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#21

Hardy Boys on TV / Re: Cool finds from The Hardy ...

Last post by MacGyver - February 05, 2025, 05:16:01 PM

Here's a really long deep dive podcast into the history of TV show and movie adaptation of The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, with the emphasis on The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries.

[Most Popular Books and TV Episodes of 2024]

#22

Network Briefings - Hardy Boys News / The State of the Hardy Boys En...

Last post by SkyWarp - January 12, 2025, 02:24:32 PM

Very little has changed from the 2023 to 2024.  Much of that is probably due to the lack Hardy Boys news in the popular culture right now.  It will be interesting to see how things go in 2025. 

An asterisk(*) denotes that a particular item was not in the top list the previous year.


Most Popular Books and TV Episodes of 2024

CASEFILES
Casefiles #1: Dead On Target
Casefiles #42: The Last Laugh
Casefiles #11: Brother Against Brother
Casefiles 7: Deathgame*
Casefiles #40: Fright Wave

NANCY DREW AND HARDY BOYS SUPERMYSTERY
SuperMystery #1: Double Crossing
SuperMystery #32: Exhibition of Evil
SuperMystery #2: A Crime for Christmas
SuperMystery #25: Secrets of the Nile
SuperMystery #3: Shock Waves

UNDERCOVER BROTHERS
UB #4: Thrill Ride
UB #7: Operation: Survival
UB #1: Extreme Danger
UB #2: Running on Fumes
UB #3: Boardwalk Bust

NANCY DREW AND THE HARDY BOYS SUPERMYSTERY
SuperMystery #5: Bonfire Masquerade
SuperMystery #4: Gold Medal Murder
SuperMystery #1: Terror on Tour
SuperMystery #2: Danger Overseas
SuperMystery #3: Club Dread

UNDERCOVER BROTHERS GRAPHIC NOVELS
Graphic Novel #9: To Die or Not to Die
Graphic Novel #15: Live Free, Die Hardy!
Graphic Novel #7: The Opposite Numbers
Graphic Novel #18: D.A.N.G.E.R. Spells the Hangman
Graphic Novel #2: Identity Theft

ADVENTURES
Adventure #1: Secret of the Red Arrow
Adventure #17: The Gray Hunter's Revenge
Adventure #25: The Smuggler's Legacy
Adventure #24: As the Falcon Flies
Adventure #23: Mystery on the Mayhem Express

CLUE BOOKS
Clue Book #1: The Video Game Bandit
Clues Book #17: Splash Pad Sabotage*
Clues Book #11: Bug-Napped
Clues Book #16: Undercover Bookworms
Clues Book #5: Scavenger Hunt Heist

SECRET FILES
Secret Files #4: Hopping Mad
Secret Files #1: Trouble at the Arcade
Secret Files #2: The Missing Mitt
Secret Files #3: Mystery Map
Secret Files #19: The Race Is On

MYSTERIES/DIGESTS
Mystery #59: Night of the Werewolf
Mystery #1: The Tower Treasure
Mystery #161: Training for Trouble
Mystery #64: Mystery of Smugglers Cove
Mystery #8: The Mystery of Cabin Island

CLUES BROTHERS
Clues Brother #9: The Pumped-Up Pizza Problem
Clues Brother #1: The Gross Ghost Mystery
Clues Brother #3: First Day, Worst Day
Clues Brother #11: The Monster in the Lake
Clues Brother #2: The Karate Clue

TELEVISION 1995
Episode #1: Jazzman
Episode #5: Play Ball
Episode #7: Say Cheese
Episode #13: No Dice
Episode #2:  All That Glitters

TELEVISION 2020
Season 2, Episode #5: Heading for Destruction*
Season 3, Episode #2: A Vanishing Act
Season 3, Episode #5: Revelation
Season 2, Episode #4: A Clue On Film*
Season 2, Episode #1: A Disappearance*


Most Popular Wallpapers of 2024

Casefile #42 The Last Laugh
Casefile #43 Strategic Moves*
Casefile #7: Deathgame
Casefile #14: Too Many Traitors*
Casefile #1: Dead On Target


