Blades of the Brotherhood. Typescript reproduction.

This story was originally written in 1929, titled ‘The Blue Flame of Vengeance’, and featured Solomon Kane. Howard failed to sell it, perhaps because it had no weird element, and hence WEIRD TALES would likely not take it. Howard rewrote it in 1932, changing the hero to Malachi Grim, changing the title to ‘Blades of the Brotherhood’, and shortening the story by a couple of pages. There is no record to show to which magazines this story was offered if any. 

‘The Blue Flame of Vengeance’ is the original title of this REH story featuring Solomon Kane. John Pocsik rewrote the story adding a weird element that was published under this name. Subsequent publishings of the REH-only version, use the title “Blades of the Brotherhood,” which was originally the title of a story featuring Malachi Grim. An earlier REH draft of ‘The Blue Flame of Vengeance’ was titled ‘The Blue Flame of Death.’

Contents

• Blades of the Brotherhood • [Malachi Grim] • (1932) • novella by Robert E. Howard

Notes

Not available for individual sale.
This typescript was provided to Legacy Circle members of the Robert E. Howard Foundation. It is a limited edition and all surplus copies will be destroyed at year’s end.
According to Howard Works this was printed on ivory paper, with each page individually hand-initialed “REHF” in red ink. My copy is on simple yellow paper and no hand initials.

According to isfdb.com the folder also contains 12 postcards with Howard photos, 3 each of 4 photos. My copy does not.