A complete, restored issue of Pulp Fiction from 1883 — all 16 pages of painted-cover fiction magazines that launched science fiction, horror, and hardboiled crime, free to page through at ComicBooks.com.

Home › Exhibition › Pulp Fiction › Read

A complete issue · 16 pages · 1883

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323

1883 · Free to read

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 2 of 16 — 2 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 3 of 16 — 3 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 4 of 16 — 4 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 5 of 16 — 5 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 6 of 16 — 6 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 7 of 16 — 7 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 8 of 16 — 8 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 9 of 16 — 9 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 10 of 16 — 10 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 11 of 16 — 11 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 12 of 16 — 12 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 13 of 16 — 13 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 14 of 16 — 14 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 15 of 16 — 15 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 323 — page 16 of 16 — 16 / 16

About this issue

This issue of Beadle and Adams' weekly (October 2, 1883) features the opening installment of "Arkansaw Jack, of the Man-Hunters; or, The Scourge of the Mines" by Harry Hazard. The narrative follows young prospector Ned Payson, who encounters the titular frontiersman Arkansaw Jack (Gabriel) in a mountain valley. After Jack fires a greeting shot—his peculiar custom—the two men strike up a friendship. Jack invites Payson to join his gang of rough mountaineers engaged in hunting down the notorious outlaw Joaquin Murieta and his band of criminals. The story establishes the man-hunters' camp and introduces their colorfully-named members. A scout named Whistling Dick returns with news of locating Joaquin, promising significant developments. The narrative emphasizes frontier action, dialect-heavy dialogue, and adventure in mining country.

Browse this issue page by page

Each page has its own page — the cartoon, who’s in it, and what the satire means.