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Slocum, #2
by Jake Logan
Playboy Press, 1975
★★★★✰
BLOOD VENGEANCE—Slocum's way...When the Vanner brothers raped the sheriff's daughter and then shot the sheriff, Slocum couldn't have cared less, but when they went after his woman and murdered her, he was out for blood. Slocum would hunt them down one by one, even if it took him the rest of his life. Through the wild, brawling cattle towns, through the vast, sagebrushed deserts, through towering mountains and canyons, Slocum would track them down. He wanted them sorry they'd ever heard of the sheriff, the daughter, the whore, and especially Slocum. He wanted them to pay, every single one of them—his own special way.
The Western genre was on its last legs when the 1970s rolled around. Sure, Louis L'Amour novels were still selling, but many believed the glory days were behind them. Then, with a cheeky twist, publishers decided to stir the pot by adding a little spice—enter the Adult Western genre. This new chapter began with the Slocum series, launched in 1975 by Playboy Press and credited to the house pen name Jake Logan. A collection of authors contributed to what would become a phenomenon. The series changed hands over the years, transitioning to Berkley in 1982 and eventually becoming part of the Penguin Group family in 1996 before calling it quits in 2014. I recommend reading Anders N. Nilsson's bibliography on Jake Logan's Slocum series; you can access it here.
I recall dipping into the world of Jake Logan during my youth—perhaps a bit too young. Recently, I unearthed the second book in the series, Hanging Justice, initially published in September 1975. My copy is from the sixth printing released in January 1980, roughly a year and a half before I entered the world. The cover art for my edition, featuring an illustration by Bart Jerner, is quite different from the first printing. Interestingly enough, the real author behind this tale is screenwriter Raphael Hayes (1915-2010).
Hanging Justice takes on the vibes of a Pulp Western; it seems clear that Playboy Press may not have had a solid game plan for the series when they started. They likely brought in established writers well before 1975 to build up a stockpile of stories, hoping something would resonate with readers. From the limited reviews I have read, when it comes to Slocum's character, it appears that some readers are left wanting, especially compared to later installments. Hayes’s writing comes from a bygone era of pulp fiction, lending a distinctly retro feel to the narrative. In this installment, John Slocum feels more like a mere supporting character, the focus shifting to a brooding sheriff named John Dunn, driven by a darker motive: avenging the unspeakable assault on his teenage daughter.
As for the characters, they range from lackluster to truly unlikable—except for Slocum, of course. The Vanner brothers, our villains, are downright psychotic and have an exaggerated madness that makes them hard to take seriously. I found myself deeply rooting against them, so I was relieved when they finally got what was coming to them. For those curious about Slocum's love interests, he finds himself entangled with a woman named Robin. But let's be clear: this isn’t a romance story; she’s a prostitute, playing her role to keep Slocum entertained. Given the Adult Western label, it was surprising to find the sex scenes in this book to be rather tame—just a few mentions of breasts, and that’s about it.
The plot plays out like a sensationalized TV episode from the '50s or '60s, laced with a double dose of vulgarity and violence. This story is aimed squarely at male readers. Despite its pulp roots, the narrative doesn’t feel too outdated. While it certainly isn’t the greatest story ever penned, I found myself swept up in the chaos of the jury roundup and the wild antics of the Vanner brothers. The madness kept me turning the pages, eager to see how it unraveled.
⁓B.J. Burgess
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