Most Popular Database Entries of 2024

CHARACTERS
Drew "Darrow" Sparewell
J B Cox
Mr. Adrian Munder
Jesse Hooper
Olivia "Kowalski" Sparewell
Lucy Wayne
Frank Hardy
Anastasia "Stacy Baker" Nabokov
Callie Shaw
Aunt Gertrude Hardy

PLACES and THINGS
Bridgeport
The Circle of the Eye
American Teens Against Crime "ATAC"
Bayport
Barmet Bay
Demon's Paw
Wilt's Deli
Hawthorn Street*
Front Street*
Hardy house


Most Viewed Forum Topics of 2024

FORUM TOPICS MOST VIEWED
Hardy Boys Reading Levels?
Brotherly Moments
Looking for Hardy Boys Stories
Quotes
Good fanfics

#23

Public Domain / Re: Two New Public Domain Hard...

Last post by tomswift2002 - January 02, 2025, 03:59:59 PM

How does it work with the original books not being in the public domain in Canada? I was looking at the indigo Chapter's website and they seemed to have several different versions of the original text available. (Including ones with covers obviously illustrated by people who knew nothing about the stories, showing the old mill as a windmill and the house on the cliff overlooking a pine forest)

In Canada copyright for works for hire is based on the life of the author plus 70 years from the death of the author or last author (prior to 2022 it was life plus 50). 

Right now in Canada with those public domain texts they shouldn't be available and if S&S found out about them they would be able to send cease & desist letters.

However the other thing, and this is where S&S would probably take legal action is if someone tried to make a movie or TV show or computer game based on the 8 books in the US public domain.  The producers could use the books for free in the US, but if they didn't get S&S's permission for Canada, S&S would be able to sue them for copyright infringement in Canada, not to mention trademark infringement.  It would be like about 10 years ago where I remember "Mr. Holmes" the movie was being talked about how in the UK (country of copyright origin) & Canada it could be distributed with Doyle's heirs not receiving any royalties from the film in either country, because all the Holmes stories were in the public domain in the UK & Canada, whereas the US distributors had to pay royalties because the film used elements from the stories that were (in 2015) still under US copyright.  So even if the book is in the public domain in it's country of copyright origin, under international copyright convention, such as the Berne Convention (to which Canada and the US are both signatories, along with 179 other countries who are signatories), any book or literary work from a foreign country receives the same length of copyright as a domestic author.  So in Canada works for hire use the life of the author plus 70 years,  not a set amount of time, like the US's 95 years.  Or in the case of books published anonymously, it is 70 years (since 2022) from time of first publication. 

#24

Public Domain / Re: Two New Public Domain Hard...

Last post by CalvinKnox - January 02, 2025, 12:26:17 PM

How does it work with the original books not being in the public domain in Canada? I was looking at the indigo Chapter's website and they seemed to have several different versions of the original text available. (Including ones with covers obviously illustrated by people who knew nothing about the stories, showing the old mill as a windmill and the house on the cliff overlooking a pine forest)

#25

Public Domain / Two New Public Domain Hardy Bo...

Last post by tomswift2002 - January 01, 2025, 08:19:09 AM

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

As we start 2025, two new Hardy Boys books enter the US public domain.  These are from 1929, and a few weeks ago I hinted at one.

So #7 The Secret of the Caves and #8 The Mystery of Cabin Island, both by Leslie McFarlane, as of 12:00 A.M. this month became public domain.  However, the 1965 The Secret of the Caves and the 1966 The Mystery of Cabin Island are still under US copyright until January 1, 2061 (Caves) and January 1, 2062 (Cabin).  Also in Canada the 1929 books are still under copyright until January 1, 2048, 70 years after Leslie McFarlane's death.  Other countries have different lengths so these books may or may not be in the public domain in those countries.

#9 The Great Airport Mystery was not published until 1930, so it will not enter the US public domain until New Year's next year (same date as when the first 4 Nancy Drew's from 1930 will enter the US public domain).

