FringePop

Bettie's Pages

2012-01-18T22:31:00.003-05:00

I haven't been able to get on a good posting click during the new year. So, I figured why not at least throw something up that I know all you lovers of vintage sexy time will appreciate. And what better else than Bettie Page?

And more to come. Very soon...

Jingle Balls

2011-12-16T00:25:00.001-05:00

What better way to celebrate Christmas than a gay Santa and his equally gay elves? The Man from C.A.M.P. comes for Christmas indeed!

Santa says, "Ho, ho, ho-mosexual!"

Oh what fun it is to ride....nevermind!

*Happy Holidays from Astrid of FringePop*

Is That a Muscle in Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy to See Me?

2011-11-19T06:29:00.004-05:00

"Love's Muscle"....we get the double entendre. Very cute. He's got muscles, and he's also got a...duh.

I like a few things specifically about this cover. One, it's painted by Robert Bonfils--need I say more? Two, it's got a really fine alliterative cover blurb. Three, two words: pink hair. And point number four, it amuses me that this was Bonfils' idea of a muscle man. He looks more like an anorexic George Hamilton that needs to eat a cheeseburger than he does a muscle man.

Oh well, here's to artistic interpretation!

"Man's Best"....let's hope not!

2011-11-09T16:27:00.004-05:00

Isn't it funny that the magazine is called "Man's Best" yet the painted cover features two men being strung up by a Nazi she-devil ala Ilsa?

This is the Stuff that Geek Wet Dreams are Made of...

2011-10-25T01:28:00.009-04:00

Cover: Robert Bonfils

What do you say about a sleaze book this fabulous? How do you put into words this wonderful...this fantastic...this stupendous mecca of dorky goodness? It's got "Star Trek." It's got "intercourse." It's got EVERYTHING.

This is the kind of book I think of when visions of sleaze books dance in my head... This is the kind of book that melts me into a little puddle of sleaze happiness.

I think I can finally die and go to sleaze heaven.

Sigh...

The only thing that's missing from the cover is one of those "red shirt" guys. Now that would be geektastic!

And um...yeah, um. Where's the Cap'n? And um, yeah, the dude with the pointy ears?

Just sayin...

She gave him butterflies...in his penis!

2011-10-20T02:17:00.006-04:00

This book amazes me in so many ways. When I was going to post about it, I was at a loss for words. A pretentious art critic might comment on the exquisitely rendered Bonfils cover. Me, I'm just happy that the book and title are based on a pleasing euphemism for a woman's lady parts. "Lust's Butterfly" has a better ring than "Lust's Beaver"! Somehow a woman in a beaver costume doesn't have quite the sexy sophistication of a butterfly woman. Then again, if you're into furries...

Ah, fuck it, bring on the beaver costume! This is what sleaze is all about!

They Did the Mash...They Did the Monster Mash!

2011-10-14T11:36:00.005-04:00

I'm by no means an expert on these old horror comic magazines. I've picked up a few here and there, because they frequently have brightly colored, sensational cover images. And I appreciate the horror genre.

Take this cover art for instance. You've got a skeleton dude. You've got sexy damsels in bondage fighting for their lives. And you've got rats! Yep, rats. As the proud owner of 7 of these fine little creatures, this pleases me immensely.

Anyway, I really don't have a lot of knowledge about these, but I like the art. When I like something, I share it. Sharing is caring.

She Was A Sex Tripper...One Way Ticket, Yeah.

2011-10-08T16:25:00.002-04:00

Another splendid cover by Robert Bonfils. Enuf said.

One Flew Over the Nympho's Nest

2011-10-03T17:15:00.005-04:00

"Um, yeah, I'm here about the 'nympho ward'...could somebody provide me an address? I got a GPS and all, but I'm gonna need that address."

"WHAT??? It doesn't exist???? Damn, you Greenleaf Books...you're such a tease!"

While I am quite disappointed to learn that said nympho ward only exists in the imagination of 60's smutsters, I'm happy that we at least have this great Tom Cannizaro illustration as a manifestation of that imagination.

But, I still gotta call out Greenleaf for being such a tease. I mean after all, what bikini clad woman wouldn't want another bikini clad woman to hose her so hard that her bikini flew off? Right? Um, yeah, I guess I may be alone in this one.

Can we say awkward?

I'm Too Sexy for This Painting....Too Sexy By Far!

2011-09-27T14:11:00.003-04:00

Wow, what a better way to show a character's narcissism than by having said character proudly display a painting of herself. Gotta love this cover art gem by artist Tom Cannizaro. He's not as well known as Bonfils but boy did he know how to crank out the sleaze...

The whole idea of a "painting" within a "painting" is very cool, indeed. Like a precursor to picture in picture. Well, not really, but it's still fun!

Zombies Need Love Too....

2011-09-09T07:41:00.005-04:00

Almost 10 years ago, my husband and I saw the book "Take Death for a Lover" listed on an eBay auction. We bid but did not win the book. For nearly 10 years, we wanted the book but never saw another copy listed for sale. Recently, however a copy was listed on auction, and we managed to win it. We paid a healthy sum, but alas, that's the curse of the collector...little impulse control when it comes to something that you must add to the collection.

Is this front cover fellow a zombie? The back cover text gives no indication of his zombie status (or lack thereof), and I'm not about to read the damn thing. He does has some major "zombie eyes" going on. But, it's hard to say for sure... Is his woman a zombie? Again, hard to say.... The green skin suggests so, but this title would have been published before "Night of the Living Dead" made zombies a big deal. Whatever the case, there are few things sexier than a nude woman with red "X's" on her breasts, draped in barb wire and being carried by a ...err...uh...wait, this isn't sexy at all!

But when it comes to sleaze books, it's all about the art and the freakier the better. And they sure as hell look like zombies to me. CONCLUSION: Anyone with brains would love this cover art... (sorry, couldn't resist).

He broke my little bottle of....Lust Potion 69!

2011-08-24T00:32:00.003-04:00

The title has a great play on words, and the cover art by Bonfils is pretty freaky. But so is the plot!

From the back cover:

"Professor Trucheon and Dick used Dwarf and Hunchback to kidnap the girls they needed for their sadistic sexperiments....until Trucheon developed Formula 69. With it, they could 'turn on' a city of thousands, and take their pick from the orgy-mad mob of lust crazed beauties."

I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like an awful lot of work just to get laid!

Because Green Berets Need Love Too...

2011-08-16T20:58:00.004-04:00

These fellows look like patrons at an old-time nudie bar. And can you believe the expression on that dude's face? It's hard to say whether Bonfils was trying to convey a stupid drunk guy or a drunk stupid guy. Either way, genius.

