THE SHADOW AND BURBANK by MIKE KALUTA and RUSS HEATH
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 THE AMAZING SECRET ORIGIN OF BURBANK - CHAPTER 4
The CONTACT MAN!
The Shadow’s agent BURBANK, whom we now know took his name from renowned botanist Luther Burbank, specializes in electronics and communications. In this chapter, we'll look at several adventures that define Burbank's role as The Shadow’s contact man!
Burbank’s basic function in the Shadow's organization is explained in “The Crime Cult,” (Shadow #12, July 1932):
“Burbank was The Shadow's inactive agent, a man who seldom left his station, but  one who handled the threads that connected The Shadow with such operatives as Cliff and Harry."
“The Crime Cult” also mentions an interesting precaution taken by The Shadow's ever-cautious contact man:
"Burbank changed his number frequently. The old one was always forgotten, and each of The Shadow's agents kept the new one constantly in mind.”
“The Black Hush” (#35, August 1, 1933, cover by Rozen pictured left), describes Burbank's role in greater detail:
“The quiet voice over the wire was that of The Shadow's hidden contact man. Always ready for the Shadow's bidding, Burbank dwelt in obscurity and kept up a telephonic communication with The Shadow's agents. Words that came to Burbank were relayed back and forth between The Shadow and his men.” |
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"UNTIRING VIGILANCE"
The contact man’s working style is described in “Isle of Doubt,” (#36, August 15, 1933):
“Burbank leaned back in his chair. His position was one of patient relaxation. While he awaited new  telephone calls, his attitude was one of complete passivity. There was nothing excitable in the make-up of this man who sat with his back toward the light. Yet Burbank was a man of amazing endurance. In place of action, he exercised untiring vigilance. It was this quality that made him a most important factor in the affairs of that amazing personage known as The Shadow.”
In “The Killer” (#41, Nov. 1, 1933, cover pictured left), Burbank is an indispensible part of The Shadow’s organization:
“Burbank, contact agent for The Shadow, was on the job. With dictograph handy, with a line established to The Shadow's sanctum, with his telephone number given to The Shadow's agents, he represented the hidden center of the network which The Shadow had  created.”
Burbank has a unique distinction among the Shadow’s agents, for ONLY he can contact the Master of Darkness in his secret Sanctum, as he did in “Gypsy Vengeance” (#60, August 15, 1934, cover pictured right):
“Burbank ... controlled a special wire that led to The Shadow's sanctum. Hence, through Burbank, The Shadow could direct his agents from the hidden, unknown spot where he planned his campaigns against crime.”
BURBANK RETURNS
The final issue of The Shadow pulp magazine was published in the summer of 1949. But the Master of Darknes refused to stay dead. Over a decade later, Walter Gibson returned to his creation to write “The Shadow Returns.” The novel’s BACK cover sported the following breathless blurb: |
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Quite a BLURB-ank, eh? The novel's back cover is shown in full below. The front cover of this 1963 paperback (pictured below) shows a spooky, updated version of Rozen’s “Black Hush” cover.
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A TALE OF TWO SANCTUMS
Where does Burbank operate from? Where is his communications gear located? Like his boss, The Shadow, Burbank runs a kind of “mini" secret sanctum all his own, for the contact man works from a secret mobile communications station whose location is never specified. From here, Burbank relays messages from agent to agent, or, if an emergency arises, Burbank can contact The Shadow himself in the REAL secret Sanctum. Though mobile, Burbank's comunications center is usually depicted as a mass of electronic gizmos both retro and futuristic. |
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| The underworld is completely unaware of the location of both The Shadow's secret Sanctum and Burbank's mobile communications center. No criminal ever penetrated either one! Until... |
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