Also another Stratemeyer Syndicate book to enter the US public domain at 12:00 a.m. this morning was Tom Swift #32, Tom Swift And His House On Wheels.  This is a huge book overall in the Tom Swift series, and all the other Tom Swift series, because Tom Swift and Mary Nestor get married in House On Wheels and thus was the starting point for the later "Tom Swift Jr. Adventures" series, because after this Mary Nestor was known as Mrs. Mary Swift.  Also, because of Howard Garis's death in 1962, this book entered the Canadian public domain on January 1, 2013.

#26

Hardy Boys Originals / Digests / Re: The Mystery Of Cabin Islan...

Last post by tomswift2002 - December 20, 2024, 12:24:30 PM

I was just looking up some monetary prices mentioned in the 1929 book.  In Chapter 20, Hanleigh mentions that he's paying Nash and Carson $10 each, and they are asking for more.  In 2024, that $10 is equivalent to about $180.  Then Hanleigh offers $20 or about $360 today.  Then Nash and Carson demand $100 each, which Hanleigh calls outrageous.  In 2024 that's about $1,800 dollars each! 

And earlier in the book Hanleigh offers Jefferson both $5,000 and $8,000 dollars which would be about $90,000 to $150,000 in 2024.

#27

Hardy Boys Originals / Digests / Re: The Mystery Of Cabin Islan...

Last post by tomswift2002 - December 19, 2024, 08:41:54 AM

I just noticed a little continuity error with Chapter 15 "Chicken Thieves" that I can understand Leslie McFarlane forgetting about, since Chapter 15 was written weeks after the rest of the book.  On page 107 in Chapter 13, everyone agrees that at least one person should stay on Cabin Island at all times (so that Hanleigh can't steal their supplies again), which occurs in Chapter 14 "Christmas Day" when Joe, Chet and Biff go ice fishing and Frank cooks the Christmas dinner.  However in Chapter 15, everyone gets into the ice boats on Boxing Day and go to Amos Grice's shop and no one mentions that they need to figure who stays!  I think after "Chicken Thieves", in the original Chapter 15 ("The Chimney") the characters remember to leave one person on the island, because those chapters were written at the same time as the earlier 14 chapters.

#28

Hardy Boys Originals / Digests / Re: The Mystery Of Cabin Islan...

Last post by tomswift2002 - December 18, 2024, 05:18:56 AM

"What's the matter?" asked Frank as they made their hurried entry.  "Somebody chasing you?"

"Hunger is chasing us!" declared Chet.

"Dinner is ready.  Wash up and hop to it." 

(Pg. 115, 1929 The Mystery of Cabin Island)

One of Chet's all time great lines, as Joe, Biff and Chet run in for Christmas dinner.

#29

Hardy Boys Originals / Digests / Re: The Mystery Of Cabin Islan...

Last post by tomswift2002 - December 17, 2024, 11:36:45 AM

I started reading the 1929 version of The Mystery Of Cabin Island while I was at the hairdresser today. 

Looking back on this thread, I see that back in 2008, I was mentioning that Applewood Book's 1999 reprint of the 1929 version was still available, however, we didn't know how long it would be before the book went out of print, because Applewood had lost the rights due to the 2006 Viacom/CBS split. 

However, now in 2024, it's interesting how this is the 95th Christmas that the 1929 version has been out (it's been 58 years since the revised version came out).  That means that we are in the last few days of the 1929 version being under US copyright.  So next year the 1929 version will be coming back into print in the US, because in a few days it will be public domain (1929 version only.  The 1966 version will be under US copyright until January 1, 2062.), and many public domain publishers will be publishing this book in 2025.

#30

General Hardy Boys Discussions / Re: Hardy Boys book drought in...

Last post by Bigfootman - November 16, 2024, 09:04:04 AM

According to Series Books For Girls, S&S had said there will be a new Hardy Boys Adventures book coming out in 2025:
https://series-books.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-value-and-scarcity-of-beverly-gray.html?m=1
"There is an obvious crack in the Hardy Boys veneer, since the Hardy Boys Adventures series hasn't had a new title since 2023.  Simon & Schuster has said that the Adventures series will have a new title in 2025."