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THE MAN FROM PANSY

Cardigan_Buzz1 Cardigan_Buzz3 Cardigan_Buzz2
 
Full Name: Buzz Cardigan
Series Name: The Man From Pansy
Nationality: American
Organization: U.S. Counter-Intelligence Department
Occupation Agent

Creator: Don Rico
Time Span: 1967 - 1968

ABOUT THE SERIES

Buzz Cardigan is an agent for the Pentagon.

In a world where success is always rewarded with excess, the popularity of such series as the Man From O.R.G.Y. and the Girl from PUSSYCAT would breed many imitators. Most of these followed in the same footsteps with a man or woman deeply involved in prurient interests with members of the opposite sex. One does not.

Still, while this series came out at the height of the Swingin' 60's where sexual freedom was just getting a good start, the idea of homosexual sex was still a major taboo. To have a secret agent who was really one of 'them' was definitely a no-no. There would not have been a mainstream publisher at all willing to risk the bad publicity for releasing a story about a male hero becoming intimate with another man.

For that reason, the agent in question could not be a homosexual, even if the whole purpose of the series was to have fun with the gay community. Indeed, he had to be a true-blue rip-roaring girl-chasing heterosexual who was just pretending to be of that persuasion.

Buzz Cardigan was such an agent. Wounded in the early days of Vietnam and able to take part in orgies and debaucheries at will, he grew discontented at his wanton life style and sought a more worthwhile life. He turned to a brief acquaintance who was in charge of a secret government agency and that man brought Cardigan on-board. For several years he worked as an agent in the counter-intelligence field before the start of these chronicles.

The whole idea of the series is that a dedicated straight spy must take on the role of a gay man to root out enemies of the U.S. who lurk in the shadows of the sexual revolution.

BOOKS

Number of Books:3
First Appearance:1967
Last Appearance:1968

1 The Man From Pansy The Man From Pansy
Written by Don Rico
Copyright: 1967

Noted men from all walks of life who happened to be secretly gay were being targeted by the Cuban government for blackmail and extortion. In addition to considerable money being won by the hard-pressed communist nation, many vital secrets were also being learned. Buzz Cardigan's job was to track down the culprits and stop them.

2 The Daisy Dilemma The Daisy Dilemma
Written by Don Rico
Copyright: 1967

With his cover as a legitimate member of the Hollywood gay community still intact, Buzz Cardigan is sent in when a key scientist in a military lab disappears with a vital formula. While the researcher had swore that no government would profit from his knowledge, both the U.S. and U.S.S.R. are determined to get their hands on him.

3 The Passion Flower Puzzle The Passion Flower Puzzle
Written by Don Rico
Copyright: 1968

Because he is such a noted homosexual, Buzz Cardigan is the choice by the Shah of Sheesh-Kabob to be the protector of his impressive harem. His reluctance was enhanced when he learned the previous guardian of the goodies was killed by a bullet. As he takes on this role, he is amazed at the number of spies who want him dead.

MY COMMENTS

When I first heard of this series but had yet to read any of it, I confess that my eyes rolled a bit in a 'now I've heard everything' manner. The books turned out, however, to be quite a bit different than I expected. Their humor is definitely there and the situations are predictably screwball but the renditions are remarkably well written. Most importantly, the natural inclination to go to a 'campy' extreme was not succumbed to, which is worthy of compliments.

I didn't particularly like this series but it was better than I ever expected it to be.

GRADE

My Grade: C

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