Harry Vincent's Hometown

A few days ago I was reading The Shadow story, "The Crime Cult" (this story was originally published on July 1, 1932.  I was reading the Pyramid paperback edition.) and ran across one little sentence that got me started on an investigation into Harry Vincent's hometown!  

On the bottom of page 25 I read the following:  "Matters had been quiet during the past month, and Harry had been considering a short trip to his Michigan home in the little town of Colon."  When I first read that, I thought Colon, Michigan must be a made up town.  Then I thought, if it is a real town in Michigan, why would Walter B. Gibson (Maxwell Grant) use it as Harry's hometown?  With Harry's hometown clew, I began to investigate if it was a real town or not!

To my surprise, Colon, Michigan is in fact a real town - more accurately, it is a village!  It is in southern Michigan and was incorporated as a village in 1904.  The village of Colon takes up only 1.75 square miles and according to the 2010 census has a population of 1,173 people.  That answered my first question as to whether or not Colon, Michigan was a real place.  

Undated photo - but I'm guessing from the 1930s.
This must be what it looked like when Harry Vincent lived there!

Now I had to press on to answer my next question - why would Walter B. Gibson use a small village in Michigan as Harry Vincent's hometown?  My investigation revealed that Colon, Michigan is known as "The Magic Capital of the World!"  In 1925, the magician Harry Blackstone, Sr moved to the little village and it became the base of operations for him and his crew.  Colon is also the home of the Abbott Magic Company and several other magic companies.  Blackstone is buried in the Colon cemetery.

Magician Harry Blackstone, Sr was a personal friend of Walter B. Gibson and Gibson himself was a magician of renown!  Gibson was Blackstone's ghost writer on several books and Gibson himself wrote many books on magic and even invented several magic tricks.  I believe it is that magical connection that led Gibson to pick Colon, Michigan as Harry Vincent's hometown.  It makes me wonder if Gibson and Blackstone had a good chuckle together when this story published and if any of The Shadow's readers made the connection between Colon, Michigan and Gibson!

With that one clew of Colon, Michigan I was able to unravel the mystery behind Harry Vincent's hometown!

Harry Vincent: The Shadow's Agent

Illustration of Harry Vincent from The Shadow pulp magazine.

Harry Vincent is the first agent of The Shadow mentioned in the first Shadow story, "The Living Shadow" (published April 1, 1931).  However, we learn that he is not the first agent enlisted by The Shadow.  This article will give a brief biography of Harry Vincent based on what I've learned about him in The Shadow stories I've read so far.

Harry Vincent is a young man from Michigan who apparently went to New York City to make it big.  He hasn't seen his family in years, and has fallen on hard times.  Almost all he owns is in hock, and has only $1.13 to his name.  Then, he receives a letter from his girlfriend back home telling him she got married to another man.  That was it - that was the last straw for Harry Vincent.  

Despondent to the point of despair, Harry now attempts suicide by jumping of a mist shrouded bridge.  But Harry's life is saved at the last minute by the strong hands of a mysterious figure cloaked in black.  This personage grabs Harry just as Harry's hands turn lose from the bridge railing and pull him to safety.  Harry was saved by The Shadow!

The Shadow ushers Harry into a car and both asks Harry questions and reveals he has knowledge of Harry's life already.  After some talk, The Shadow tells Harry, "Your life is no longer your own.  It belongs to me now."  Harry asks what The Shadow will do with his life, and The Shadow responds, "I shall improve it.  I shall make it useful.  But I shall risk it, too.  Perhaps I shall lose it, for I have lost lives, just as I have saved them.  This is my promise: life, with enjoyment, with danger, with excitement, and - with money.  Life, above all, with honor.  But if I give it, I demand obedience.  Absolute obedience.  You may accept my terms, or you may refuse.  I shall wait for you to choose."

Harry give brief thought to The Shadow's request, and accepts the terms.  The Shadow responds, "Remember the, obedience.  That must come always.  I do not ask for cleverness, for strength or skill, although I want them, and will expect them to the best of your ability."  Harry is then immediately sent on his first assignment!

As one of The Shadow's agents, Harry must learn and use The Shadow's system and methods of communication.  We learn that Harry knows about communications, wireless telegraphy, and Morse code.  These skills and others make him one of The Shadow's most trusted agents!

It was very powerful to see how The Shadow rescued Harry from suicide and offering him a life filled with excitement, danger and honor.  Harry has become my personal favorite agent of The Shadow.