Popular Post Darwination Posted June 8 Popular Post Share Posted June 8 So, I meant to pick out a few classic covers from The Shadow Magazine recently when the subject came up over in a previous discussion on the lines we're having here but was out of town and away from images/resources. I don't think every hero pulp deserves any particular number of classics or even any classics just because, but I'm certain The Shadow warrants at least a few both as *the* iconic pulp hero and because of the caliber of the art. I admit I have a checkered relation with the hero pulps as a reader, but I can at least appreciate the art. Shadow v06n 05 (1933-08-01.Street&Smith) cover George Rozen CLASSIC. Hmm, no red star - do I have some sort of reprint in my files? what the - Used here but originally used on the cover of The Living Shadow from 1931: The enormous nose, the haunted eyes, the sickly green, the bright red, and so much black. Defining image of The Shadow. How is it even possible for this one not to be labelled classic? Really, CGC The Shadow 1933-01-15 cover George Rozen. The OA, believe a boardie owns this One more, let's just call this more of an argument than a sure thing also rans - waaaghboss, Point Five, mrwoogieman and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibou Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 On 6/7/2024 at 10:38 PM, Darwination said: So, I meant to pick out a few classic covers from The Shadow Magazine recently when the subject came up over in a previous discussion on the lines we're having here but was out of town and away from images/resources. I don't think every hero pulp deserves any particular number of classics or even any classics just because, but I'm certain The Shadow warrants at least a few both as *the* iconic pulp hero and because of the caliber of the art. I admit I have a checkered relation with the hero pulps as a reader, but I can at least appreciate the art. Shadow v06n 05 (1933-08-01.Street&Smith) cover George Rozen CLASSIC. Hmm, no red star - do I have some sort of reprint in my files? what the - Used here but originally used on the cover of The Living Shadow from 1931: The enormous nose, the haunted eyes, the sickly green, the bright red, and so much black. Defining image of The Shadow. How is it even possible for this one not to be labelled classic? Really, CGC The Shadow 1933-01-15 cover George Rozen. The OA, believe a boardie owns this One more, let's just call this more of an argument than a sure thing also rans - Absolutely! I love all of those choices and The Creeping Death is beyond comparison. I had to order a coffee mug of that issue from Adventure House because it's the only way I'm ever getting close to that one! Seriously though, I have a question... I've never been able to understand the Red Star Stamp. Was it an N.R.A. thing? I only ask because I have a few 'controversial' publications from that time period that have a Red Star stamped on the front along with the NRA logo. https://www.britannica.com/money/National-Recovery-Administration I love that you chose the October 1, 1936 issue... that one HAD to have an impact on (ahem) a couple of twenty something year olds prior to a certain May, 1939 comic book. And finally, it was thanks to these boards that I was able to resolve the confusion of that 'Classic' August 1, 1933 cover with the Street & Smith HC reprint. That one was tricky... Darwination and Point Five 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwination Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 (edited) The cover you posted right before I posted these picks very easily could have and probably should have replaced the first one I picked as a runner-up. It's got the same group of colors against white but also has the double .45 handguns which is The Shadow's thing (way before John Woo made wielding two guns cool). Off the top of my head, I know that Spicy Detective (and maybe other books in that line) had two versions, and the censored version (sometimes having a different cover, but sometimes differences within?) had a star. I think it's different than this red star, though Edited June 8 by Darwination Hibou 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Point Five Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 On 6/7/2024 at 10:38 PM, Darwination said: This one is on my want list... if anyone has one please reach out. comicnoir 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarg Posted June 8 Share Posted June 8 On 6/7/2024 at 9:38 PM, Darwination said: So, I meant to pick out a few classic covers from The Shadow Magazine recently when the subject came up over in a previous discussion on the lines we're having here but was out of town and away from images/resources. I don't think every hero pulp deserves any particular number of classics or even any classics just because, but I'm certain The Shadow warrants at least a few both as *the* iconic pulp hero and because of the caliber of the art. I admit I have a checkered relation with the hero pulps as a reader, but I can at least appreciate the art. Shadow v06n 05 (1933-08-01.Street&Smith) cover George Rozen I agree. I think this is also probably a classic, just for being one of *the* definitive images of the most famous pulp hero. It has been reproduced many times since the 1970s for that very reason. That CGC does *not* call this classic shows just how arbitrary their process. They've really started out on the wrong foot IMO. OtherEric and waaaghboss 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Cushing Fan Posted June 8 Popular Post Share Posted June 8 Here are some more CGC designated classic pulp covers. comicjack, Darwination, mrwoogieman