by Joseph Gibaldi, et al.).  While we do not expect the formatting to be perfect, we do expect a good-faith effort.   

 All submissions should be sent via email to the editor Mark Hall.

Copies should be submitted in either Rich Text Format (RTF) or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF).  If files are larger than 2MB, please notify the editor for special instructions on how to submit the document.  Please include both valid e-mail and postal addresses with your submission.   

 All submissions will be acknowledged within 48 hours of being received.  We hope to have the reviews of all submissions completed inside of two months.  You will be notified if the review process takes longer.  If you have questions, by all means contact the editor or assistant editors.

 Before publication, all authors must certify:

1)     that they have obtained permission from the copyright holder and/or owner to reproduce in the article material which they do not hold copyright to, and/or ownership of;

2)      that the article contains no violation of any existing copyright or third party right; and

3)     that they will indemnify and keep indemnified the Editor(s) and review board of The Dark Man: The Journal of Robert E. Howard Studies against all claims and expenses arising from any breach of this agreement. 

 Unless negotiated otherwise, copyright is assigned to The Dark Man: The Journal of Robert E. Howard Studies. Copyright assignment is necessary to facilitate the inclusion of The Dark Man in such academic archives as JSTOR, and Project Muse. The author's moral rights will be preserved, permission will be granted should the author want to reprint the work elsewhere, and The Dark Man will not in turn assign the copyright elsewhere without the consent of the author.

 Upon publication, all contributors receive two gratis copies of the journal in which their article appeared.   

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Editorial and Review Board

Editor: Mark Hall (University of California at Berkeley).

Assistant Editors: Charles Gramlich (Xavier University of Louisiana).

Assistant Book Review Editors: Scotty Henderson, Morgan Holmes.

Business Manager: Scotty Henderson

Review Board: Rusty Burke, David Gentzel, Charles Hoffman, Fred Blosser, Joe Marek, Larry Richter, Steve Tompkins, Steve Trout, Jeffrey Kahan (University of La Verne, CA)

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