The Art Of Pulp Fiction - An Illustrated History Of Vintage Paperbacks
(2021 - IDW)

(by Ed Hulse) If you are seeking a new copy of this, stay aware that this volume's front & back covers are designed to appear distressed & tattered. Also, don't confuse it with its sister volume, THE ART OF THE PULPS. Both books are the same 11-by-10-inch size (which is a bit heftier than optimal) and present their art & text on deep black pages that seem to everlastingly indicate where you've held them (so you spend much of your focus trying to prevent that). Out of the book's 240 pages, 28 each feature a single large image (usually full-bleed original art) and another 151 gather together two or three smaller cover images. Of the 45 text pages, two-thirds share information about the artists (as opposed to the themes, stories, publishers & writers). The chapters are laid out with the titles: In The Beginning, The Floodgates Open, Gats-Gals-And Gumshoes, Saddles--Six-Guns--And Sagebrush, Adventurers-Past And Present, Distant Planets-Future Threats, Terror Tales-Fantasy Worlds, Changing Times-New Directions, The Pulp-Hero Revival, Sex On The Sleazy Side, Toiling At The Typewriters, Brilliant Brushwork, and Paperbacks Since 1970. Hulse and a number of other knowledgeable personalities contribute sub-essays entitled: A Bright New Morning, The Trailblazer-Pocket Books, From Pulps To Paperbacks, The Lawyer And The Private Eye, Brush-Wielding Buckaroos, Avast There-Ye Mangy Swabs!, Great Science Fiction From Galaxy, Collected Chillers-Ballantine And Others, Exploring The Issues-Vin Packer, Behind The Bronze Man's Covers, and The Sultans Of Sleaze. Every image is accompanied by an anecdotal caption, detailing digestible factoids about what you are looking at, along with an incredible effort to identify almost every artist. Anyway, the 'well-presented' painters found here are: James Avati**, Rudolph Belarski, Earle Bergey, Charles Binger, Robert Bonfils, Edgar Church, Rafael DeSoto*, Griffith Foxley, William George, Basil Gogos, George Gross (2), Raymond Johnson, Roy G. Krenkel**, Robert Maguire**, James Meese (2), Barye Phillips, Richard Powers**, Norman Saunders*. Harry Schaare (2), Robert Stanley, Verne Tossey, Ed Valigursky, and UNKNOWN (3).

* - Note that the 'well-presented' pieces here by DeSoto, and Saunders, can additionally be found so in their own collections on The List.

** - Note that the 'well-presented' pieces here by Avati, Krenkel, Maguire and Powers, cannot additionally be found so in their own collections on The List.

other paperback cover art collections

The Art Of Romance - Mills & Boon And Harlequin Cover Designs