"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?" went the familiar question that could only be answered by: "The Shadow knows!" The Shadow was the first "hero" of the pulp magazines (see entry under 1930s—Print Culture in volume 2) and a later radio (see entry under 1920s—TV and Radio in volume 2) program.

The Shadow was first introduced as a daring defender of justice on the radio in 1929, on the radio show Fame and Fortune sponsored by pulp publishers Street & Smith. A year later, The Shadow was featured on Street and Smith's Detective Story Hour. At first, he was only the narrator, a sardonic, rather sinister presence who introduced the evening's tale of mystery. Then the character caught on, raising a problem for the show's sponsors. Street & Smith sponsored the radio program to boost sales of its Detective Story Magazine. Instead, the radio show...