New and Classic: The Pulp Conundrum

New Pulp is a term accepted/embraced  by lots of writers today, from Chuck Wendig to Adam Christopher, and among the new publishers that identify with that marketing/genre terminology. But what does it mean? This week on the blog, we go straight to the sources to find out how the classic and the new compare.

Other than the one being old and the other being new (in terms of the historical timeline), what are the chief differences between classic pulp and New Pulp?

Gordon Dymowski: I think the main difference between “classic” Pulp and new Pulp is perspective. Many classic Pulp tales were written specifically for immediate publication and reflected the values of their times. New Pulp, however, manages to reflect current values while staying true to the original spirit of classic Pulp. It also helps that New Pulp tends to be better written and edited, and can incorporate influences that were not available back in the classic Pulp era. We have a more complex understanding of certain issues and tropes when writing (gender representation, racial stereotypes, and others).

Gary Phillips: To be brief, New Pulp certainly has switched up the POV. People of Color in the background are now in the foreground. Too, more women are in the Pat Savage mold. Also more inclusive of actual events from then. 

Read more:

https://seanhtaylor.blogspot.com/2021/03/new-and-classic-pulp-conundrum.html