and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OtherEric Posted June 8 Author Share Posted June 8 Huh. I'll give them the Startling Stories #60, and I'll agree the Fantastic Adventures is making a case for itself in current demand but probably isn't quite there yet. But I don't see any of the others qualifying... and that's with me owning two of the others. Hibou, Point Five, jimjum12 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post detective35 Posted June 9 Popular Post Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 11:19 AM, Sarg said: I agree. I think this is also probably a classic, just for being one of *the* definitive images of the most famous pulp hero. It has been reproduced many times since the 1970s for that very reason. That CGC does *not* call this classic shows just how arbitrary their process. They've really started out on the wrong foot IMO. Having the top Shadow collection I might be able to add some insight to what people over the last 20 years have considered classic covers in the shadow run. considered the most classic cover in the run, is the creeping death, probably second would be the partners of peril or Shadowed millions. Just going by 20 years of opinion poles by collectors of the shadow , and requests I'll put some images on later From 1932 hidden death, dead men live From 1933 the creeping death, black hush shadowed millions , shadows Justice From 1935 lingo, Fate Joss From 1936: partners of peril, voodoo master crime oracle. From 1939 golden master From the 1940s death about town , book of death You could probably add a couple more from 1933 and 1935-36 (silent death, death giver, murder Trail..... bells of doom, salamanders ,man from Shanghai) Surfing Alien, jimjum12, Hibou and 2 others 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibou Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 Thank you! In conclusion, I have to add this image... This image is so powerful as a stand alone. OtherEric and Point Five 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OtherEric Posted June 9 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 9 So, my current brief analysis of the "Classic covers" on pulps so far: 1) CGC likes to qualify what sort of classic cover it is, only 3 of the 12 we've seen here were simply "Classic Cover" 2) There seems to be very little correlation between what are generally considered classic covers by long time pulp collectors and what they're labeling as classic covers. See The Shadow The Black Hush not getting the designation as exhibit A for that. And, even if the covers and title are growing in esteem these days, Famous Fantastic Mysteries being anything other than the cheap entry level title for new collectors is exhibit B. 3) Did anybody else have 1950 issues of Startling Stories as the high point for pulp cover art? I'm happy to admit they're good covers, but at least 3 of the 6 issues getting the classic designation? Anybody else have other insights on the subject yet? Darwination, Surfing Alien, Cushing Fan and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detective35 Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 10:03 PM, Hibou said: Thank you! In conclusion, I have to add this image... This image is so powerful as a stand alone. And the original painting for that exists as well Cushing Fan and Hibou 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post detective35 Posted June 9 Popular Post Share Posted June 9 mrwoogieman, Surfing Alien, Hibou and 7 others 6 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hibou Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/9/2024 at 12:21 AM, detective35 said: And the ololriginal painting for that exists as well And I'm guessing you own that as well as you should open a Shadow museum! Whenever anything Shadow related chimes in, I fully support the narrative! Point Five and detective35 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post detective35 Posted June 9 Popular Post Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 10:29 PM, Hibou said: And I'm guessing you own that as well as you should open a Shadow museum! Whenever anything Shadow related chimes in, I fully support the narrative! Darwination, Hibou, mrwoogieman and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwination Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 (edited) On 6/8/2024 at 5:23 PM, Cushing Fan said: Here are some more CGC designated classic pulp covers. Maybe but No. Maybe. Yes. No. No. But that's just like my opinion, man, so I dunno. I get that there's a consensus over time. I get that there's an emerging consensus on some of these at least in this small forum right now Some pulp collecting groups with area focus (WT/SF/Hero/Spicy/Weird Menace) have punched above their weight in determining classic pulp art in the past. Still, some of best pulp artists worked consistently on some of those titles (Rozen,Brundage,Baumhofer,Paul, Ward, Saunders - your/my mileage may vary). Many excellent paintings in genre pulps get completely ignored (e.g. Modest Stein in Love Story Magazine). Does it mean they aren't classic because they've been underappreciated? I guess so. And the funky thing is - I'd still get side-eyed by a very large group of pulpsters at the mere suggestion I'd chase an issue for a cover instead of a story within Edited June 9 by Darwination waaaghboss, Point Five and OtherEric 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwination Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 10:50 PM, detective35 said: Having the top Shadow collection I might be able to add some insight to what people over the last 20 years have considered classic covers in the shadow