I hate snakes in real life, but for some reason, put one on the cover of a pulp or a book and it always catches my attention. Throw in a scantily clad young woman with a spear, and I'm definitely going to notice a cover like this one by Malcolm Smith. Several of the Ziff-Davis regulars show up in this issue of FANTASTIC ADVENTURES, including David Wright O'Brien (once as himself and once as John York Cabot in a collaboration with another Z-D stalwart, William P. McGivern), Don Wilcox, Robert Moore Williams, and David V. Reed. Also on hand some pretty famous names: Robert Bloch, August Derleth, Nelson S. Bond, Stanton Coblentz, Ralph Milne Farley, and future comic book scripting legend John Broome. FANTASTIC ADVENTURES always had good covers and pretty good writers. I'm not sure why I haven't read more of them.
1 comment:
I freaking LOVE this cover! It’s a genuine classic — eye-searingly garish, even for a family of pulps that specialized in loud covers. Extra points for the under-bra cleavage!
As for not actually reading many of the stories inside, I’m sorry to say you’re not really missing much. I have a fairly high tolerance for ridiculous sf/fantasy of that vintage, but most of the stories I’ve read in the Palmer-era AMAZING STORIES and FANTASTIC ADVENTURES were just terrible. I own a bunch of both — used to be able to get ‘em for about 5 bucks a pop — and they’re enjoyable for the cover and interior art, and the outlandish story titles. But even if you keep your expectations low, reading the stories is nearly always disappointing.
b.t.
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