Brad Ricca
Cleveland
Author of TRUE RAIDERS, MRS. SHERLOCK HOLMES, SUPER BOYS & more. TEN DAYS IN A MAD-HOUSE GN w/@CourtneySieh: bit.ly/3Gn4lpS.
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Articles by Brad Ricca
Review: Book uncovers Harry Houdini’s war on fake spiritualists Original
On a Friday evening in July 1925, about 30 people crowded into a basement on West 88th Street in Manhattan for a presentation by Mrs. Cecil Cook, a spirit medium. A pan of water and two silver trumpets were placed on a table beside her. After collecting a $1 donation from each member of the audience and leading them in a hymn, Cook turned off the lights and helped an elderly gentleman and a woman connect with deceased relatives.
Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency
Blending Abraham Lincoln’s haunted presidency and Harry Houdini’s crusade against spiritualism, Brad Ricca --- the author of the Edgar Award-nominated MRS. SHERLOCK HOLMES, TRUE RAIDERS, OLIVE THE LIONHEART and SUPER BOYS --- introduces this well-researched and enchanting mix of history and social commentary, set against a snazzy Jazz Age backdrop.
Book uncovers Harry Houdini's war on fake spiritualists
On a Friday evening in July 1925, about 30 people crowded into a basement on West 88th Street in Manhattan for a presentation by Mrs. Cecil Cook, a spirit medium. A pan of water and two silver trumpets were placed on a table beside her. After collecting a $1 donation from each member of the audience and leading them in a hymn, Cook turned off the lights and helped an elderly gentleman and a woman connect with deceased relatives.
‘It’s stuff I’ve been thinking about since I was 6 years old.’: an interview with Mark Waid
Advanced search Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics Latest Articles Submit an article Journal homepage Full Article Figures & data References Citations Metrics Reprints & Permissions Read this article /doi/full/10.1080/21504857.2024.2416222?needAccess=true ABSTRACT In Fall 2023, as part of the ‘Superman’s Cleveland’ celebration of 85 years of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s creations, Mark Waid, the writer of Superman: Birthright, The Last Days of Lex Luthor, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest,...
How a scrappy Buffalo newspaper saved Christmas and sparked a movement
When people unfolded their copies of the Buffalo Times on Dec. 6, 1898, they read news of a diamond heist, a double divorce and a deadly boating accident in Algiers. But there, at the bottom of the front page, was something truly unexpected: a letter from Santa Claus. The adults understood the wink behind "with the help of many unknown good people." But 1898 was a tough year for Christmas presents.
How a scrappy Buffalo newspaper saved Christmas and sparked a movement
When people unfolded their copies of the Buffalo Times on Dec. 6, 1898, they read news of a diamond heist, a double divorce and a deadly boating accident in Algiers. But there, at the bottom of the front page, was something truly unexpected: a letter from Santa Claus. The adults understood the wink behind "with the help of many unknown good people." But 1898 was a tough year for Christmas presents.
How a scrappy Buffalo newspaper saved Christmas and sparked a movement
Comment Save When people unfolded their copies of the Buffalo Times on Dec. 6, 1898, they read news of a diamond heist, a double divorce and a deadly boating accident in Algiers. But there, at the bottom of the front page, was something truly unexpected: a letter from Santa Claus. The adults understood the wink behind “with the help of many unknown good people.” But 1898 was a tough year for Christmas presents.
How a scrappy Buffalo newspaper saved Christmas and sparked a movement Original
• Article content When people unfolded their copies of the Buffalo Times on Dec. 6, 1898, they read news of a diamond heist, a double divorce and a deadly boating accident in Algiers. But there, at the bottom of the front page, was something truly unexpected: a letter from Santa Claus. Advertisement 2 Don't have an account? Create Account Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team.
Unassuming Barber Shop: Jerry Siegel is screaming
Comic-Con this year felt like a different place. Some of the more monolithic booths had moved locations, some vendors and publishers were absent, and though the bursting crowds were excited — so excited — to be back at a fully functioning Comic-Con, there was still something off. Yes, the then-new WGA/SAG-AFTRA super-union team-up had, at the last moment, stripped Hall H of its Lokis, Feiges, and CGI Godzillas. And though people were bummed, there was a sense that it was all for a greater good.
Unassuming Barber Shop: The Secrets of Slam Bradley Original
The new DC miniseries Gotham City: Year One from superstar lineup Tom King, Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Jordie Bellaire, and Clayton Cowles shines a spotlight on an important (and problematic) character from the earliest days of comics: Slam Bradley. But who is Slam — really — and why is he such a problematic character? And do his secret origins — never before revealed! — contain some clues? Slam first appeared in Detective Comics #1 in March 1937.
When Italians were tricked into debt peonage in the South
The painful saga that followed - one of deceit and shattered dreams - would continue to have echoes in U.S. history, in the "Reverse Freedom Rides" orchestrated by Southern white segregationists in the 1960s and most recently in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's (R) ploy to send migrants to Martha's Vineyard. But the Italians saw only opportunity when the agents from Mississippi produced an employment contract and asked them to sign. Many did.
