The earliest novel-length creative work of David Mark Brown yet to be discovered, it appears Fistful of Reefer represents a turning point in Brown’s career. His short stories and dime novel serials up to this point, while revealing tantalizing bits of what I now believe to be a forgotten history, don’t seem to do so intentionally.
Fistful of Reefer is a different matter. Within these pages an astute reader will discover veiled accusations and clues to a larger conspiracy Brown had apparently decided to target with his fiction. It is my personal belief he’d come to accept he could not currently stand up to the mysterious entity he later refers to simply as “the benefactors.” Thus he decided the best means of preserving the historicity of their secret movements to be his reasonably popular (at the time) pulp stories.
Having recently discovered Brown’s version of events best explain the tumultuous happenings during the last year of my personal life, I’ve undertaken the task of discovering as many of these Lost DMB Files as possible in order to present them to you, dear reader, digitally and in their truest form. Thus, I offer that every reader at least consider these amazing adventures be based upon not only historical fact, but a truth intentionally purged from our collective consciousness.
Fistful of Reefer first appeared in 1919, just before the formation of the Democratic Republic of Texicas. The original text used the pseudonym McCormick for J.T. McCutchen—the infamous Texas Ranger most remember as the ruthless head of Texicas Homeland Security. It wasn’t until editing later works by Brown that I discovered the connection. And even though I suspect Chancho to be a pseudonym as well, I’ve yet to make any connection to a historical figure. Perhaps he represents a amalgam or conglomeration of personalities.
As to not delay your enjoyment of the tale any more than can pleasantly be born up, I’ll mention only one final oddity I think most readers will find interesting. After traveling to the border regions described within Fistful of Reefer I did indeed discover the ruins of an orphanage. I’m loath to give away the story, so it must suffice to say I located a certain hiding spot just as described by Brown, down to the last detail. Alas, the hidy-hole was empty, but I’ll let you infer your own meaning upon that.
Earnestly,
Professor Jim “Buck” Buckner
Department of Geology, University of Texicas, Austin
All known “Lost” Files (in chronological order allowing for suspected gaps):
Reefer Ranger (#9)
Del Rio Con Amor (#14)
Fistful of Reefer (#17)
The Austin Job (#18)
Hell’s Womb (#22)
Get Doc Quick (#24)
McCutchen’s Bones (#25)
Twitch and Die! (#26)
Paraplegic Zombie Slayer (#35)
Fourth Horseman (#43)
And now, Fistful of Reefer. Viva this!
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Fistful of Reefer
ActionA spaghetti-Western, refried alternate history, Fistful of Reefer features goats, guns and the camaraderie of outcasts. Set along the Texas border during the waning years of the Mexican revolution, you'll meet a group of unlikely heros and their unl...