Spiders & Heroin Go Together Like Birds of a Feather

2011-07-31T15:46:00.004-04:00

"Passion Pusher" is one strange sleaze pb. I had never even seen an image of this book, until recently when it was listed on eBay, and I won the copy on auction. Robert Bonfils is a damn fine cover artist with a damn fine illustration concept. I haven't read this sleazy gem but based on the back cover, I can tell you that the story concerns a prostitute that's hired by a drug dealer to hook young high school boys on junk (presumably heroin).

Bonfils could have done a literal interpretation-- a scantily clad prostitute standing in the school parking lot while smoking a cigarette and giving high school boys the come-hither look. To really set the scene, she could have been holding a hypo needle behind her back.

But Bonfils gives us something even better. A sexy spider woman in a web, ready to trap high school boys in all that sticky goodness (or badness, since they are going to get addicted to heroin, after all).

A spider woman baring her fangs, while wearing next to nothing=A sleaze cover after my own heart.

Sigh.

On Collecting, Grails, and "Hypno Sin"

2011-07-18T18:54:00.007-04:00

Ah, collecting. It's something I'm obsessive about, but I often wonder if it isn't merely organized hoarding. Whatever the case, fuck it. I love doing it, and I'll continue to do it throughout my life.

But, how did my collecting begin?

My collecting interests have ebbed and flowed from the start. I'm sure they were inspired, in part, by having an antique dealer father. My first major collecting love was record albums, which I started picking up when I was around 16. Being a lover of classic rock, I enjoyed going to garage sales and picking up original vinyl from my favorite bands-- The Beatles, The Doors, The Rolling Stones. I had my very own turntable set up in my room, and while all my peers were listening to CD's on their boom boxes, I felt super cool listening to music on vinyl. I was such an elitist little asshole.

Around the same time, I was discovering Beat writers-- Kerouac especially struck a chord. I had a wanderlust myself, being an alienated teenager living in a small town of 370 people, and his travels helped me escape my mundane life. I wanted nothing more than to get away from that place. At the same time, I was having an existential crisis. Was it typical teen angst bullshit? I tend to think not because I was stressing out over the meaning of life, not trying to figure out how to get one over on my parents.

Anyway, getting into the Beat writers was important. It provided a distraction from the ennui. My interest in the Beats led me to an interest in Beat exploitation materials-- you know vintage paperbacks, magazines, records, etc that were aimed at cashing in on "beatniks." We're not talking about Kerouac, Burroughs, Cassady, or Ginsberg. We're talking Dobie Gillis.

That's how I got into collecting vintage paperbacks-- I got a real kick out of these exploitation items. They were over-the-top and ridiculous. They made me smile, and I really needed that.

My interests have ebbed and flowed, though. In my mid-20's, I became less interested in collecting vintage paperbacks. I had a love of them, yes, but my attentions turned to vintage sideshow memorabilia and original victorian post-mortem photography. With the exception of vinyl, there's been a theme in my collecting-- I've gravitated toward the weird or taboo.

Now my interests have flowed back to collecting paperbacks, particularly to vintage sleaze. In part, my passion has been re-ignited because I'm writing a book on the pop cultural history of a certain sub-genre of sleaze books.

I often think about collecting, and I wonder what draws others to it. I'd love to hear stories from individual collectors. What made you collect? What made you gravitate toward certain objects?

This post is also about something that my husband and I call "grails." For us, "grail" items are those elusive pieces that we are constantly trying to add to our collections. They're hard-t0-come-by, and it might take years before they finally surface on the internet. Even then, we might enter a bidding war and still lose the damn thing.

"Grail" items are strange. We lust for them, like hunter-gatherers trying to find some rare berry. But we are not like the hunter-gatherers who would then get the joy of eating the berry. Our thrill comes less in attaining the object than hunting for the object. Once we get the object, my husband and I always joke about it. If it's a paperback, we'll examine it for a while and then put it on our shelves in a protective plastic bag. He'll say, "I guess that's it. We have it now." We joke that now that we have it, "That's one less thing to worry about." We've created this quest for this item but once we get it-- now what? Granted, it is something to do...

Collectors out there-- what do you think about grails? Do you have them? How do you feel when you acquire them?

I've posted a picture on this post of a recent grail that we acquired. My husband and I have been looking for this book, Hypno-Sin, for about 10 years. We'd seen pictures of it online, but we'd never seen it listed for sale. We lusted after the book for so long, but then when we got it, it all seemed sort of silly. Don't get me wrong, it's a great cover and title, and it's great Robert Bonfils eye candy for any vintage sleaze collector. But we put it on the shelves in a baggy after examining it.

And that was that.

Because it's Bettie, that's why.

2011-07-14T00:31:00.003-04:00

Bettie Page cover "BOLD GIRLS!" There's not a whole lot to say about this except that it has a Bettie cover and that's why I bought it. Bettie, nuff said.

I have plans to scan some really fun items from our collection but recently I've been too preoccupied. I'm working on a non-fiction book that is a popular cultural survey of "swingers" (mostly in the 60's). The popular cultural items include vintage sleaze paperbacks (of course!), vintage sexploitation movie posters, and more. I'm also writing a significant amount of text to accompany the images and put them in context.

What can I say? It's fun to read and write about sex! I sound like such a geek...which I am.

Cause what's better than mini-skirts and knee-high boots...

2011-07-06T14:20:00.002-04:00

"Bohemian Stud Bums" Original Art.

2011-06-27T21:01:00.005-04:00

Okay, so I've shared two sleaze illustration art originals from the same publishing company. Now, let's get to the third, "Bohemian Stud Bums" (1966) by Carlo Torres. This imprint is "Royal Line" and the number is RL128. Oh to be a bohemian AND a stud AND a bum...that character must have quite the life. I wonder if Kerouac ever saw any of these wacky beat-exploitation pulps?

Beat-exploitation is the genre that first got me interested in collecting vintage paperbacks. And I also met my husband through collecting vintage paperbacks. Without beat exploitation, my life would be very different. Thanks beat exploitation writers for a job well one! Where would I be without you?

All three originals laid out together
(ABOVE)

Happy Father's Day, Dad! Guess what? I stole your woman!

2011-06-19T18:32:00.005-04:00

The lesbian pulp art shown in the previous post wasn't the only piece we picked up. We also got this most excellent original vintage sleaze illustration for "Deviate Street Stud" by King Krissel (what a name!). The art illustrates Spartan Line 117.

Tales of a gigolo? Perhaps...although the cover copy seems to suggest a much more appropriate story line given that its Father's Day. The little scamp on the cover has stolen his father's woman! Well can you blame him? Father knows best...when it comes to picking women.

Oh and sorry about the glare on the woman's ass. I assure you that was completely unintentional.

Baby Got Back...Original Lesbian Sleaze Art!

2011-06-16T21:23:00.004-04:00

I've made my love for original vintage paperback art well known. As you might have guessed, I'm particularly fond of anything sleaze paperback related. I think this stems from growing up in a town of only 370 people-- being so sheltered, I'm attracted to the taboo.

