Beware The Tentacles Of October!

Posted on October 1, 2021 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

Let’s Go Country With The Pulps

Posted on July 2, 2021 by Dazzling Erin

With the Fourth of July just a few days away, let’s celebrate the American countryside with the pulps! From the early days of the pulps, life in rural America has been a favorite subject. Here are a few portrayals of that life, courtesy of some of the best artists and illustrators to work in the pulp industry!

by James Meese

by Barye Phillips

by Emmett Watson

by George Gross

by Hans Helweg

by James Avati

by Julian Paul

by Paul Rader

by Rafael DeSoto

by Raymond Johnson

by Robert Bonfils

by Robert Maguire

by Robert McGinnis

by Rudy Nappi

by Sam Cherry

by Samson Pollen

by Saul Levine

by Stanley Zuckerberg

by Victor Kalin

by Walter Popp

Artwork of the Day: Dime Detective Magazine (by Rafael DeSoto)

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Dazzling Erin

This is from 1943. There is a lot happening with this cover. The handcuffs suggest that the man with the guns just escaped custody. Maybe the woman in red helped him with those pliers that she’s holding. Is she now trying to steal a license plate or replace the old one? If she’s trying to do a replacement, I think she has more important things to worry about. It’s going to take more than new plates to make people not notice all the bullet holes on that car.

This cover was done by Rafael DeSoto, who has been featured many times on this site and who will be featured many times in the future.

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

Posted on November 2, 2020 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.