run. considered the most classic cover in the run, is the creeping death, probably second would be the partners of peril or Shadowed millions. Just going by 20 years of opinion poles by collectors of the shadow , and requests I'll put some images on later From 1932 hidden death, dead men live From 1933 the creeping death, black hush shadowed millions , shadows Justice From 1935 lingo, Fate Joss From 1936: partners of peril, voodoo master crime oracle. From 1939 golden master From the 1940s death about town , book of death You could probably add a couple more from 1933 and 1935-36 (silent death, death giver, murder Trail..... bells of doom, salamanders ,man from Shanghai) How much do The Shadow enthusiasts tie the cover art to the particular novel within? Like I notice most of these paintings probably coincide with the era where the stories are regarded the most highly? Hibou 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cushing Fan Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 (edited) On 6/9/2024 at 12:16 AM, OtherEric said: So, my current brief analysis of the "Classic covers" on pulps so far: 1) CGC likes to qualify what sort of classic cover it is, only 3 of the 12 we've seen here were simply "Classic Cover" 2) There seems to be very little correlation between what are generally considered classic covers by long time pulp collectors and what they're labeling as classic covers. See The Shadow The Black Hush not getting the designation as exhibit A for that. And, even if the covers and title are growing in esteem these days, Famous Fantastic Mysteries being anything other than the cheap entry level title for new collectors is exhibit B. 3) Did anybody else have 1950 issues of Startling Stories as the high point for pulp cover art? I'm happy to admit they're good covers, but at least 3 of the 6 issues getting the classic designation? Anybody else have other insights on the subject yet? One of my sub genres of collecting is classic covers. I have a bunch from the silver age and wondered why some covers which in my opinion would definitely warrant a CGC classic cover designation were not given one. Ex. Silver Surfer 4, Amazing Fantasy 15, Fantastic Four 49, etc... Another group member proposed that some covers are so iconic that perhaps CGC felt collectors considered these books to be classic covers and so they did not need the designation. Plus these issues already had a bunch of other notation ex. SS4 - Thor & Loki appearance - Hulk appearance - 1st Tales of the Watcher stories, AF15 - 1st appearance and origin of Spiderman, FF49 - 2nd appearance of the Silver Surfer - 1st full appearance of Galactus - 1st cover for both characters. Edited June 9 by Cushing Fan Darwination, pmpknface, Surfing Alien and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detective35 Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/9/2024 at 1:19 AM, Darwination said: How much do The Shadow enthusiasts tie the cover art to the particular novel within? Like I notice most of these paintings probably coincide with the era where the stories are regarded the most highly? For me, not much. I am all about the cover art and I'm not choosing them with any kind of correlation to the stories. Surfing Alien, Point Five, Darwination and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jimjum12 Posted June 9 Popular Post Share Posted June 9 On 6/9/2024 at 6:40 AM, Cushing Fan said: One of my sub genres of collecting is classic covers. I have a bunch from the silver age and wondered why some covers which in my opinion would definitely warrant a CGC classic cover designation were not given one. Ex. Silver Surfer 4, Amazing Fantasy 15, Fantastic Four 49, etc... Another group member proposed that some covers are so iconic that perhaps CGC felt collectors considered these books to be classic covers and so they did not need the designation. Plus these issues already had a bunch of other notation ex. SS4 - Thor & Loki appearance - Hulk appearance - 1st Tales of the Watcher stories, AF15 - 1st appearance and origin of Spiderman, FF49 - 2nd appearance of the Silver Surfer - 1st full appearance of Galactus - 1st cover for both characters. The group of people who fired up CGC were composed of a majority of GA enthusiasts who most likely considered SA books to be somewhere between penny stocks and Moderns. There may have been a lack of enthusiasm in regards to separating out classic covers from that era. Mind you, these are the same folks who grew up with OSPG and not even one issue of Planet Comics singled out as classic. With Pulps, all I can do is chime in with a few I consider classic. Remember it's art, and we all know what they say about that. GOD BLESS ... -jimbo(a friend of jesus) I almost always agree with Other Eric but not so much with the disdain for 50's Sci-Fi covers, several of which I consider as good as it gets in Pulpdom. These were all selected from scans of issues that I owned at one point ... like I said, just chiming in.... I would have no problem with any of these receiving a "classic" flag, nor would I be particularly incensed if any were overlooked. Cushing Fan, waaaghboss, Darwination and 6 others 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarg Posted June 9 Share Posted June 9 On 6/8/2024 at 11:16 PM, OtherEric said: 3) Did anybody else have 1950 issues of Startling Stories as the high point for pulp cover art? I'm happy to admit they're good covers, but at least 3 of the 6 issues getting the classic designation? Anything after 1940 is on shaky ground. Virtually anything that could authentically be labeled classic dates from the late 1920s to late 1930s. OtherEric 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