So far, I've shared original illustration art for some gay sleaze paperbacks in our collection. But, we also have some original art for a lesbian paperback-- the book "Lust on the Run." "Lust on the Run" was published by a shady little imprint known as "Spartan Line" (1966). "Spartan Line" was just one of many lines put out by a fly-by-night publisher that was known for stealing books from other publishers and repackaging them as their own. I didn't look into whether "Lust on the Run" was one of the stolen books.

I really wish I knew who painted these covers. Many of them seem to be painted by the same individual, but as is typical with sleaze artists, the work is unsigned.

By the way, isn't it cool how the boobs aren't censored on the original artwork version? It almost makes life worth living...

Anyway, enjoy and if anyone has any tips on who painted these, that proverbial lollipop is still up for grabs!

I put a spell on you...

2011-06-06T15:47:00.004-04:00

Just got back from my first ever trip to New Orleans. I'm running a little behind on my posting, but in honor of visiting NOLA, I wanted to post this vintage Warren horror magazine cover, "Tales of Voodoo." It's circa early 70's. Being a proud rat owner, I love the little rat-like creatures biting at the vampire woman's feet.

It seemed appropriate to post this, since my visit included a stop at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum. It was kitschy little hole-in-the-wall place and well worth the paltry admission fee. My favorite part-- the over-tanned, leather-skinned woman who asked the owner if the voodoo item she wanted to buy would only work for the person buying it. She wanted to give it to a friend, and she wanted to make sure it would still work. The owner assured her it would work just fine.

Um, yeah...

I love the smell of nudity in the morning

2011-05-20T10:34:00.004-04:00

Good morning! I say this knowing full well that it's 10:30, and many of you have probably been up for hours. In which case, I'm sorry to hear that.

Today's bit of FringePop is brought to you by the fabulous Bettie Page (RIP). The magazine"Modern Sunbathing" is one of Bettie's forays into the nudist magazine arena. I could have scanned some pictures of the "nude but not naked" Ms. Page from inside. But guess what? It's the age of Google in which you can find these images with a simple image search and that little fact combined with my tendency towards loafing led to a lethal laziness cocktail. Sure, you could probably find the front of the magazine online as well, but I do need something to post about.

What's the difference between nude and naked? Someone once told me the difference between nude, naked, and nekkid, but I was drunk and forgot the difference. So, if anyone can be of help, that would be great.

So, enjoy Bettie's bright and smiling face. And if you can't find the nudity online, I promise to provide it in a future post.

Paper Caper

2011-05-10T20:39:00.008-04:00

I learned how to sew about a year ago. Since then, I've gone pretty nutso. I've sewed over 30 mini-skirts and probably about 30-40 dresses. All of them are in the style of the 60's, which is my favorite era for so many things-- interior design, music, vintage sleaze sex books--I could go on and on about my love affair with the 60's.

I love the mod look and have been sewing the mod look. BUT, from a collector's standpoint, I needed some esoteric objects from the past to supplement this new found sewing hobby. Anyone who is a collector knows that collectors will find any excuse to collect something new! But what mod item should I start collecting? I could have collected vintage mod clothing, but I wouldn't really "collect" clothing--I wear the vintage stuff I find. Besides, I was already sewing clothing. What did I decide on? I decided to collect paper dresses.

Front of yellow pages paper dress

(ABOVE)

What's more pop art than the paper dress phenomenon? While I doubt most producers of paper dresses were trying to make a statement, they did. And that statement was about the throwaway nature of our disposable consumer culture.

One of the most collectible paper dresses from the era is the yellow pages paper dress. Manufactured in 1966 by "Waste Basket Boutique" (Mars of Asheville, NC), the yellow pages paper dress was valued by Antiques Roadshow at a whopping $1800. My husband and I purchased the yellow pages paper dress for our collection, but we bought it on eBay, so we didn't pay anywhere near the $1800 roadshow price (whew!).

Back of yellow pages paper dress
(ABOVE)

But, we don't yet have in our collection, the most sensational paper dress of them all: the "Souper Dress."

What's the Souper Dress you ask? Starting in 1962, the most famous pop artist of them all, Andy Warhol, began creating his famous Campbell's soup can works. The incorporation of mundane commercial objects as "fine art" at first offended the art establishment, but now the cans have come to be an important part of art history and an easily recognizable symbol in our culture. Warhol himself said that, "a group of painters have come to the common conclusion that the most banal and even vulgar trappings of modern civilization can, when transposed to canvas, become Art."

So, whatever your thoughts about Warhol's work, it certainly provoked discussion and continues to be debated to this day.

But, back to the Souper Dress. In 1966-67, Campbell's soup decided to capitalize on Warhol's inclusion of their product in his art and on the whole paper dress movement by selling a paper dress with their soup cans as the design. Campbell's marketed their paper dress as "The Souper Dress" (nice play on words there Campbell's). If you sent in two Campbell's soup labels plus $1.00, you too could own the Souper Dress, which by the way now sells on eBay for anywhere from $700 to $1800 depending on the condition. Yep, the Souper Dress has become quite the cultural icon.

So, in this post, I'm going to share some pictures of an original "yellow pages" paper dress and myself wearing the dress. The dress is pretty sack-like and not all that flattering, but it wasn't quite as dowdy as I expected. There's something charming about it.

I hope in the future to have added the Souper Dress to our collection as well-- but in the meantime, I've included a picture of the Souper Dress from a museum collection.

The Truth About Hippies

2011-05-04T21:41:00.004-04:00

When I saw this vintage men's adventure magazine, I almost peed myself. How in the hell did the illustrator come up with this cover? I mean, for real? It's soooooooooo accurate. Every single time I've meet a hippie, they've tried to skewer me with a hook and brand my ass with a peace sign.

Get outta my head, illustrator!

Strippers & Zombies & Sleaze, Oh My!

2011-04-28T11:14:00.003-04:00

The whole point of the "fake sleaze book project" was to create fake covers for books that should have been but never were. And what's a better combination than zombies and strippers? Okay, yeah there are some better combos but not a whole lot-- maybe stripper she-devils? (gotta file that one away for future reference) And I rather liked the movie "Zombie Strippers." I thought it was good campy fun. It didn't take itself too seriously either.

And a sleaze book with this concept? It couldn't be anything less than golden.

But how to make regular sleaze gals into zombie strippers? Well, the stripper part's easy. All you need is scantily clad women, and in sleaze, they're hardly scarce. But zombies? We could use our graphic design knowledge to go into each image and adjust the skin and add some blood and guts for good effect. Our conclusion? Nah, we are much too lazy for that. This is supposed to be fun, not work! Well, it did end up being super easy, because Greenleaf publishers had an amazing cover artist named Ed Smith. And on two occasions, for reasons completely unknown, he did covers with women who looked rather green. Was Mr. Smith into some kind of underground fetish that is lost in the annals of history? Was he colorblind and had a slip up? We'll never know...

