Tag Archives: pulp art

The Covers of Imagination

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

From 1951 through 1958, Imagination magazine brought stories of science fiction and horror to eager readers.  Among the writers who appeared in Imagination were Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlien, Robert Sheckley, and John Wyndham.  Today, the magazine is well-remembered for its exciting covers, which were done by some of the best artists working in the pulps.  You can’t have art without Imagination.

Below is a sampling of The Covers of Imagination: Stories of Science and Fantasy.

1950, October, by Hannes Bok

1951, April, by Malcolm Smith

1952, May, by Malcolm Smith

1953, January, by Harold W. McCauley

1954, June, by Malcolm Smith

1954, July, by Harold W. McCauley

1954, September, by Bill Terry

1955, June, by Harold W. McCauley

1956, February, by Lloyd Rognan

1956, December, by Lloyd Rognan

1957, December, by Malcolm Smith

The Detective Fiction Covers of Lejaren Hiller

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by Lejaren Hiller

Lejaren Hiller ws born in Wisconsin in 1880.  He studied at the Chicago Art Institute and started his career in Paris.  Eventually, he returned to America and found found regular work as an illustrator.  Hiller would be known as one of the pioneer of photographic illustration, carefully staging his photographs so that they would be as exciting and as full of mystery as any of the more traditional pulp covers.

Even as Hiller found success as a photographer, he also continued to paint and draw.  His 1930s covers for Detective Fiction Weekly remain popular amongst collectors.  Here’s a sampling of his work for Detective Fiction Weekly:

Hiller passed away in 1969.  His son, Lejaren Hiller, Jr., was a prominent chemist and composer.

Pulp Vampires!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by Margaret Brundage

From the beginning of the pulp era to the modern day, horror has always been a popular genre.  And with horror comes the vampires!  Vampires were a popular subject for both the writers and the readers of the pulps.  Much blood was spilt between the covers.  Here are just a few of the vampires of the pulps:

by Paul Lehman

by John Newton Howitt

by Rafael DeSoto

by Sebastia Boada

by Sebastia Boada

By CC Senf

by H. William Reusswig

by Margaret Brundage

by Robert Bonfils

by Robert Maguire

by Rudolph Belarski

Unknown Artist

It’s not really October until a vampire comes tapping at your window, asking to be invited in.

Beware The Tentacles Of October!

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by John Newton Howitt

Are you scared of tentacles?

Whether they’re reaching down from the sky or coming out of the water, the idea of being grabbed and, even worse, squeezed by several slimy tentacles is a scary one!  Perhaps that’s why it was such a popular image during the pulp age.  Below is just a sampling of some of the era’s tentacle horror, courtesy of some of the best artists to work in the pulps!

by Earle Bergey

by Alexander Leydenfrost

by Edmund Emshwiller

by Hugh Joseph Ward

by L.B. Cole

by Lou Fine

by Rafael DeSoto

by Robert Bonfils

by Ron Embleton

by Rudolph Belarski

Come Fly With Us! The Flight Attendants Of The Pulp Era

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Artist Unknown

While recently looking through some old pulp covers, I couldn’t help but notice a recurring theme.

Flight attendants!

During the pulp era, flight attendants were apparently a popular subject.  Whether they were thwarting hijackings or trying to land the perfect pilot husband, flight attendants lived dramatic, exciting, and sexy lives!  It was enough to make me wonder if maybe I made a mistake when I decided that I didn’t want to go to grow up and be a flight attendant.  (I was ten so what did I know?)

Here’s just a sampling of pulp covers featuring flight attendants dealing with everything from hijackers to more earthbound pursuits.  Where known the artist has been credited.

by James Meese

by Victor Kalin

Artist Unknown

by Ernest “Darcy” Chiraka

by Norman Saunders

by Norman Saunders

by Rafael DeSoto

by Robert Abbett

by Robert Maguire

Unknown Artist

Unknown Artist

by Arthur Brushnib

Enjoy your flight!

Get Ready To Go Back To School With These Classic Paperback Covers

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

Unknown Artist

In many parts of the country, this week and next will be “back to school week,” so to help everyone get prepared for another academic year, here are some classic paperback covers from the past.

by Al Rossi

by Al Rossi

Unknown Artist

Artist Unknown

Artist Unknown

by Bill Edwards

by Jack Faragasso

by Jack Faragasso

by Paul Rader

by Robert McGinnis

Artist Unknown

Artist Unknown

The Many Adventures Of Agent 0008

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

James Bond wasn’t the only secret agent saving the world in the 60s!  There was also Trevor Anderson, a.k.a. Agent 0008.  Anderson worked for SADISTO and, from 1965 to 1968, his adventures were recorded by Clyde Anderson.  There were 20 paperbacks about Agent 0008 and, as you can tell from the covers below, his missions were often on the racy side.  Agent 0008 didn’t just save the world.  He also had a good time doing it.  Though the Agent 0008 novels were only published for three years, they are now eagerly sought by collectors.  On Amazon, some of them are being sold for as much as $500.

Unless otherwise noted, the covers below are credited to Robert Bonfils:

by Darrel Millsap

Artist Unknown

The Spectacular Adventures of G-8 And His Battle Aces

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

G-8 was a heroic aviator and spy during World War I.  For 11 years, from 1933 to 1944, G-8 starred in his pulp magazine, G-8 And His Battle Aces.  Because G-8 was an aviator, he had several adventures like this:

However, the majority of G-8’s adventures were more like this one:

G-8’s adventures were outlandish even by the standards of the pulp era.  Below are the covers for some of his most spectacular adventures.  Though I’m not a 100% sure, I think all of these covers can be credited to Frederick Blakeslee.

Get Ready For Independence Day With The Adventures Of Operator #5

Posted on by Dazzling Erin

by John Newton Howitt

With Independence Day approaching, it’s time to honor Jimmy Christopher.  Jimmy was an agent for United States Intelligence, cod-named Operator #5.  From 1934 to 1939, Jimmy kept America safe from its enemies as the star of the 10-cent pulp magazine, Secret Service Operator #5.  Today, Secret Service Operator #5 is best-remembered for two things: a 13 issue arc in which Jimmy became a freedom fighter after America was conquered by the Purple Empire (a thinly-veiled stand-in for Nazi Germany) and a series of exciting, patriotic covers.

Unless otherwise noted, the covers below are all credited to John Newton Howitt:

by Rafael De Soto

Unknown Artist

Unknown Artist