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I'll pound you to a "Pulp" if you don't show off yours!
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Started by mr.schomburg,

9,117 posts in this topic

waaaghboss

waaaghboss

Posted
Posted (edited)

I can't remember if I've asked this before, but is there often variation in the quality of pulp cover printings?  I have several where the cover art appears blurry, but doesn't look like a facsimile.   With comics I've read the covers can vary in color due to the inks through out a print run, but what might cause blurriness/lack if detail?  

An example, not sure if the photo conveys the blurriness of one copy, but it's very noticeable in person.  Under a loupe both have the same dot pattern.  I considered fading, but that shouldn't affect detail, right?

20221017_235334.thumb.jpg.c5096dc17b9f1c996f39cdf44c7f07e5.jpg20221017_235217.thumb.jpg.9368edb45b0f4da77bd4351189f35006.jpg

Edited by waaaghboss
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OtherEric

OtherEric

Posted
Posted
On 10/18/2022 at 12:06 AM, waaaghboss said:

I can't remember if I've asked this before, but is there often variation in the quality of pulp cover printings?  I have several where the cover art appears blurry, but doesn't look like a facsimile.   With comics I've read the covers can vary in color due to the inks through out a print run, but what might cause blurriness/lack if detail?  

An example, not sure if the photo conveys the blurriness of one copy, but it's very noticeable in person.  Under a loupe both have the same dot pattern.  I considered fading, but that shouldn't affect detail, right?

20221017_235334.thumb.jpg.c5096dc17b9f1c996f39cdf44c7f07e5.jpg20221017_235217.thumb.jpg.9368edb45b0f4da77bd4351189f35006.jpg

My guess is the one on the left is very, very slightly out of register.  I've seen a lot of off register pulps over the years.

Argosy_1922_03_11.thumb.jpg.8b91757a9df6cba41b3be8cf75899f14.jpg

Obviously an extreme case, but you can see how it winds up making things blurry even beyond the obvious off register aspect.

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waaaghboss

waaaghboss

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Posted
On 1/13/2012 at 12:56 PM, classics hound-migration said:

Hi, just thought I would ask if anyone remembers a pulp cover that showed a crazed man walking down an aisle with women tied to beds and stabbing them? Years ago, before any guides and reference books, I thought it might have been an EC horror comic but over time, I acquire complete runs and failed to find the cover. Back in 1971, Terry Stroud and David Alexander owned a comic group in LA and we got talking about the image and they suggested it might be a pulp? Not that it's driving me crazy, but it has been 42 years of wondering...lol. Any help would be much appreciated as I remember seeing this cover in a used book and comic shop on Wabasha street in downtown St. Paul, during the early 1950's. We would take the bus downtown on Saturdays and either trade 2 comics for 1 or pay 5 cents for any pulp or comic in the store. Must have had 3000 comics and pulps stacked below, on top of, and around 40 tables. I did not buy the issue because at 11 years old, my parents would have gone nuts. Thanks, Mike

Curious if anyone ever figured out what book this was?  I was scanning covers on mycomicshop then realized the poster hasn't been back here since 2015 :(

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Bookery

Bookery

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Posted
On 10/22/2022 at 1:16 PM, waaaghboss said:

Curious if anyone ever figured out what book this was?  I was scanning covers on mycomicshop then realized the poster hasn't been back here since 2015 :(

In 30 years of putting together pulp data I've seen the vast majority of pulp covers out there (have probably missed a romance or western or two).  That doesn't sound familiar at all from the description - ?

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asimovpulps

asimovpulps

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Was waiting until I was completely done, and today I am...

I present, every Lovecraft cover story in the pulps! I'll get a full group shot at some point, but figured I'd share my excitement in real time.

In chronological order:

  1. Weird Tales - May-June-July 1924 - Imprisoned With the Pharaohs (ghost written for Houdini)
  2. Astounding Stories - February 1936 - At the Mountains of Madness
  3. Astounding Stories - June 1936 - The Shadow Out of Time
  4. Weird Tales - May 1942 Canadian variant - The Shadow Over Innsmouth
  5. Weird Tales - September 1952 - Hallowe'en in a Suburb

PXL_20220817_234438182.thumb.jpg.b8ca699d3bcdd8bb92ca1d441849be94.jpg

PXL_20221108_043142947.thumb.jpg.7ec120dcd32748eb3f64285c7088642a.jpg

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OtherEric

OtherEric

Posted
Posted
On 11/7/2022 at 8:42 PM, asimovpulps said:

Was waiting until I was completely done, and today I am...

I present, every Lovecraft cover story in the pulps! I'll get a full group shot at some point, but figured I'd share my excitement in real time.

In chronological order:

  1. Weird Tales - May-June-July 1924 - Imprisoned With the Pharaohs (ghost written for Houdini)
  2. Astounding Stories - February 1936 - At the Mountains of Madness
  3. Astounding Stories - June 1936 - The Shadow Out of Time
  4. Weird Tales - May 1942 Canadian variant - The Shadow Over Innsmouth
  5. Weird Tales - September 1952 - Hallowe'en in a Suburb

PXL_20220817_234438182.thumb.jpg.b8ca699d3bcdd8bb92ca1d441849be94.jpg

PXL_20221108_043142947.thumb.jpg.7ec120dcd32748eb3f64285c7088642a.jpg

I doubt that's a unique set, but I bet the number of people who have all five are probably in the single digits...

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Sarg

Sarg

Posted
Posted
On 11/7/2022 at 10:42 PM, asimovpulps said:

Was waiting until I was completely done, and today I am...

I present, every Lovecraft cover story in the pulps! I'll get a full group shot at some point, but figured I'd share my excitement in real time.

In chronological order:

  1. Weird Tales - May-June-July 1924 - Imprisoned With the Pharaohs (ghost written for Houdini)
  2. Astounding Stories - February 1936 - At the Mountains of Madness
  3. Astounding Stories - June 1936 - The Shadow Out of Time
  4. Weird Tales - May 1942 Canadian variant - The Shadow Over Innsmouth
  5. Weird Tales - September 1952 - Hallowe'en in a Suburb

PXL_20220817_234438182.thumb.jpg.b8ca699d3bcdd8bb92ca1d441849be94.jpg

PXL_20221108_043142947.thumb.jpg.7ec120dcd32748eb3f64285c7088642a.jpg

Congrats! Considering his influence, and that Weird Tales constantly hyped him as "the master," it's remarkable that HPL only had five covers from the pulp era. 

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asimovpulps

asimovpulps

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On 11/7/2022 at 9:59 PM, OtherEric said:

I doubt that's a unique set, but I bet the number of people who have all five are probably in the single digits...

I always assumed the 1924 WT would be the toughest gap to fill, but I've seen at least 4 for sale in the past year alone. The Canadian WT I've only ever seen three prior sales...and only know where two of them are 👀. It's been a blast though, on to a new challenge! Thanks @OtherEric for sending me on this quest last year :highfive:

I know a few folks are one or two away since the other three are reasonably common by comparison. Would love to see another complete set if anyone has one and doesn't mind sharing! 

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FoggyNelson

FoggyNelson

Posted
Posted
On 10/18/2022 at 12:52 PM, OtherEric said:

My guess is the one on the left is very, very slightly out of register.  I've seen a lot of off register pulps over the years.

Argosy_1922_03_11.thumb.jpg.8b91757a9df6cba41b3be8cf75899f14.jpg

Obviously an extreme case, but you can see how it winds up making things blurry even beyond the obvious off register aspect.

Possibly a 3D glasses cover??

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