Whatever the case, thanks Mr. Smith for providing the building blocks for our version of "Zombie Strippers" -- "Zombie A Go Go."

"A Queen's Fury" and no I'm not talking about the royal wedding

2011-04-21T10:49:00.003-04:00

Today I'm featuring the last original gay pulp painting in my collection. When I attained these original illustrations, I was able to get three from the same dealer. I've never seen any others listed for sale from anyone else.

This painting is for "A Queen's Fury" by Aaron Thomas (Nightstand Book 1873) from 1968. This is another work by Darrell Millsap, prolific illustrator for these imprints.

This piece is quirky and fun and a little mysterious. Why mysterious? Because what the hell's up with the toy car and plane? All the gay men I've known have been far too fabulous to get on their hands and knees and play with children's toys (maybe other toys, but not those!). Rug burn anyone?!

I'd probably have to read "A Queen's Fury" to find out what's up with that. Will I do that? Hell no. I'm way too lazy for that.

Another Case Closed....

2011-04-13T01:24:00.004-04:00

I knew that the x-rated poster for "Young & Innocent" (which I previously blogged about) had to be a ripoff of a Robert McGinnis paperback cover. Sure enough, my husband tracked down the original McGinnis cover that the poster maker stole from.

Ta da! Above are both the poster and the original paperback cover. Enjoy these "twins." They sure beat lame-asses like the Olsens!

Now don't freakout but...

2011-04-06T20:43:00.005-04:00

Just an oddball sex mag for you on this balmy Wednesday night (and I mean balmy with all sincerity-- I live in Atlanta).

I love the late 60's softcore sex mags. The insides of the magazines never quite live up to the promise of the front covers. Nonetheless, I think they're great fun. However, because this mag doesn't live up to the outside's promise, I have nothing to share from the inside. There were some goofy pics of dancing hippies and an article on drugs, but nothing too sleaze-tastic. Certainly not as sleaze-tastic as a game in which you guess who's a lesbian! Now that was exciting : - )

So enjoy "Freakout": a silly sex mag from the late 60's. I'm too lazy to look up the exact date at the moment, but if anyone just HAS to know the date, I can provide it.

Faking It for Fun..."She Asked for Astrid"

2011-03-31T11:44:00.007-04:00

I'd like to present another of our fake sleaze paperbacks! This one is actually a fake Brandon House book with art from their iconic illustrator "Fred Fixler." Fixler was known for painting leggy women with thin yet curvaceous bodies, who were often portrayed in the throes of lesbian love or in the midst of a menage-a-trois. His covers are some of the most well-wrought, particularly in the lesbian pulp field.

We had to get rid of the "white cap" to make this work
(ABOVE)

Let me explain one reason my husband and I did this project. As any vintage paperback collector knows, many publishers put out books with first names as the titles. Some of the "name titles" that come to mind are "Nikki," and "Taffy," and sometimes a name will be incorporated in the title such as "Loving Linda" or "The Trouble with Ava." These are just a few that come to mind. There are MANY examples...

Anyway, being voracious vintage pb collectors, my husband and I were sad that we couldn't find a "name title" with my name in the title. We searched and searched, but we've never been able to find one with "Astrid" in the title. So, what did we do? We decided to create one ourselves. As such, this fake sleaze paperback, "She Asked for Astrid" is the first fake pb we created.

When we created "She Asked for Astrid", we tried to be meticulous about the graphic work. We sought to emulate Brandon House's style as much as possible. We included their logos, we were mindful of their layouts, etc. We put a tinted photo of me on the back cover, because Brandon House often did that. Brandon house would have the cover art on the front and then on the backside, a photo of some model that looked like she belonged on the cover of "Satana" or "Black Silk Stockings."

So, I hope you enjoy "SHE ASKED FOR ASTRID." We certainly enjoyed making it!

With a Name Like Manlove...

2011-03-28T00:23:00.004-04:00

With a name like Manlove.... you've got to assume this book is filled with manlove! If not, that's some very serious false advertising.

Haven't read this saucy bit of gayness, but I've got to assume it's about what it says: a man who is "gay but not happy." In the 50's all the gay and lesbian pulps had to have sad endings, because the books had to reinforce the anti-gay status quo. I had thought by the late 60's that the gay pulps had gotten away from that. On the other hand, with a title like this you've got to wonder if that was still the prevailing mood of the gay pulps. Then again, I've seen plenty of gay books from the era with "happier" titles like "Locker Room Lovers," "Blow the Man Down," and "Brothers in Love", just to name a few.

So, enjoy the original cover artwork for "Gay But Not Happy." I'm not sure of the artist's identity-- perhaps Greenleaf's Harry Bremner? Hey, if you can answer it, that lollipop's still available. Although, by now I'm sure it's stuck between the cushions and covered in the couch's version of belly button lint...but hey, it's still good!

Every Single One of Us the Devil Inside (in this case, literally)

2011-03-25T12:37:00.008-04:00

During the holiday season, my husband and I were feeling stifled by all the rampant consumerism and general madness of the season. We needed a creative outlet to distract ourselves from what came to be known as "Piss-mas."

So, we decided to combine our love of vintage sleaze paperbacks with our knowledge of graphic design. We embarked on a project in which we would create our own versions of vintage sleaze paperbacks. We put our imaginations to work and made cover proofs for books we wish the sleaze publishers had put out. The kind of books that wet dreams...err dreams... are made of.

To begin our project, we brainstormed and came up with some of our favorite vintage sleaze themes. One of the best themes: the devil. Anything with the Prince of Darkness was a sure winner in our book (both literally and figuratively). And the publishers of the time put out so many great devil covers themselves: everything from "Satan Was a Lesbian" to "Devil's Harvest." In the future, I will get the best devil covers out of storage and feature them here.

But for now, I present one of our creations (more in the future). We appropriated the art from "Satan Was a Lesbian" (a true classic with cover art by Doug Weaver) and another Weaver cover "Strange Honeymoon" to come up with.... MENAGE-A-SATAN!

Because who doesn't want to have a threesome with the devil?

Doug Weaver illustration that we appropriated
(ABOVE)

The other Weaver illustration we used
(ABOVE)

I'd also like to thank our friend Jim Linderman of "Dull Tool, Dim Bulb" and "Vintage Sleaze" for recently featuring our project on his blog. Jim is a fantastic historian and blogger, who constantly inspires me to get my shit together. If I could only have a shred of his discipline, I'd be set! Jim's feature included a fake vintage sleaze paperback we designed, which incorporated him as a character. It was a pleasure to design it for him, and it was too cool that he in turn featured it on his blog. So, show him some love and visit his blogs (if you haven't already).

