BRAIN PLUCKER

Today’s funnies come from the September, 1953 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction Magazine:

Thanks to the “backdoor” concept.

Today’s funnies come from the June, 1952 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction Magazine:

Matters are meant to be discovered—but having you been discovered by them instead—can be shocking.

Today’s funnies come from the January, 1953 issue of Fantastic Science Fiction Magazine:

Not all short cuts are made short.

Our Lost Art Feature this week is just going to be a menagerie of different artist and styles. Many of them were uncredited in the magazine they appeared in, but the none the less they are worth seeing. And remember, these are thumbnails. Click on them to appreciate them in their glory.

Science Fiction Quarterly - Alien Restoration art by Kiemle

If, June 1963 - Another Earth art by Model

If, July 1963 - Down to the Worlds of Men art by Nodel

Imagination, October 1953 - Hold Onto Your Body

Imagination, October 1954 - Earth's Gone to the Dogs

Imagination, October 1954 - Laughter of Toffee

Infinity, June 1957 - The Band Played On art by Schoenherr

A subscription ad from the June 1958 issue of Infinity

Planet Stories, March 1953 - Ricardo's Virus art by Vestal

Planet Stories, June 1952 - Spacemen Are Born

Today’s funnies come from the October, 1955 issue of Imagination Science Fiction Magazine:

New Year, new fireworks, new faces.

After the Atom - Famous Fantastic Mysteries April 1950

One of my favorite artists of the pulps and digests is Hans Bok. While I share some mostly unknown interior art, I thought it would be nice to give his biography.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 2, 1914, to Irving Ingalls Woodard and Julia J Parks, Hannes Bok (pseudonym for Wayne Francis Woodard) was a science fiction and fantasy artist and an illustrator. He also wrote poetry, fiction and articles on astrology. He adopted his pen name Hannes Bok in the honour of the famous composer Johannes Bach.

The Ghost Punch - Weird Tales, November 1944

After graduating from high school, Bok moved to Seattle to stay with his mother in 1932 and involved himself in science fiction fandom including publication and illustrations of fanzines. In 1936, he met Emil Petaja, who went on to become his life long friend, and did illustrations for his chapbook, Brief Candle. He later moved to Los Angeles with Petaja in 1937 and met Ray Bradbury who was instrumental in getting Bok his first art job. Bok did the cover art for all four issues of Bradbury’s fanzine Futuria Fantasia and impressed him so much with his work that Bradbury took him to the First Science Fiction Convention in New York in 1939 to show him to the publishers there.

The Dark Dimension - Marvel Science Fiction, November 1951

In 1939 Bok moved to New York and began working for the legendary pulp fiction magazine Weird Tales, debuting in the December 1939 issue. It is around this time that he met Maxfield Parrish who became his mentor and whose influence can be seen in Bok’s work.
Till 1954, Bok had painted for more than 50 issues of Weird Tales magazine. He also executed 6 color covers for Weird Tales between 1940-42. Despite his success as a professional artist, Bok continued to contribute to fanzines.

Cross of Mercrux - Fantastic Novel Mysteries, November 1950

Bok was awarded the first Hugo Award for Best cover/ Professional Artist in 1953.

Bok is not only famous for his artistic work but also his poetry and fiction. His famous novels include The Sorcerer’s Ship and the Blue Flamingo which was later re-titled Beyond the Golden Stairs. Weird Tales also published 5 of his stories and 2 of his poems between 1942 and 1951. He also wrote several unpublished novels.
His illustrations appeared in Fantasy and Science Fiction, Marvel Science Fiction, Imagination, Uncanny Tales and several other books of science fiction and fantasy.

Cross of Mercrux - Fantastic Novel Mysteries, November 1950

Bok died on April 11, 1964 of a heart attack at the age of forty nine.

Cross of Mercrux - Fantastic Novel Mysteries, November 1950

Today’s funnies come from the August, 1953 issue of Imagination Science Fiction Magazine:

Not even dusts get spared from  scientists’ curiosity.

Today’s funnies come from the July, 1954 issue of Imagination Science Fiction Magazine:

In space, assumptions are dangerous.

Today’s funnies come from the July, 1954 issue of Imagination Science Fiction Magazine:

Hot rods and cool heads made their space days.

As the Lost Art series is basically about interior illustrations that have not been reprinted and mostly forgotten about, we bring you some selections from the June 1958 issue of American Magazine.  American Magazine was a general interest magazine, much like Life Magazine, but with a bigger dose of fiction, by some of the best writers of the day in every genre. They featured such authors bestselling authors like Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, and also featuring up and comers like John D. MacDonald. All done with some of the best illustrators of the period.

A good portion of the magazine was non-fiction items of news. With quality photos, it was full of  popular culture, movies, music, technology, sports, travelogues, advice, vintage advertisements, the arts, comics, and probable more stuff than I can think of.

The magazine can tend have a too wholesome sweetness to it (see cover). But I’m drawn to the fiction illustrators. They featured art and illustrations by some of the top professionals in the field. And the illustrations, like the fiction, covered nearly every genre. If there was one thing that was somewhat subversive to the general sheen of the American glee, it was the mystery and crime fiction and illustrations.

And don’t forget to click on the thumbnails.

Not my taste in covers, but the inside is golden.

This is Love -- art by Morgan Kane

jenny and the big bad wolf--art by Arthur Sarnoff

The Most Important Man -- art by Peter Stevens. A bullet to the face plate, yuch!

Beloved Survivor -- art by Tom Lovell

Nero Wolfe and the Vanishing Clue -- sort of a title page -- art by Alex Ross (no not that Alex Ross)

Nero Wolfe and the Vanishing Clue -- art by Alex Ross

Okay the funniest thing about this is the writer's name. I can see the editor shaking his head saying "Really, we're goin' with that? Dick Hyman?"

Retro-fact -- road maps used to be given away for free at gas stations. This guy could be going "A Beautiful Mind" on us.