The Best of the Encyclopedia of Pulp Heroes: Nita Duboin

Duboin, Nita. Nita Duboin was created by Kirk Mashburn and appeared in “Placide’s Wife” (Weird Tales, Nov. 1931) and “The Last of Placide’s Wife” (Weird Tales, Sept. 1932). Sometime during the 19^th century, in New Orleans, there is a fetching, olive-skinned, black-haired “wench from a street-fair” named Nita Duboin. She beguiles Placide Duboin, a local Cajun, into marrying her–perhaps for his money, perhaps for something else. He doesn’t treat her well, and beats her, and she hates him. Her only companion in the marriage is her giant, yellow-eyed black cat, who also hates Placide. Placide shoots the cat, but it does not die. Placide then shoots and buries Nita, but she comes back. Placide dies, and then is found alive and well, and Nita reveals herself to be not just a Femme Fatale but a loup-garou and vampire.