Vintage Sleaze

Dull Tool, Dim Bulb

Is that a sword in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

2011-03-23T18:12:00.004-04:00

The paperback cover
(ABOVE)

Last post featured a little bit of vintage lesbiana so what better to follow than some gay pulp? By the way is lesbiana a word? I've heard "victoriana" for the Victorian era, so I just went with it.

Featured today is the original artwork for the 1960's gay paperback "The Fellows Backstage" by Chris Davidson (1968). I found this rare original illustration on eBay. It took some digging, and I was shocked to find it. Hardly any of the original sleaze paperback illustrations survived the era. And those that did survive are mostly in personal collections.

The original art
(ABOVE)

But luckily, this and a couple others did survive and now they're mine. All mine!

Original artwork is by Darrell Millsap. He was a prolific illustrator working exclusively (as far as I know) for Greenleaf Classics.

More gay pulp to come...

Because What's More Violent Than Lesbianism?

2011-03-20T17:46:00.008-04:00

I've got some campy, sexy fun for today. Recently, I've started buying up sexy vintage magazines (mostly from the 1960's). I'm talking about the stuff that's naughtier than men's adventure/girlie/pinup fare but not hardcore pornography.

I'm not interested in buying every issue of any particular magazine. Just like the Supreme Court and obscenity, I know it when I see it. And then, I buy it.

Today's campy, sexy fun is a mag called "Raunchy." Volume 1, No. 2 from 1968.

The inside of this mag is more entertaining than the outside. This mag has it all... not only will you see softcore lesbian lovelies, you'll also be treated to important social commentary. Did you know that lesbians are extremely violent, and that at any given moment, will engage in topless wrestling?

And even more fun is the game this magazine offers. Can you guess which women are lesbians? I challenge you! Take on the challenge....if you dare! I will reveal the answer in a subsequent post...

Mystery Solved....the artist is Armand Weston

2011-03-19T17:57:00.002-04:00

Well, after extensive googling and typing in keyword after keyword, I found the answer to who illustrated the x-rated movie posters signed "Weston." This most excellent artist was a man named "Armand Weston." Oddly enough, the trivia page on IMDB for "Heat Wave" lists him as the artist:

IMDB: Heat Wave

Also, I found the following link:

Men's Pulp Mags

Weston, as the pulp mags author writes, truly was a multi-talented guy. Illustration artist and both director and producer of XXX movies? What a combo!

Also, I've seen the movie "Defiance of the Good" (which he directed), and it was good, sleazy fun.

Now, if I could just figure out who illustrated "A Teenage Pajama Party", my life would be complete...

And to those of you who lost out on that lollipop, better luck next time!

XXX Movie Posters...Part 2!

2011-03-19T16:53:00.004-04:00

More XXX posters from the collection. There are more in the collection than this, but I'll probably save more for a future post.

Some random notes:
1.) I wish someone could tell me who did the art on "A Teenage Pajama Party." Someone that good was likely a prolific illustrator in the mainstream world. And I know many people that would like to be invited to this party...

2.) Many of the illustrated posters were put out by Essex Video (i.e. "Portrait of Seduction", "Heat Wave," "Expectations," etc). I suspect they were done by the same artist who signed his name "Weston" on "Heat Wave." I'm going to do some detective work and see if I might determine the artist's identity.

3.) "Young & Innocent" has illustration art that looks to be a Robert McGinnis rip-off. I tried to peruse the net to see if I could confirm this. No such luck. I know Paul Rader's art was ripped-off for a X movie called "Swedish Sorority Girls", which I posted about in the past. If anyone can confirm this, that free lollipop is still available. I've got to come up with some better prizes.

The return of FringePop...XXX Movie Posters!

2011-03-17T15:14:00.008-04:00

A sneak preview of what's to come
if you take the time to scroll down this post!
(ABOVE)

After a long--okay VERY long--hiatus, FringePop is back. I will not shower you with excuses as to why I've been gone. I will not give you "this reason" or "that reason." I have no good excuses, unless you think lack of discipline and an extended battle with apathy count as good excuses. I don't.

One of my biggest struggles will be trying to remember what I've posted already and what I've not posted. When you're swimming in antiques and tschotskes like I am, this is no easy task. Hopefully my archives with assist.

Let's start with a recent collecting obsession: x-rated movie posters. A few months ago, I read a fantastic book called "The Other Hollywood: The Uncensored Oral History of the Porn Film Industry." Authored by Legs McNeil (who did a great history book on punk rock, I'm told), this 400+ page tome consisted of interview transcripts that the author compiled together to tell various stories about the industry and the people within it, spanning from the early days of the nudie cuties to the modern days of cum fart cocktails. Yes, those last three words are crass but they illustrate the shift that has occurred in the X-rated industry. While there's been a shift, things haven't really changed that much. Modern day porn may not be the beaver mags you found under your dad's mattress, but it still has the same intent-- getting people (mostly men) off.

Why am I attracted to this collecting genre? Easy answer: for as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to the subversive, not necessarily as a participant but as a voyeur. However, as a sex-positive feminist, my feelings about porn are mixed. I've written personal blogs in which I've ruminated extensively on the topic. I won't get into them here, but I will say that I ultimately come out on the side of freedom of speech. And I ultimately decided that I find it patriarchal to over-protect adult women from their choices. I do not want a "daddy state" that tells women what to do with their bodies nor do I want a "daddy state" that tells me what I can and cannot view in the privacy of my own home.

Besides, pornography is defined as "the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement" (Websters). Pornography, as defined, is not inherently bad. If you don't like what you see (and I don't always like that I see), you have two choices: a.) don't watch it; and/or b.) talk about the issue in a way that will spread discourse and debate. I recommend doing both! We can make BETTER porn, people. Porn that *gasp* maybe even men AND women would enjoy?

With that, I get off my soap box and present some recent acquisitions to my x-rated movie poster collection. What does that rant have to do with these posters? Depending on your perspective, very little or everything.

This fits right in with the likes of a Paul Rader or Robert Maguire
(ABOVE)

All the posters shown date from the late 1960's into the 1970's. I love that illustration art was still a big thing on x-rated movie posters even into the 1970's. The ones with illustration art look like giant versions of vintage sleaze paperbacks! And what makes me happier than a good vintage sleaze paperback illustration? Not a whole hell of a lot.

A few of the illustrated ones are signed by the artist, although I haven't been able to identify them beyond their last names. For example, the "Heat Wave" poster (my fave-- I heart Satan) is signed "Weston." Another one, "Starlet", is signed "E. Calerz." Now, with that one, I'm really not sure if I'm reading the signature right.