Ten Days in a Mad-House: A Graphic Adaptation
About The Book A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY “BEST NEW COMIC OF 2022 FOR ADULTS” Beautifully adapted and rendered through piercing illustrations by acclaimed creators Brad Ricca and Courtney Sieh, Nellie Bly’s complete, true-to-life19th-centuryinvestigation of Blackwell Asylum captures a groundbreaking moment in history and reveals a haunting and timely glimpse at the starting point for conversations on mental health. “I said I could and I would.
TRUE RAIDERS by Brad Ricca Read by Stephanie Willis
Who knew that RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was based on real events? This audiobook, expertly performed by Stephanie Willis, is a must for anyone who enjoyed the Harrison Ford movie and wants to know what really happened in 1908, when a British expedition searched for the Ark of the Covenant, alleged to have "mystical" powers. There is a simple and logical explanation for the Ark's "powers," which alone makes this audiobook worth a listen.
Review | NetGalley
Review by Diane H, Reviewer Last updated on 21 Sep 2021 My Recommendation True Raiders is an account of treasure hunters in the early years of the 20th century looking in Jerusalem for the Ark of the Covenant. Though it sounds like a real Raiders of the Lost Ark, it reads more like The DaVinci Code. There are ciphers, secrets, spies, and even the Knights Templar involved in this complex tale. This book reads like a very slow-paced grand adventure tale.
'Raiders of the Lost Ark' Wasn't All Fiction
Brad Ricca The History Reader July 7, 2021 I remember the first time I saw it. I was ten years old, in the old Westgate movie theater, a dark cavern of a place with billowing curtains hung on the walls. I sat in the red seats with my Dad and my little brother. We ate salty yellow popcorn and shared a 7-Up. It was the greatest movie I had ever seen. And I had seen Star Wars. I had seen Empire. After I saw Raiders, I went all in.
OLIVE THE LIONHEART
Narrator Billie Fulford-Brown's delightful British accent adds realism to the true story of Olive MacLeod, a Victorian-era woman who followed her heart to Africa. There, she searched for the grave of the man who would have been her husband had she not dithered in marrying him. Fulford-Brown has a bit of British reserve in her voice, which succeeds in making MacLeod's character more real, more heroic.
Jack Kirby: The Epic Life of the King of Comics
They are legendary: Captain America, Fantastic Four, Incredible Hulk, X‑Men, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, Mister Miracle — superheroes whose names have become so embedded in American popular culture that to legions of fans they are like living, breathing beings. But of course, they aren’t.
Last chance for a summer fling: The 10 best books of August 2020
The 10 best books of August deliver rousing historic fiction, a quirky travelogue, a searing exposé, and the biography of a controversial government figure. 1. Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell Irish-born writer Maggie O’Farrell vividly renders the home life of William Shakespeare in a historical novel named for the playwright’s son, whose death at age 11 may have prompted his father to write “Hamlet.” O’Farrell extrapolates a very thin historical record into an imaginative, sensitive story.
Unassuming Barber Shop: Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster vs. The Klan
Now that Gene Luen Yang’s SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN is finally here, readers can watch the relatively rare occurrence of Superman fighting off an (unfortunately) real-life threat. Yang was inspired, in part, by the 1946 Superman radio show titled “Clan of the Fiery Cross which supposedly featured anti-Klan messages. Rick Bowers wrote a book about it here.
The Reclusive Woman Who Became a Pioneer of Science Fiction
AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko I'm standing in front of a house outside Cleveland, half-waiting for a spaceship to arrive. When it finally appears, blotting out the sky, I will crane my neck and stare at its sleek, impossible angles. People will shout, point, and run. But I don't see it. Instead, the house at 1652 Lincoln Avenue sits quiet. It was built in 1917 of stone brick with a front porch. The house is a duplex, split in two by an interior wall I can only imagine.
Meet the Reclusive Woman Who Became a Pioneer of Science Fiction
I’m standing in front of a house outside Cleveland, half-waiting for a spaceship to arrive. When it finally appears, blotting out the sky, I will crane my neck and stare at its sleek, impossible angles. People will shout, point, and run. But I don’t see it. Instead, the house at 1652 Lincoln Avenue sits quiet. It was built in 1917 of stone brick with a front porch. The house is a duplex, split in two by an interior wall I can only imagine.
The Night Before Christmas in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Fans + Community // DECEMBER 22, 2014 Why do fans often associate Star Wars with Christmas? Brad Ricca Author and pop culture enthusiast Star Wars has always had a powerful connection to Christmas. By age eight, most of us could identify a wrapped Star Wars figure at 20 paces or more. We could tell — just from the size and shape of the package — when only a thin layer of giftwrap separated us from vinyl Jedi robes. We just had a sense of these things.
