Not a space babe in sight, so you know this isn't an Earle Bergey cover. In fact, it's by the great Alex Schomberg, who painted some of the best rocket ships you'll ever find. This issue of STARTLING STORIES also has a very strong group of writers, with a lead novel by Eric Frank Russell and short stories by Mack Reynolds and Fredric Brown, William Morrison, and my old mentor Sam Merwin Jr. If you want to check it out, the whole issue is on-line here.
4 comments:
THE STAR WATCHERS (= SENTINELS FROM SPACE, 1953) is one of Russell's most underated novels, in my opinion. It takes the piss out of several trite SF tropes, while not not neglecting to tell a strong, plausible story. A la Fredric Brown's WHAT MAD UNIVERSE (SS, September 1948), come to think of it.
I really liked what I've read by Russell. I'll have to try this one.
Poor Bergey! He’ll never escape the reputation of being ‘That Brass Bra Guy’. With some justification, admittedly (and it’s not the WORST claim to fame either, really).
But for what it’s worth, he could also deliver truly excellent SF covers completely devoid of shapely females. Two fun spaceship / hardware covers fully the equal of Schomburg’s sleek and shiny beauty: STARTLING, Fall 1943 and THRILLING WONDER, June 1952. There are lots more, but those are two of my favorites.
b.t.
Oh, those are good covers! I especially like that June '52 TWS. You're right, just as good as Schomberg.
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