A dime novel for the modern age, rooted in the rebellious spirit of the 1910s
Mountain Town Comics is proud to launch The Mysterious Air Pirates #1—a handcrafted story paper that channels the subversive energy of early 20th-century pulp, with a story as timely as it is historical.
The Mysterious Air Pirates is based in part on the 1915 film Filibus, and was written by Andrew Roach.
Filibus gave us cinema’s first genderfluid antiheroes – a sky pirate who moves effortlessly between masculine and feminine disguises while outwitting authorities. But what makes Filibus truly radical isn’t just the protagonist’s fluid identity; it’s the sheer joy of their rebellion.
This isn’t a dour revolutionary, but a charismatic trickster who steals from the rich with a wink, turning heists into performance art and authority into a punchline. That spirit of revolutionary joy – where resistance feels less like obligation and more like the best game in town – lives at the heart of The Mysterious Air Pirates.
Like the early pulp creators, we believe escapism and politics aren’t opposites. The original Filibus smuggled queer subtext into mainstream entertainment; our Mysterious Air Pirates carries that tradition forward, blending swashbuckling adventure with working-class solidarity. The most dangerous stories aren’t those that lecture, they’re the ones that make you root for the thief, cheer for the outlaw, and question why we’re so quick to side with law and order in the first place.
Inside This Issue:
✒ A genderfluid sky pirate captain leading a crew of outcasts and rebels
✒ A cover collage and interior layouts by Andrew Roach, meticulously designed to emulate pre-war dime novels
✒ A tale of revolutionary joy and worker solidarity
Order now (ships when we get back from the Designer Art Toy Festival August 10)!
The Mysterious Air Pirates – Volume 1 Issue 1
THE MYSTERIOUS AIR PIRATES – VOL. 1, NO. 1
A Dime Novel for the Modern Age!
PREVIEW THE FIRST 9 PAGES (PDF LINK.)
Your high-flying adventure begins here!
Printed in the grand tradition of vintage story papers like the Frank Reade Library, this tabloid style story paper delivers authentic pulp thrills on crisp, wood-pulp paper that feels like it stepped right out of 1925. Each copy features:
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A complete 18-page rip-roaring serial installment of our original adventure
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Classic two-color printing for that authentic dime novel looke for readers to decipher
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Printed on uncoated stock for proper pencil-underlining of clues (as all good penny dreadfuls should be!)
STORY SYNOPSIS:
Following loosely after the events of the film Filibus, the crew of The Blackbird try to outrun Detective Hardy while a new foe emerges from the shadows.
Perfect for:
• Pulp fiction collectors
• Steampunk enthusiasts
• Fans of The Shadow, Doc Savage, and classic adventure serials
• Anyone who misses the smell of fresh ink on newsprint!
