Comics, Pulps, and Paperbacks: Why such a discrepancy in values? 25 25

[Sarg]

On 4/13/2024 at 8:56 AM, Surfing Alien said:

Some nice lesbian pieces that you rarely see

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/pulp-pulp-like-digests-and-paperback-art/al-brule-american-20th-century-the-one-between-paperback-cover-1962-gouache-on-board-18-3-4-x-12-1-8-inches-476-x-308-cm-/a/8161-71122.s?ic16=ViewItem-BrowseTabs-Auction-Open-ThisAuction-120115

 

Heritage's description of The One Between by Arthur Adlon (Beacon, 1962) is ludicrous:

"The One Between dates to what's called the "golden age" of the lesbian pulp genre. These books used the public's appetite for erotic, lurid, and sensational stories to create space for representation of queer characters not allowed elsewhere in mainstream American culture and are highly collectible today."

Beacon's strategy in publishing was purely and simply to peddle cheap thrills and sleaze to the prurient interests of men. Heritage knows this, of course, but decides instead to rewrite history to retroject a false motive of "inclusion" on the publisher's part. I hate dishonesty in advertising.

 

 

[OtherEric]

On 4/13/2024 at 9:44 AM, Sarg said:

Heritage's description of The One Between by Arthur Adlon (Beacon, 1962) is ludicrous:

"The One Between dates to what's called the "golden age" of the lesbian pulp genre. These books used the public's appetite for erotic, lurid, and sensational stories to create space for representation of queer characters not allowed elsewhere in mainstream American culture and are highly collectible today."

Beacon's strategy in publishing was purely and simply to peddle cheap thrills and sleaze to the prurient interests of men. Heritage knows this, of course, but decides instead to rewrite history to retroject a false motive of "inclusion" on the publisher's part. I hate dishonesty in advertising.

See, I don't see that as saying the publisher had any of that intent.  But some of the creators did, and even without that the books did have the effect described to some degree.  So it's a fair statement, if poorly worded in suggesting that the books somehow had intent on their own.

[Sarg]

Early pre-cleavage Avon. Crude compared to their later covers, but charming in its own way. Looking forward to reading this. The only other Merritt I've read so far is Burn Witch Burn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13 by Sarg
removed photo

[Darwination]

On 4/13/2024 at 8:56 AM, Surfing Alien said:

I know we should always feel blessed with what we have, and I do, but I wish I had the swag to play in this pool

 

 

 

Don't worry, muh dude, if you set up a good number of pb sales between now and then, you may just be able to afford this masterpiece:

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/american-artist-20th-century-study-for-proposed-magazine-cover-watercolor-and-gouache-on-board-11-1-2-x-8-1-2-inches/a/8161-71246.s

Wait, maybe you don't want to spend there but here:

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/pin-up-and-glamour-art/joyce-ballantyne-american-1918-2006-beauty-in-pink-oil-on-canvas-30-x-24-inches-762-x-610-cm-stamped-and/a/8161-71250.s

Cough, but for real, there's some "low end" items in there, too, I suspect you may be interested in (I know I am, but the price has to be so low for me to play, sigh)

I think I predicted elsewhere that the McCauley will blow the estimate out of the water, but that's pure conjecture.

I love this Georgi, but it has some unfortunate markings right on the forehead.  This image is altered, as I took a moment to remove those and some other physical marrings:

I think this Fried is a stunner, too.

You know, it'd never hurt to ask the Mrs. about the possibility of second mortgage for Reefer Girl  

What a stunner that one is.  The painting looks to be in great condition, too.  The little bit of inpaint wouldn't deter me in the slightest.  If I had all that cash lying around, that is

Edited April 13 by Darwination

[OtherEric]

On 4/13/2024 at 10:08 AM, Sarg said:

Early pre-cleavage Avon. Crude compared to their later covers, but charming in its own way. Looking forward to reading this. The only other Merritt I've read so far is Burn Witch Burn.

 

 

 

 

Nice one!  In my experience that's the hardest of the Merritt Murder Mystery Monthly issues to find by a fair margin, and it's a beautiful copy.

[Darwination]

On 4/13/2024 at 11:43 AM, jimjum12 said:

Sometimes they sport really colorful covers that make you want to read them. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

A *slightly* different premise, but this one had me googling for this masterpiece from my childhood

or this one from far earlier (wonder if this ever made it to paperback)

Edited April 13 by Darwination

[Darwination]

On 4/13/2024 at 12:03 PM, OtherEric said:

See, I don't see that as saying the publisher had any of that intent.  But some of the creators did, and even without that the books did have the effect described to some degree.  So it's a fair statement, if poorly worded in suggesting that the books somehow had intent on their own.

I'm in agreement with both sentiments here.  Ascribing nobility to the publishers of sleaze is hilarious, but there's no doubt a lot of what gets peddled as sleaze were actually very human stories.  And some representation/discussion, even in the fringes of culture, is far better than nothing at all, and there's all sorts of that happening with various taboos in the paperbacks

I watched Carol this week and thought it an excellent and subtle film, even if it was far from what I was expecting based on my encounters with Highsmith's crime-tinged books.  I'm told it's faithful to the original novel which I intend to check out.  It's slow, though - don't hate me if you're looking for thrills.  I picked up an epub but would much prefer to read the first printing.  IF IT DIDNT COST A MILLION DOLLARS

Edited April 13 by Darwination

[Number 6]

On 4/13/2024 at 10:20 AM, Darwination said:

 

or this one from far earlier (wonder if this ever made it to paperback)

I think the first Sturgeon-specific pb collection with this story is Aliens 4 by Avon, cover art is Powers-esque but not great. Looks like the first paperback to feature the Killdozer on the cover is a French pb from ‘71. 

