Burbank

Of all the agents, friends and allies in The Shadow novels, Burbank was the most mysterious. Except for his name and the job he performed, little else about him is known.

He first appeared in THE EYES OF THE SHADOW (July 1931) and from then on had a steady job with The Shadow. The Shadow, as Cranston, called him "My old friend." His physical description was vague - a young man with a solemn look. He was quite skilled at electronics and communications and could work long stretches at monotonous jobs. His chief duty was to be The Shadow's direct contact with the agents and vice-versa. Frequently changing his location and completely mobile, he could reach The Shadow in his sanctum via a special wire. For a perfect example of Burbank at work see THE KEY (June 1, 1934, p. 36-37). This is a long and unusual look at this agent's job and capabilities.

At other times, Burbank would plant a microphone in a criminal's apartment and spend time listening in. If electronic equipment was involved, Burbank might come to examine it. But, for the most part, his task was communication. He rarely took an active part in the tale - nearly always the passive. He probably was too much of an introvert to meet or influence people and may have had little training in street fighting.

But outside the above mentioned, we know nothing else. It may be that Burbank was someone The Shadow knew in his days as a spy in Germany. Possibly he was a capable communication agent who The Shadow later found in bad ways. In fact, we do not even know if Burbank was his first or last name or an alias.

Even more than his chief, Burbank's past and personal life are unknown.




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