The Avenger Books In Order

Publication Order of The Avenger Books

Over the years the name of Kenneth Robeson has become one synonymous with the genre of pulp-fiction and genre novels. With a variety of different authors writing under this particular house-name, such as Alan Hathaway and Evelyn Coulson, it’s almost become an institution in its own right. Attached to the publication outlet of ‘Street and Smith’, it’s managed to create a collection of long-running franchises, including ‘Doc Savage’ and ‘The Avenger’. In regards to ‘The Avenger’ series of novels, this is perhaps one of the best examples of the pulp-fiction genre in print to date. Very much a product of its time, it follows the fictional character throughout a whole range of different stories and adventures. With the real name of ‘Richard Henry Benson’, the Avenger is the alias of this particular globe-trotting thrill seeker and adventurer, as he gets into all sorts of scrapes and mishaps.

Starting out in the month of September in 1939, it originally ran between then and the September of 1942 in a pulp magazine. As a popular pulp-hero of the time, he would work to combine the main elements of the previous ‘Shadow’ series, along with ‘Doc Savage’. Brought out later through a variety of different iterations and reinterpretations, it would serve to be one of the longest running franchises coming out of ‘Street and Smith’ to date.

Justice, Inc.

First brought out in 1939 this was the book that really started it all, and not just the ‘The Avenger’ series, but a lot of pulp-fiction to follow. With the writer Paul Ernst writing it whilst using the Kenneth Robeson house-name, it manages to really set the tone of the characters and the world. Using the ‘Warner Books’ publishing outlet, it was to herald the arrival of a much beloved franchise for generations to come.

The character of Richard Benson is one of resilience, as he provides the template of the modern super-hero in a sense. With this being his origins story in a manner, it really sees him come into his own, fully testing him as a character throughout. Not only that, but it also manages to change him physically as well as mentally, something the reader gets to witness first-hand as the story progresses. This is reflected in the many themes and ideas of the book as well, as the hero seeks truth and justice the American way. Whilst he falter at first, he finally comes into his own after a terrible ordeal, essentially becoming the idealized version of himself. Dealing with crime and nefarious wrong-doings, he deals with it in a manner and style that is at once both brash and brave. Taking place on a global stage, the scope of the novel is an ever expansive and ever wide one, as it happens all across the globe. With rich and varied locations, it is fun and exciting, allowing the places visited to really come to life throughout the course of the novel. Whilst this may be typical of a novel of this type, it really manages to make the reader feel a part of the action and excitement.

With both his wife and his daughter inexplicably disappearing during a plane trip, Richard Benson is left at a loss after everyone else seems to deny that they were ever there. This then leads Benson to undergo a breakdown, one which causes all the muscles in his face to deaden leaving him expressionless, along with his hair going completely white. Undeterred, though, he sets about finding who took his family, as he takes some sidekicks for help along the way. Will he find out where they disappeared to? Can he ever hope to see them again? What will become of Justice, Inc.?

The Yellow Hoard

Written Paul Ernst under the Kenneth Robeson moniker once again, this marked the second title in the ongoing series of ‘The Avenger’ novels. It manages to draw upon all the elements of the first, taking it forwards in the process and developing it as a whole. Using the ‘Warner Books’ publishing label again too, it really manages to set the tone for the series to come, with it being initially released back in 1939.

With the character of Richard Benson having already been firmly established in the previous novel, this wastes no time in getting straight into the action. Showing him develop over the course of the story, he is still essentially a super-hero, as he sets about righting wrongs all over the world. Holding a strong sense of justice he really knows who he is as a character, allowing the audience to root for him all the way. Whilst this is very much a book of its time, with many of the themes and ideas being rooted firmly in the past, it is still a book that can be taken within the context of its period. A relevant addition to the genre, it is definitely a must for anybody looking to learn more about where it all came from. As well as that, it also provides a great self-contained story that still keeps readers on the edges-of-their-seats to this very day.

Set about on a path of vengeance by the events of the previous novel, the ever determined Richard Benson has now become something else. Step-up then ‘The Avenger’, as he is now dedicated to the complete destruction of all crime rings, serving as a symbol for justice and truth. Now with the millionaire turned adventurer hot on the tails of justice, ‘The Avenger’ is a force to be reckoned with worldwide. Will he save the day? Can he gain justice for those in need? What will become of him as faces the Yellow Hoard?

The Avenger Series

Definitely a product of its time, this is a must for any fans of the genre hoping to get into its history and past. Not only providing an insight into how the pulp-fiction genre came to be, it is also a highly entertaining and engaging read. As the genre has progressed over the years, this is the perfect chance to get back to basics and enjoy it on a fundamental level, something which will continue for years to come as its legacy lives on.