John Gregory Betancourt

The Black Mask 2 (May 1920) John Gregory Betancourt

The Black Mask is without a doubt the single most important magazine for the modern mystery field. In its pages writers such as Earl Stanley Gardner and Dashiell Hammett reshaped the established view of mystery fiction, creating the tough-guy sleuth. The May 1920 issue -- the magazine's second -- shows the groundwork being laid for future issues, with a featured mystery novel by Hamilton Craigie and plenty of fast-paced adventures by authors such as Greye La Spina, Harold Ward, Frank Blighton and Walter Grahame.