Thursday 1 February 2018

THEME: pulp cover art >>> science fiction

I'll start by quoting from the introduction in the 1998 book Pulp Culture: "At one time the readers of pulp magazines numbered in the tens of millions and the number of titles in the hundreds. The 'pulps' were  the successors to the story papers of the last century and the dime novels of the twentieth. Started in the 1890s, they reached the height of their popularity in the 1920s and 1920s and had largely disappeared by the 1950s—forgotten by all but a few avid collectors and cultural historians. But for many years they were the chief source of entertainment in a country [the U.S.] that was starved for it."

I can't get my iPad to give you the right link, so instead go to Google.com and search using these words: "pulp magazines pulp book covers." 


The pulps—named for their cheap paper that deteriorated rapidly, turning yellow, and then was pulped for recycling—came in a variety of genres: science fiction, western, detective crime thriller, romance, horror, and more. 


What we're doing this month is exploring some of the different genres, starting with science fiction. But you don't need to read any more text. Search on "pulp magazines pulp book covers" and add "science fiction": rocket ships, ray guns, aliens, bubble helmets.... You know the drill: look at the images and be inspired! =grin=


And hang on to any clippings relating to the other genres, because we're going to march through those as well. Have a blast, y'all! =laugh=

3 comments:

  1. THIS will be a challenge for me, minimalist that I tend to be. ;)
    Michael Leigh will reign supreme on this theme. :)

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    1. "Science fiction" doesn't have to be "more is more," Angie. You can just think "weird" or "over the top" and combine a couple of images. =smile=

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  2. Yes, this theme suits me down to the ground as you all know. I may even have time to make a new one ! Pressing assembling project and exhibition held up by bad back - now thankfully a lot better.

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