RE Otto P’s telephone-booked sized pulp anthologies, I own TWO copies of each. One copy sits intact on my bookshelf; the other copy I cut up, story by story as I read each one. I carry these folded, stapled copies to work to read at lunch, to my kids’ ball games, doctor appointments, air travel, etc. Although my family thinks I’m nuts for doing this, I find it more satisfying than reading on a kindle. The disposable nature of these stapled packets seems more in tune with the pulps’ original raison d’etre.
I love that woodpulp paper. For all its coarse grain, my old copies look...we-e-e-ell okay though the stapling falls apart first. I feel all those newer-era comic-book anthologies made one huge mistake in opting for glossy pages that are only authentic to old Marvel/DC covers. The old woodpulp pages gave more depth and dimension to inkings, I always found. Gloss pages look shallow, seem to laminate the coloring and bounce the surface light back at you. Woodpulp is more atmospheric as well as nostalgic now. DC/Marvel could have saved money (I assume?) had they gone the authentic woodpulp paper way for those smetimes 1000-page anthologies and I would have bought them all - - but zero interest in those inauthentic glossies. As for detective fiction anthologies, I love Otto Penzler-edited anthologies such as PULP because publishers found a compromise that does retain some of the feel of those old pages.
RE Otto P’s telephone-booked sized pulp anthologies, I own TWO copies of each. One copy sits intact on my bookshelf; the other copy I cut up, story by story as I read each one. I carry these folded, stapled copies to work to read at lunch, to my kids’ ball games, doctor appointments, air travel, etc. Although my family thinks I’m nuts for doing this, I find it more satisfying than reading on a kindle. The disposable nature of these stapled packets seems more in tune with the pulps’ original raison d’etre.
Cutting up a book is insane.....crazy.....dumb.
I would love to see an episode on Dell Mapbacks
Regarding the covers showing buxom beauties, the stories within were sometimes called "bodice rippers." Alas, rarely was the bodice ripped off.
Does the shop deal in the digests like Manhunt and Pursuit?
How much is the Argosy Magazine?
$15. We have other issues as well -- email info@mysteriousbookshop.com if you're interested.
I love that woodpulp paper. For all its coarse grain, my old copies look...we-e-e-ell okay though the stapling falls apart first. I feel all those newer-era comic-book anthologies made one huge mistake in opting for glossy pages that are only authentic to old Marvel/DC covers. The old woodpulp pages gave more depth and dimension to inkings, I always found. Gloss pages look shallow, seem to laminate the coloring and bounce the surface light back at you. Woodpulp is more atmospheric as well as nostalgic now. DC/Marvel could have saved money (I assume?) had they gone the authentic woodpulp paper way for those smetimes 1000-page anthologies and I would have bought them all - - but zero interest in those inauthentic glossies. As for detective fiction anthologies, I love Otto Penzler-edited anthologies such as PULP because publishers found a compromise that does retain some of the feel of those old pages.