Friday 1 January 2010

And We're Back... with Sin!

Happy new year, all--let's kick off with some sleaze!



One book I got over the Christmas period was Sin-A-Rama, published by Feral House in the US. I'd been told about this by commenters as a great source of information on the sleazy pulps and the people behind them. It truly is a treasure trove, especially regarding covers... (click for bigger versions of the following spreads)


























The second spread features an alarming clown-featuring cover by Eric Stanton, as well as another by an artist I'd never heard of before: Elaine Duillo. (And who knew there was such a demand for clown sleaze? And if you did know, please keep it to yourself.)



Among her many other covers, Duillo also produced one that I would have included in my wrap-up of Zola sleaze, if only I had known of it.


 

Here are some more Duillos--like Robert Bonfils, she's someone with real technical skill and an eye for design who spent her professional life in the artistic gutter, without letting it squash her visual flair.


 
 
 
 


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, so much pulpy goodness in one place! Clowns still scare me, and the clown sex pulp is a huge surprise. I guess I don't understand the fetish.

But this stuff is so bad... it's GOOD!

Rex Parker said...

Not surprisingly, I bought this a couple years back. Indispensable. Worth it for that clown cover (Top Ten all time) alone. Thanks for reminding me to get this out of cold storage. ~RP

Brian Busby said...

Sin-A-Rama is more than worth buying for the covers alone, but I think of even greater value are the essays. (Which is saying a lot.)

On that note, I recommend another Feral House title, Dope Menace: The Sensational World of Drug Paperbacks by Sin-A-Rama contributor Stephen J. Gertz. More pulpy goodness mixed in with some essential reading.

JRSM said...

The essays are fascinating--and for the most part, the people behind it all seem surprisingly sane (with some notable, Ed Wood-style exceptions). I have to get 'Dope Menace' too, then, obviously!

Bob Fingerman said...

Glad you scored a copy of that. It's a great collection.

Bob Fingerman said...

By the way, thanks for highlighting Elaine Duillo. I'm going to have to look for more by her.

JRSM said...

Cheers, Bob--it was your original recommendation that sent me into this World Of Sin.

Bob Fingerman said...

Sure, blame me.

Happy New Year!