[jimjum12]

Rumor has it that the "Ajax Lady" had a copy of this in her purse when she got hauled in after that wild party. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Darwination]

On 4/13/2024 at 2:12 PM, Number 6 said:

I think the first Sturgeon-specific pb collection with this story is Aliens 4 by Avon, cover art is Powers-esque but not great. Looks like the first paperback to feature the Killdozer on the cover is a French pb from ‘71. 

Ha! Thanks

 

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/13/2024 at 1:03 PM, OtherEric said:

See, I don't see that as saying the publisher had any of that intent.  But some of the creators did, and even without that the books did have the effect described to some degree.  So it's a fair statement, if poorly worded in suggesting that the books somehow had intent on their own.

Yeah, I kind of agree. The copy says "The Books", not "The Publishers" but it is is poorly worded and I can see how it can imply a more benevolent intent on the publishers part than they had, which was surely to sell books to men in raincoats with their collars raised

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/13/2024 at 1:10 PM, Darwination said:

 

Don't worry, muh dude, if you set up a good number of pb sales between now and then, you may just be able to afford this masterpiece:

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/paintings/american-artist-20th-century-study-for-proposed-magazine-cover-watercolor-and-gouache-on-board-11-1-2-x-8-1-2-inches/a/8161-71246.s

Wait, maybe you don't want to spend there but here:

https://fineart.ha.com/itm/pin-up-and-glamour-art/joyce-ballantyne-american-1918-2006-beauty-in-pink-oil-on-canvas-30-x-24-inches-762-x-610-cm-stamped-and/a/8161-71250.s

Cough, but for real, there's some "low end" items in there, too, I suspect you may be interested in (I know I am, but the price has to be so low for me to play, sigh)

I think I predicted elsewhere that the McCauley will blow the estimate out of the water, but that's pure conjecture.

I love this Georgi, but it has some unfortunate markings right on the forehead.  This image is altered, as I took a moment to remove those and some other physical marrings:

I think this Fried is a stunner, too.

You know, it'd never hurt to ask the Mrs. about the possibility of second mortgage for Reefer Girl  

What a stunner that one is.  The painting looks to be in great condition, too.  The little bit of inpaint wouldn't deter me in the slightest.  If I had all that cash lying around, that is

 

Ha - I know you love that purported Cardwell Higgins - although I could see it possibly being a concept sketch for a girlie by someone like him.

 

The "study" for Reefer Girl sold for $20k back in a time when the market was hotter for Illustration art. It will be interesting to see what the true published cover goes for on the 23rd.  I can imagine it would go for quite a bit more, being so iconic but it's hard to tell in today's market what anything will go for.

I could see myself throwing a thrill bid on one or two of the cheaper items that looks cool but I haven't seen anything that was really cool go for cheap on HA

 

[OtherEric]

On 4/13/2024 at 1:11 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Yeah, I kind of agree. The copy says "The Books", not "The Publishers" but it is is poorly worded and I can see how it can imply a more benevolent intent on the publishers part than they had, which was surely to sell books to men in raincoats with their collars raised

Be fair.  Their intent was to sell to absolutely anybody who could get their money onto the counter... which they probably suspected contained a lot of men in raincoats with their collars raised, but they didn't discriminate.

[Randall Dowling]

On 4/13/2024 at 3:11 PM, Surfing Alien said:

Yeah, I kind of agree. The copy says "The Books", not "The Publishers" but it is is poorly worded and I can see how it can imply a more benevolent intent on the publishers part than they had, which was surely to sell books to men in raincoats with their collars raised

 

On 4/13/2024 at 3:32 PM, OtherEric said:

Be fair.  Their intent was to sell to absolutely anybody who could get their money onto the counter... which they probably suspected contained a lot of men in raincoats with their collars raised, but they didn't discriminate.

Now suddenly, wearing a raincoat with the collar raised makes you bad?  The fashion police on these boards are out of control!  

[OtherEric]

On 4/13/2024 at 1:59 PM, Randall Dowling said:

 

Now suddenly, wearing a raincoat with the collar raised makes you bad?  The fashion police on these boards are out of control!  

You rock the look, Randall, but not a lot of people can pull it off.

[Surfing Alien]

On 4/13/2024 at 5:01 PM, OtherEric said:

You rock the look, Randall, but not a lot of people can pull it off.

Hey, being in company with Bogie ain't a bad thing. The dude scored "Slim" with that look

[Surfing Alien]

Some nice space babes from the collection I just bought

 

 

For some reason, Popular 447 is always trashed. This one is smooth as silk

[jimjum12]

More than just another pretty face. GOD BLESS ...

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Surfing Alien]

Two pretty faces 

 

[Warlord]

On 4/13/2024 at 1:20 PM, Darwination said:

A *slightly* different premise, but this one had me googling for this masterpiece from my childhood or this one from far earlier (wonder if this ever made it to paperback)

It made it into comic book form too!