Category Archives: Art

Artist Profile: Clifford Benton (1893 — 1974)

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

The son of a mailman, Clifford Benton was born in Colorado but grew up in Idaho and got his education at Chicago’s Art Institute.  After serving in World War I, Benton found success as an illustrator and photographer.  Along with his work with the pulps, he spent 20 years working for the National Safety Council, illustrating pamphlets and books about how live safely in a changing era.

Here’s a small sampling of his pulp work:

The Tough Covers of Detective Yarn Magazines

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Detective Yarns Magazine was published from 1938 to 1941.  It featured detective stories from some of the best and the worst writers of the era.  Eventually, it was renamed Black Hood Detective.  Then it was called Hooded Detective.  Over the next 16 years it was called Crack Detective, Crack Detective Stories, Famous Detective, Famous Detective Stories, and finally Crack Detective And Mystery Stories.

Whatever the title, the tough guy and sexy dame content remained the same.  Here are a few of the covers of Detective Yarns Magazine.

by A. Leslie Ross

by William Soare

by William Soare

by John Walter Scott

Unknown Artist

by John Walter Scott

by William Soare

by William Soare

The Risque Covers of Paris Nights

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Paris Nights was a pulp magazine for adults.  It ran from 1925 to 1938 and gave readers a chance to experience a romanticized Parisian experience.

Here is a small sampling of the risque covers of Paris Nights!

Artist Unknown

by H.S. Moskowitz

by Wynne W. Davies

by Earle Bergey

by H.W. Moskowitz

Artist Unknown

by Zoe Mozert

by H.S. Moskowtiz

Unknown Artist

Artist Profile: Richard Lillis (1899–1994)

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Born in Oxford, New York, Richard Lillis served in World War I and worked as a salesman at his family’s store before he relocated to New York City and took classes with the Art Students League.  He began his illustrating career around 1928 and is responsible for some of the most definitive tough guy covers of the pulp era.

Here’s a small sampling of the work of Richard Lillis.

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The Body-Obsessed Covers Of Physical Culture

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by Clinton Brown

Physical Culture was a magazine that ran from 1899 to 1951.  It was founded by a man named Bernarr Macfadden, who used the magazine to promote body building and his theories on nutrition.  Macfadden was a big believer in and advocate for fasting or, as some of us call it today, anorexia.  Here’s a picture of him being visited by President Franklin D. Roosevelt:

And below is a small sampling of the body-obsessed covers of Physical Culture:

Artist Unknown

by John Drew

Artist Unknown

Artist Unknown

By Arthur Ray McCowen

by Clinton Brown

by Jay Weaver

by Jay Weaver

by Jay Weaver

by John Drew

Artist Unknown