You know what else is fun? Watching the actual movies. While I haven't seen any of these, I did have the pleasure of having a VCX subscription on the Fyre TV Box. I got to see many films from the 1970's and know quite a few of the actors from their films AND from Legs McNeil's book. And did I mention, I once got to meet Ron Jeremy. Ah, the joys of being a nerd.

I prefer illustrated poster art over photos
but these are still good, campy fun
(ABOVE)

I'd love to know the identity of these artists. If anyone can help, there's a free lollipop in it for you...

More X-Rated goodness to come in another post!

Spirit Photos from the Nineteen-teen's

2010-06-15T09:20:00.002-04:00

See my previous posts about spirit photography for more info...

Cabinet Card of Female Musicians

2010-06-09T09:29:00.002-04:00

Some women playing instruments. It's all I can muster at the moment. The last 6 weeks, I've been running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. I'm hoping to regain my head, along with my sanity, very soon, and get FringePop back into a regular schedule. In the meantime, I apologize for all the static.

Stop the Insanity!

2010-06-03T08:34:00.002-04:00

I have not posted in the last 10 days or so, because things have been mad lately just mad. In honor of all the madness, I give you a woman who looks pretty mad. Well, mad with fear, anyway.

Odd Musical Group Photograph

2010-05-19T10:15:00.005-04:00

Photographs of musicians is a collecting sub-genre in antique photography collecting. This particular group is a strange lot. Odd, awkward expressions. Stiff stature. Of course, this isn't uncommon for the time. However, I've seen enough antique photos to know that these fellows look stiffer and odder than the norm.

Cabinet Photo of Boy, Context?

2010-05-18T10:02:00.002-04:00

Confused about context of this. Did he act in a play? Perhaps Little Miss Muffet? The spiderweb backdrop is intriguing.

Cabinet Photo of Poor Boy

2010-05-15T09:46:00.003-04:00

I find antique photographs of lower class people quite interesting. They have a Dickensian character that is not found in formal cabinet cards taken in a studio. But, we shouldn't romanticize this. No doubt, this was a hard life. "People's History of the United States" by Zinn comes to mind.

Long-Haired Lovelies

2010-05-14T09:44:00.003-04:00

We have also sought out antique photos of women with long hair, preferably really long hair. This one is a nice example, although there are many good ones out there.

Dress Advertisement Cabinet Card?

2010-05-12T10:21:00.002-04:00

Any thoughts as to the context of this photo? I thought it might be an advertisement for a dress that was showcasing the backside.

Cabinet Card of African American Man (Cincinnati)

2010-05-11T09:22:00.002-04:00

Cabinet Card of Asian Man (Baltimore)

2010-05-10T10:10:00.002-04:00

Photos of minorities are relatively uncommon in photo collecting. You do find them from time to time, but they aren't "run of the mill" like photos of white folk. I can go to an antique store and look through 500 cabinet cards, and I probably won't find a single photo of a minority. So, it's interesting to find these photos when you do find them. This cabinet card from Baltimore shows an Asian man, probably Chinese.

I've Got My Eye On You...

2010-05-09T10:39:00.002-04:00

This Victorian trade card for eye salve is just plain creepy. Enjoy!

"Automatic Regulator" Victorian Trade Card Featuring Rat

2010-05-08T09:59:00.001-04:00

One of the sub-genres of my collecting involves rats. I have a brood of 9 pet rats who reside in a 5-foot tall rat manor. I couldn't be happier to have these curious little buggers as pets. People who don't own rats usually aren't familiar with their docile demeanor, curious personalities, and overall friendliness to humans. Anyway, I saw this Victorian trade card at an antique show and picked it up, because it shows a rat riding a frog.

Overall, I haven't been able to find very many collectibles with rats so if anyone out there comes across something cool, let me know. I'm especially interested in antique books about rats and rat-catching. I have a great rat catching book in this blog's archives.

Ambiguity

2010-05-07T13:58:00.004-04:00

At times, it's unclear whether an antique photograph depicts someone post-mortem. This is one such example. Judging from the somber expressions and the all black dress, I suspect that the baby is deceased. The baby is also "set-off" from the rest of the family with white dress. Whatever the case, a striking photograph.

"Jack the Ripper" One Sheet

2010-05-02T10:15:00.005-04:00

Original one-sheet film poster from the movie "Jack the Ripper" (1959). I so prefer the term "ladies of the night" when referring to prostitutes. It's so much friendly than our lingo today. You know, "bottom bitch," "ho," that sort of thing.

This Coulda Been Me After All the Recent Partying...

2010-05-01T09:19:00.003-04:00

My apologies for the brief hiatus. My brother was in Atlanta for 10 days, having flown in to visit from Seattle. We visited some interesting sites, such as the world famous Clermont Lounge. Truly the John Waters of bars/strip clubs. Anyway, for the moment, behind on my FP scanning, but enjoy this delightful image.

They Don't Make Hedonism Like They Used To...

2010-04-19T09:39:00.006-04:00

Where are these 'cellar clubs'? They sound like meccas of hedonism. In the context of their time, wilder than a weekend in the bottom of Lindsay Lohan's purse.

Attack of the Adorable Monsters

2010-04-16T09:31:00.002-04:00

Oh, c'mon...those don't look mean. They're adorable!

"G-Men Detective" Pulp

2010-04-13T09:24:00.004-04:00

G-Men detectives: what are they looking for? The G-spot?

A Little Belarski This Fine Sunday Morning

2010-04-11T10:35:00.003-04:00

See, this is why I'd never be a maid. Too many occupational hazards.

You can't get away from your relatives, even after they're dead

2010-04-07T09:15:00.006-04:00

Before photoshop, photographers still found ways to manipulate their work. For this family photograph, images of people that couldn't be there for the photo (whether because of death, long distance, what have you) were inserted into the final product. So, the whole family got to be in the photo, whether dead, alive, or in jail for double-homicide. Pretty nifty. Not sure how they did it, but it's an interesting historical artifact.

True Crime, pulpy pulp pulp

2010-04-01T09:02:00.002-04:00

Nice contrast here with the "blood lusting demon" and the "fair young girls of France."

Reefers, Redheads, and the Road to Ruin (okay, so why do they show a blonde?)

2010-03-29T10:05:00.002-04:00

This is nice. Just plain nice. Love the coy smile.

Sympathy for the Devil

2010-03-26T09:11:00.004-04:00

I like collecting items with the devil on them. I find him as imaginary as an unicorn or Jesus, but still, it's a fun hobby. Okay, don't get me on a technicality here. I know Jesus as a person isn't technically imaginary, but the whole zombie thing, well you know what I mean. This one has a Belarski cover, so it's also "For the Love of Rudolph Belarski."

Just because he's furry doesn't mean he won't fuck you up

2010-03-25T16:51:00.003-04:00

Don't mess with bear dude. He will fuck you up.

