Saturday, March 12, 2011

Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Best Western, December 1951

Calling something the best of anything is always debatable, of course, but if you're talking about a pulp magazine, it certainly doesn't hurt to have an action-packed cover by Norman Saunders.  Ray Gaulden and Frank Castle are probably the best-known authors in this one, other than that Louis L'Amour guy, whose story "Long Ride Home" appears in this issue.
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8 comments:

Walker Martin said...

You are so right about Norman Saunders, one of the great pulp artists. This cover is a real eye catching, action filled stunner. Beautiful girl, saddlebag full of money, young hero, and the big, ugly villain. Only the horse is missing.

The funny thing about BEST WESTERN is that it did not print the best westerns!

9:09 AM, March 12, 2011
Anonymous said...

What is it about Norman Saunders that makes his art so instantly recognizable? All I had to do was look at the wide-mouthed face of the villain and I knew the picture was a Saunders.
He knew how to pack a scene with action, didn't he? This one lays down the manly action with a vengeance.

John Hocking

11:29 AM, March 12, 2011
Chad Thorson said...

Norman Saunders is one of my favorite illustrators! I used to live in Louis Lamour's home town, Jamestown, ND.

1:16 PM, March 12, 2011
Cullen Gallagher said...

Did anyone ever collect Frank Castle's shorter work?

1:36 PM, March 12, 2011
Anonymous said...

I didn't notice until I had clicked and made it larger that the guy busting in is wearing a tin star... great cover.

1:43 PM, March 12, 2011
Cap'n Bob said...

And it wins the Most Awkward Way to Hold a Pistol Award. But I love it.

6:50 PM, March 12, 2011
Ron Scheer said...

Thanks. Another good one. Looking at pulp covers, I've noticed how some, like this one, are a scene yanked from the middle of a story, but you can't half know what's going on. (What is the anvil doing there at the bottom?)

In others, the situation is completely unambiguous. Then there are those that make no sense at all, and you are dying to have someone explain it.

8:23 PM, March 12, 2011
James Reasoner said...

Cullen,
As far as I know there hasn't been a collection of Frank Castle's shorter work. And I doubt if any of his novels are in print (although I didn't check to be sure). Definitely a forgotten writer.

11:51 AM, March 13, 2011

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