Titans on TV: The life-changing magic of 'F@#k Batman!’
“F@#k Batman” is an odd sentiment to launch a DC TV series with, but a closer look at the history of the Teen Titans franchise and its impact on superhero storytelling reveals that “F@#k Batman” holds the potential to be a profound sentiment, one that is life-changing within a genre that traditionally avoids the very concept of life-changing.
Superman at 80: How Two High School Friends Concocted the Original Comic Book Hero
Superman at 80: How Two High School Friends Concocted the Original Comic Book Hero Superman—the first, most famous American superhero—turned 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes, and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in 1938.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
When the comic became a runaway hit, Jerry and Joe regretted selling their rights to the character; they ended up leaving millions on the table. Though they worked on Superman comics for the next 10 years, they would never own the character they created, and for the rest of their lives repeatedly filed lawsuits in an effort to get him back. But there is another more personal piece to the puzzle of Superman’s origins.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
In 1938, a cultural icon was born.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)(THE CONVERSATION) Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him. He rockets to Earth and is taken in by the kindly Kents.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)(THE CONVERSATION) Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him. He rockets to Earth and is taken in by the kindly Kents.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
(THE CONVERSATION) Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
Superman at 80: How two high school friends concocted the original comic book hero
Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year. The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938. Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him.
The Dos and Don’ts of Owning a Hedgehog In NYC
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
My Runaway Childhood
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
Grooving to the Oldies at New Orleans’ Temple of Uncool
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
Meet the Podcasters Bringing Alcoholics Anonymous Into the Digital Age
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
In America, Owning Your Own Land Doesn’t Mean You Can Stop Oil Companies From Ruining It
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
Up Jump the Boogie Down
My analyst and I grew more intimately connected each week of treatment...but I never saw this indecent proposal coming. It’s the waning moments of my fourth session with a new therapist. I’m holding back — and she knows it. My entire body feels tense, not ideal for the setting. I try to relax, but the plush leather couch crumples under me when I shift, making the movements extraordinary. I’ve barely looked into my therapist’s blue eyes at all, and yet I think the hour has gone very well.
They Called Her Mrs. Sherlock Holmes
The mysterious case of the first female U.S. District Attorney, and the morbid murder investigation that put her on the map. There was important news on the front page that day, but it was the photograph of a girl in a white dress that made people stop and stare. Appearing just below the headline, the young woman was not famous, but she certainly looked familiar. She was seated with her hands at her side, her dark hair pulled up and back, topped off by a great bow.
They Called Her Mrs. Sherlock Holmes
There was important news on the front page that day, but it was the photograph of a girl in a white dress that made people stop and stare. Appearing just below the headline, the young woman was not famous, but she certainly looked familiar. She was seated with her hands at her side, her dark hair pulled up and back, topped off by a great bow. She smiled out past the stories of U-boat attacks and President Woodrow Wilson, her face blurred by grey, halftone dots.
Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of New York City's Greatest Female Detective and the 1917 Missing Girl Case That Captivated a Nation
Ricca (Super Boys) provides a fascinating account of Grace Humiston a pioneering attorney in the early 20th century dubbed “Mrs. Sherlock Holmes” by the press for her investigative prowess. The author effectively employs a novelist’s techniques to heighten suspense; the first chapter features the discovery of a hole in the floor of a building the significance of which is not revealed until much later.
The First American Comics Scholar was a Superman Artist
On April 11, 2014, I got a message from Sean Howe, the author of Marvel Comics: The Untold Story. Sean had found evidence of a Master’s Thesis about comics at the University of Wisconsin that he had never seen before. He wanted to know if I knew anything about it. It was news to me, too. All Sean had was a title and some library information. And an author. But that was the interesting part.
The Great Star Wars Halloween Costume Shortage of 1977
For me, Halloween always began in a store aisle. I would be shopping with with my mom, sometime in September, and would notice that there was more candy. My mom would push me along. It wasn’t time, not yet, but there was a sense — some sort of subtle disturbance in the retail ether — that something was on its way. As October came, an aisle would appear in those stores. Almost out of nowhere. What had been there before? Swimwear? Porch furniture? Sunscreen? It didn’t matter.
The Real First Appearance of Boba Fett
Films // JULY 8, 2014 Brad Ricca Author and pop culture enthusiast As much as Star Wars fans pride ourselves on seeing the first show at midnight or hunting down rare collectibles, we all, or at least 99.998% of us reading this, missed the first appearance of one of the saga’s most popular characters. We missed the first appearance of Boba Fett. We know that his first movie appearance was in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980.
The Secret History of Chief Wahoo
By Brad Ricca The recent decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel the trademark registration of the Washington Redskins football team due to the “disparaging” nature of their name raises one question all over Cleveland: what about Wahoo? Chief Wahoo, the logo of the Cleveland Indians, is kind of like Dracula. He has flashed his white teeth over the city for what seems like an eternity.
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