Rare Juvie Hardback with Pictorial Dust Jacket

2010-03-24T09:46:00.004-04:00

It was mostly the pulp paperback market that took on the subject of juvenile delinquency. They liked scandalous stuff. Of course, there were mainstream juvie movies too like "Blackboard Jungle" and "Rebel Without a Cause." This book's a rare example of a hardcover with pictorial dust jacket taking on the subject of juvenile delinquency.

It's always more fun to talk about "bad girls" than it is "bad boys." Our society just loves to get off on the deeds of "bad girls," and then condemn them the morning after.

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski VI

2010-03-23T09:38:00.003-04:00

This cover painting was so awesome that later Popular Library reused it for "Death and Taxes" by David Dodge. I would have scanned it as a companion piece, but it's in one of a gigantic stack of boxes in my storage unit.

For the Love of Peter Driben II

2010-03-22T09:39:00.003-04:00

Peter Driben painted great pin-up art for Harrison's mags. He was also a damn fine detective mag artist.

"Gay Love" Romance Pulp

2010-03-21T12:08:00.002-04:00

That snowman needs a Valium.

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski V

2010-03-20T10:20:00.003-04:00

I wanted to signal that I'm still alive and blogging. And this is how I feel about Republicans.

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski IV

2010-03-11T10:37:00.002-05:00

I was really happy to read the tagline of this Belarski cover and find out that "Death wears skis." I couldn't be happier with the news! I don't play sports and growing up in cold weather, I plan to stay away from it permanently. I guess this means I'll live forever.

Crime Detective: A Friendly Reminder that "Crime Does Not Pay"

2010-03-09T08:39:00.002-05:00

Crime Does Not Pay! But it's sure fun to read about it. Blood, guts, and misery--oh my!

Crime Detective: The Classic 'White Woman in Peril'

2010-03-08T08:53:00.007-05:00

The US media is as exploitative as ever. I'm shocked that words like "racket" have gone out of style. It's such an over-the-top, cheesetastic word. You'd think we'd be hearing about different "rackets" all the time.

And the whole "white woman in peril thing." Sometimes I wish the media would just be honest. We know you're obsessed with missing white women, why don't you just acknowledge your little fetish, media? Can you imagine a newscaster saying, "In today's news, yet another missing white woman. Everyone knows we love a good missing white woman story. Of course, a missing woman can't just be a woman, she's gotta be attractive too (or at least a 6 out of 10) and don't forget the most important part, WHITE."

Anyway, I know all this commentary is tangential to the "Crime Detective" shown. I just think it's interesting to contrast over-the-top media of the past with our over-the-top media. I think if you're going to be over-the-top, you should take it all the way and not try to pretend you're something you're not. The headline on the front of the "Crime Detective" should be "Please no! Don't hurt this poor, attractive, white woman!"

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski III

2010-03-07T09:41:00.000-05:00

"Crime Detective" Magazine

2010-03-05T10:19:00.002-05:00

Another most excellent "Crime Detective."

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski II

2010-03-04T11:27:00.002-05:00

Classic woman in peril cover by Belarski.

Crime Detective: 30's Detective Fun

2010-03-03T09:40:00.003-05:00

I generally prefer the 40's to 50's detective magazines with covers by artists like George Gross and Howell Dodd, but "Crime Detective" is a particularly good 30's mag. Covers are brightly colored, salacious artifacts of sin, sex, and scandal. And "mad rampage of the human monster"-- how can you NOT love THAT?

For the Love of Rudolph Belarski

2010-03-02T17:54:00.001-05:00

Just because I love Rudolph Belarski.

The Strangest Bookstore Find Ever Aka How Did I End Up With a Personal Item of Angelina Jolie?

2010-02-25T09:44:00.009-05:00

I'm a writer and a bibliophile. My husband and I have upwards of 10,000 books in our collection. Every few months, we do our "rounds." We visit the local used bookstores and see if they got anything new in. We only do it every few months, because usually the stock is pretty stagnant, and we walk out disappointed.

Last week, we visited one of the used bookstores on our "rounds." We volunteer for a non-profit global poverty organization called RESULTS, so when I saw a first edition of Jeffrey Sachs "The End of Poverty," I snapped it up. I did notice that it was signed and inscribed by Sachs, but I didn't think much of it. That was an added bonus, but not a big deal, as modern author signatures are not that rare.

Later that day, I was reading a book when my husband walked in the room with "The End of Poverty" and told me "I wasn't going to believe this." I made a few guesses as to what he was talking about. Did one of our friends from RESULTS happen to be pictured in the book? That's when he handed me the book and told me to look again at the signature and inscription. It was signed "to Angelina," and it was thanking her for "her efforts for the world's poor and dispossessed." There were lots of Angelinas in the world. But it wasn't just any Angelina, the book was the personal copy of Angelina Jolie.

To make the story even stranger, tucked inside the book was a piece of stationary from the office of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy. There was a signed note to Angelina from the Senator that said he hoped she would enjoy the enclosed. But stranger yet were the two candid, original photographs tucked inside. Pictured in photo one was Angelina Jolie with Senator Leahy and in photo two Angelina Jolie with Senator Leahy's wife Marcelle. The photos were taken in early 2005 at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland. So, not only had we found Angelina Jolie's copy of "The End of Poverty", we had found a note to her from Senator Leahy AND two original, candid photographs of her at an important world event.

But many questions remain. How did these personal items of Angelina Jolie end up in a used bookstore in Atlanta, GA? It seems very unlikely she would give the book away, as Jeffrey Sachs is a friend of hers and the photos are originals of her. If she didn't give it away, did she lose it? If so, how? And in Atlanta? The whole thing is a great big mystery and certainly this is the weirdest thing I've ever found in my used bookstore adventures.

So, Angelina, if you're out there, and you come across this post, I want you to know that I have your book and photographs. I'm sure you want them back, so just let me know, and I will return them. And since we do volunteer for the same causes, I'm going to throw it out there--it'd be really cool to meet you.

; - )

For the Love of Enoch Bolles V

2010-02-24T09:43:00.001-05:00

Ah, Enoch. Nothing more to say.

Racing P.R. aka Pre-Redneck

2010-02-23T09:11:00.003-05:00

Car racing used to make you a bad ass rather than Cletus the Redneck who likes to watch cars go "vroom."

Elvgren Model Photo for "Weighty Problem" (Aka "Starting at the Bottom")

2010-02-21T09:32:00.002-05:00

Elvgren Model Photo for "Weighty Problem" (Aka "Starting at the Bottom"). 1962. Unknown model.

For the Love of Enoch Bolles IV

2010-02-16T10:03:00.001-05:00

Can I ever get enough Bolles? Answer: No.

Another Jesse James Book

2010-02-15T10:16:00.001-05:00

Another rare, early hardback on Jesse James.

For the Love of Enoch Bolles III

2010-02-13T10:19:00.001-05:00

Good yawning to you!

