“Fangs of Gold” is a gripping tale that entwines elements of mystery, horror, and adventure, set against the backdrop of a menacing swamp. The story follows Steve Harrison, a determined and rugged detective, as he ventures into the treacherous swamp in pursuit of a criminal named Woon Shang. See “People of the Serpent” for more information.
Alternate Titles: ‘The Yellow Cobra’, ‘Sailor Dorgan and the Yellow Cobra’, ‘Sailor Costigan and the Yellow Cobra’, ‘A Night Ashore’ and ‘A Korean Night’. Featuring Sailor Steve Costigan.
“The Fangs of the Yellow Cobra” is the earliest complete draft of the story “The Yellow Cobra”.
There is no known story with this title
The Tomb’s Secret. Under the name: Patrick Ervin. Featuring Steve Harrison.
The February 1934 issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES carried two stories by REH: “The Tomb’s Secret” and “Fangs of Gold”. It appears that the story titles were inadvertently switched. Howard’s agent, Otis Adelbert Kline, kept a list of titles and the magazines that purchased them.
Teeth of Doom. Received by Howard’s agent, Kline on August 31, 1933. Published as ‘The Tomb’s Secret’ under the name: Patrick Ervin. Featuring Steve Harrison. Howard sold the story for $100 and after Kline got his share, he received $85.
The February 1934 issue of STRANGE DETECTIVE STORIES carried two stories by REH: “The Tomb’s Secret” and “Fangs of Gold”. It appears that the story titles were inadvertently switched. Howard’s agent, Otis Adelbert Kline, kept a list of titles and the magazines that purchased them.
“The People of the Serpent” is a gripping tale that entwines elements of mystery, horror, and adventure, set against the backdrop of a menacing swamp. The story follows Steve Harrison, a determined and rugged detective, as he ventures into the treacherous swamp in pursuit of a criminal named Woon Shang. Alternate title: “Fangs of Gold”.
Steve Harrison is the name of the detective that Howard is known for. Brock Rollins is a name that the editors of Strange Detective Stories came up with for volume 5 number 3 (1934) when two Harrison stories were published in the same issue. He operates mainly on River Street and often on the Chinese quarter.
Not your average detective, Steve Harrison is more likely to tear into a fight wth his fists than a gun. More often than not the stories also strays further afield from standard detective fare, adding weird menace and more adventure. Also, few private eyes could boast of a recurring enemy, never mind one as diabolical and evil as Erlik Khan, a descendent of Genghis Khan.
REH’s Detective and Crime Stories – an article written by Dierk Günther, Ph. D.
THE YELLOW COBRA. Howard sent Otis Adelbert Kline a finished typescript entitled “Sailor Costigan and the Yellow Cobra.” This typescript was first corrected, and then later changed into the Dennis Dorgan story “Sailor Dorgan and the Yellow Cobra” by Patrick Ervin. It was sold to MAGIC CARPET MAGAZINE, but never published by them. The typescript at the Cross Plains Library is Howard’s, but correction tape has been used to change Howard to Ervin, Costigan to Dorgan, Mike to Spike, The Sea Girl to The Python, etc.) Still, later, a “clean copy” was produced that incorporated all the changes and corrections.
