Pulp Art: Original Cover Paintings for the Great American Pulp Magazines

332 Pages·1996·16.38 MB·English

by  Robert Lesser

This 2005 edition published by
arrangement with Robert Lesser.
Published by Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
© 1997 by Robert Lesser
Distributed in Canada by Sterling Publishing
c/o Canadian Manda Group, 165 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3H6
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without prior written permission from the publisher.
Sterling ISBN 14027-3035-7
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Manufactured in China by Midas
Acknowledgments
The author wishes to express his unreserved gratitude to the following
contributors, pulp-art scholars and collectors, and editors and designers for their
help in making this book both possible and very special: Forrest J. Ackerman,
Sam Moskowitz, Shirley Steeger, Steve Kennedy, Robert Weinberg, Fred Cook,
Walker Martin, James Van Hise, John Locke, Capel N. McCutcheon, Albert
Tonik, Jack Deveny, Charles G. Martignette, George Berger, Joseph Gaspari,
Carolyn Naporlee, Jim Steranko, John de Soto, Zina Saunders, Danton
Burroughs, Darrell C. Richardson, Charles Crane, Robert Barrett, Walt Reed,
Roger Reed, Will Murray, Alison M. Scott, Linda Dobb, Rush Miller, Norman
Brosterman, Geroge Hocutt, Bruce Cassidy, Ray Bradbury, Tom Lovell, Roger
Nelson, John McLaughlin, Tom Johnson, John Gunnison, Frank Hamilton, Tony
Goodstone, Richard Merkin, Rafael de Soto, Pierre Boogaerts, Anthony Tolin,
Clarence Peacock, Gene Nigra, Mel and Stephen Korshak, Ralph Kaschi, Peter
Garriock, Paul Herman, Bob Hyde, Richard Greene, Lyn Hickman, Rusty
Hevelin, George Hagenaur, Jerry and Helen de la Ree, Jane and Howard Frank,
Randall Hawkins, Phil Weiss, Bruce Bergstrom, Frank Robinson, Jack Juka,
Jerry Weist, Thomas Horvitz, Daniel Mark Fay, Cole Springer, Jerry
Schattenburg, Grover DeLuca, Leonard Robbins, Ben Chapman, Leon Sevilla,
Robert Hammerquist, David Kimball, Russ Cochran, Bill Thailing, Don
Hutchison, Beverly and Ray Sachs, Irma Rudin, Herm Schreiner, Peter Manesis,
Dino Petrocelli, Bill Morse, Dr. Alfred Collette and Domenic J. Iacono of
Syracuse University, David Alexander, Gloria Stoll Karn, Joseph Di Lessio,
Dennis East, Jim Gerlach, Bradleigh Vinson, Sheldon Jaffery, Nick Carr, Robert
Sampson, Gary Lovisi, Henry Steeger, William Papalia, Mike Avallone, William
Feeny, Frederic Taraba, Joe Parente, Ryerson Johnson, Emil Petaja, Norma
Dent, Peter Osborne, George McWhorter, Victor Dricks, Frank J. Finamore,
Helene Berinsky, and Gregory Suriano.
There is the theory in current political aesthetics that a work authored by only
one person is a fascist work of art because it dictates a single point of view;
refuses to permit the inclusion of a democratic sampling of important facts
unknown to the single author; and ignores creative insights that could illuminate
dark corners and increase the body weight of information. This theory is
accepted here. Other voices are happily and proudly included in this book. They
are those who should be thanked for having collected, studied, created, and
preserved an inheritance of art for future generations to enjoy. Interspersed
throughout the text are superb and insightful essays by those who have lived and
breathed the pulps for decades.
Contents
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
I : P C P A
NTRODUCTION OPULIST ULTURE AND ULP RT
ESSAYS
The Pulps: Their Weaknesses Were Their Strengths by Roger T. Reed
The Cover Artists and Their Publishers by Fred Cook
Yes, I Was There by Shirley Steeger
S F , S F , F : P A
CIENCE ICTION CIENCE ACT AND ANTASY AINTED NSWERS
ESSAYS
When Pulp Art Was in Flower by Forrest J. Ackerman
Collecting Pulp Paintings: Dramatic Imagery and Color by Steve
Kennedy
The Science Fiction Pulps by Sam Moskowitz
T N K
HE EW NIGHTS
ESSAYS
The Pulps and Their Illustrators: A Brief Survey by Walt Reed
The Lure of the Pulps: An Artist’s Perspective by Jim Steranko
Remembering Rafael de Soto by John de Soto, AIA
T N S
HE OBLEST AVAGE
ESSAYS
Important Pulp Paintings in the Burroughs Collection by Danton
Burroughs
A Conversation with J. Allen St. John, Dean of Fantasy Illustrators by
Darrell C. Richardson
The Paper They’re Printed On by Alison M. Scott
L T
ADIES IN ERROR
ESSAYS
Painting the Story by John Locke
The Art that Dared To Be Wild by James Van Hise
Remembering Norman Saunders by Zina Saunders
T D D : A , W , W A
O ARE THE EVIL VIATION AR AND ESTERN RT
ESSAYS
The Cover Art of the Air-War Pulps by George Hocutt
Editing the Western Pulps by Bruce Cassidy
Where Have All the Paintings Gone? by Charles G. Martignette
A I • V P : L P ’ E , 1929-46
PPENDIX OX OPULI ETTERS TO THE ULPS DITORS
A II • O P P : A C ’ G
PPENDIX RIGINAL ULP AINTINGS OLLECTOR S UIDE
A III • A ’ B
PPENDIX RTISTS IOGRAPHIES
B
IBLIOGRAPHY
I
NDEX