I don't know who the artist is...

2010-02-12T11:40:00.003-05:00

...but I'm posting, it because it's sexy. Howell Dodd cover? Or perhaps George Gross?

For the Love of Peter Driben

2010-02-11T11:10:00.003-05:00

Peter Driben is known more for coy pin-ups than he is for bondaged damsels in distress. His paintings for publications such as "Titter," "Beauty Parade," "Whisper," and "Flirt" are legendary in the pin-up world. I'll present many of the coy pieces from those mags but also wanted to showcase Driben doing harder, pulpier stuff. He did a few paperback covers in that vein and a few mags like this one. Enjoy!

"The James Brothers": Illustrated

2010-02-10T10:36:00.002-05:00

This is an early hardcover with gilt front design. Hard to come by.

Jesse James: My Father

2010-02-09T10:24:00.005-05:00

Around 2003, I visited the house where Jesse James was murdered by Robert Ford. It was in St. Joseph, MO, and overall, I gotta say: what a town! It has so much character and really hearkens back to the West of Old. Anyway, being in St. Joseph and then later watching the movie with Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, we decided to pick up a few Jesse James items. This is one of them. More to come in future posts.

When I saw that the book's cover calls his crimes "adventures," it reminded me of that Brady Bunch episode where Bobby thinks he's a hero, but by the end of the episode, he realizes that James murdered people. What a very special episode that was! LOL.

For the Love of George Gross II

2010-02-08T09:25:00.002-05:00

This George Gross cover painting drips pulp. From the felonious femme fatale to the bursting bustline to the delightful use of the word "squawk" added by the publisher... EVERYTHING about this is just pulpy perfect. And then there's the purchaser. The dude made it all the better with his penciled in check mark and the word SEX in all caps. Awwww....just beautiful!

Elvgren Original Studio Photos from "A Shady Trick" (1953)

2010-02-07T10:13:00.002-05:00

Elvgren Original Studio Photos from "A Shady Trick" (1953). It's interesting to compare the photos, since different models are posing for the same painting. The model with the shorter hair is Elvgren regular Myrna Hansen, who was Miss USA 1953. She was also a bit part TV and movie actress who appeared in shows like "Green Acres" and movies such as "Magnificent Obsession." I don't know the identity of the long-haired model. Anyone?

For the Love of George Gross

2010-02-06T10:45:00.004-05:00

George Gross is an illustration art hero. His detective magazine paintings, in particular, ooze with pulpy fun. This cover painting is no exception. Enjoy!

For the Love of Enoch Bolles II

2010-02-05T11:38:00.001-05:00

Just showing him some more love. : - )

Gil Elvgren Model Reference Photo-- "Lucky Dog" aka "Dog Gone Robber" (1958)

2010-02-04T10:31:00.003-05:00

Gil Elvgren Model Reference Photo-- "Lucky Dog" aka "Dog Gone Robber" (1958). I've featured these Gil Elvgren model reference photos in the past, and here's another one. More to come in the future. This photo is interesting, because it shows a variety of poses. Not sure who the model was for this one.

A Gem from "True Detective"

2010-02-03T09:17:00.001-05:00

"True Detective" isn't known for having spectacular covers, at least not in comparison to other mags like "Women in Crime," "Special Detective," and "Police Detective." This one, however, has quite the cover. Enjoy!

For the Love of Enoch Bolles

2010-02-02T09:37:00.002-05:00

That's it. All there is to this post is showing some love for Enoch Bolles. You're dead, so you can't read this, but you rock. More installments to come.

Detective Mag w/ Lauren Bacall Doppelganger

2010-02-01T11:57:00.003-05:00

Ain't she the spitting image of Lauren Bacall? The artist must have used her actual photo in painting this piece. The similarity is uncanny.

UPDATE

2010-01-29T21:27:00.000-05:00

FringePop returns next week! This week has been too crazy trying to settle in after moving to a new apartment and celebrating my fiancee's birthday.

"Teenage Bride" (1970) Sexploitation One-Sheet

2010-01-26T09:43:00.005-05:00

"The line forms at the rear..." Gotta love that tagline. I looked up the movie on IMDB, and it sounds like it has less to do with a teenage bride and more to do with taping people having sex. From the reviews on IMDB and based on the fact that it starred a porn actress named Colleen Brennan, I'm guessing this was closer to hardcore porn than sexploitation tease.

NOTE Sorry it's hard to read those taglines at the top. The poster had to be photographed, because it wouldn't fit in the scanner. My camera isn't the greatest.

When Prison Was Sexy

2010-01-18T23:22:00.006-05:00

I have been running around like crazy, trying to prepare to move to a new apartment this Friday--hence, my lack of posts. I did, however, catch a moment to watch an old women in prison flick that I had on my DVR. Let's just say that "Black Mama, White Mama" might have been a good sexploitation flick, but I wouldn't know, because the channel I taped it on sucks and cut out/blurred all the juicy parts. But, in the spirit of things, here's a classic prison sexploitation one-sheet from our collection. Haven't seen this one, but it looks like a winner. It reminds me of the days when I was a kid, and my brother and I watched movies on USA Up-All Night with Gilbert Gottfried and then Rhonda Shear. We probably weren't supposed to watch those flicks, but I remember being entranced by both "Reform School Girl" (80's version with Wendy O'Williams) and "Barbarella." I still love Barbarella to this day. She is so "pretty, pretty", that Barbarella.

ZOZO: THE MAGIC QUEEN, Victorian Trade Card

2010-01-15T10:16:00.005-05:00

I've tried to research this trade card for "Zozo the Magic Queen" but came up empty-handed. All I found was an etsy seller who uses that as her moniker. Apparently, this was some sort of stage show featuring women in risque garb (for the time) brandishing rifles. Whatever the case, I thought the piece was neat and felt like featuring it today in particular, because tonight I go to a local sideshow!

"She Devil" Half-Sheet

2010-01-13T10:24:00.004-05:00

Just a little exploitation for you on this fine Wednesday morning. The "She Devil" (1957) half-sheet was a nice, little campy edition to our collection. Enjoy!

"Unholy Wife" One-Sheet

2010-01-12T09:55:00.003-05:00

Well, duh, if I'm going to write about watching "Unholy Wife," I really should feature the one-sheet from our collection.

"Wicked Wife" One Sheet

2010-01-11T09:32:00.003-05:00

I watched "The Unholy Wife" the other night with Diana Dors and Rod Steiger. It wasn't the greatest noir, but the costuming was beautiful and of course DD looked stunning. So, having watched a noir about a femme fatale wife, I thought I'd post this one-sheet for "Wicked Wife."

Victorian Trade Card Ad for Roller Skates

2010-01-08T11:03:00.002-05:00

Victorian Trade Card Ad for Roller Skates