Note from Doc Talos author and contest judge R. Paul Sardanas: There was always something special about Doc’s small humanitarian gestures. The globe-spanning adventures were breathtaking, but he would also never fail to take the time for simple acts of caring. The recipient in Don Murphy’s tale of a very different Maximus the World’s Fair Goblin is an unexpected one, but all the more touching for that.
Comment from author Don Murphy: With realism part of the literary tone in Doc Talos stories, I wondered what it would look like if I grounded the characters from the original World’s Fair Goblin in more of a hardscrabble Depression viewpoint. Max Booker is based on a gentleman I actually knew, who suffered, not from gigantism, but muscular dystrophy. He liked to pretend he was a tough guy, but his true toughness was in a stoic cheerfulness and quiet personal courage.
Additional Note: If you are interested in submitting fiction to the Summer 2021 contest (first prize is a Bantam Doc Savage paperback Czar of Fear first edition, signed by James Bama) you can read the contest guidelines HERE.
Doc Talos 
This was sooooo well written. It actually made me tear up a little, at Doc’s “It’s the kind of thing I do.” Thank you for sharing this, Don.
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Thank you Daryl Morrissey! I just read your own entry in the contest, and totally enjoyed your take on Bill/Johnny. It’s really gratifying that you had an emotional response to “Man of Tomorrow”…that’s what any writer truly hopes for, I think, especially to touch a fellow writer. You have my sincere gratitude!
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Congratulation Don ! You Posted your entry after mine. After i read it i knew that i had no chance of winning this contest. it’s a really touching story and show’s the man instead of the Super- man .
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Yes, congratulations Don! And Alexandre, your entry was also splendid!
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