"Is Mort Kunstler Stuff Really Pulp Or Something Else?" Topic

For those not familiar with the name, here are some magnificent examples of his "Pulp" work:

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Dan

I'd say it's pulp. My usual rule is "Does it involve a large number of scantily clad women, savage tribesmen, and/or fights with wild animals? If one or more of the above, then yes."

Those were really cool. I remember several of the older ones from the magazines. Looks like some images came from an auction house. Would love to be able to afford one or two.

CC, Thanks for the links; great stuff.

Even Mort had to pay the bills :)

Thanks, man! Those paintings are great!

A fun, nostalgic trip down memory (mammary?) lane.

Definitely pulpy. WWII even falls in the "Pulp Era" for those who are "Pulp purists".

Yes, it's really Pulp!

Takes me way back. Thanks for posting the links.

Ah,the "Men's Sweat" mags. Interestingly the Wiki article leads off with that "For Men Only" cover:

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I used to gawk at them as a kid,but what little money I had went to Mad or SF. Besides, I knew they'd never make it past my Mom.

I went to an estate sale a few years ago advertising lots of books. The guy had apparently saved every book he'd ever bought,and his children (naturally!) seemingly had no interest. The living room,dining room,and garage were filled with tables covered with books. I found several first editions,including The Gentle Art of Murder.

After assembling several boxes worth, I was informed that there were a lot more in the basement,"but of an adult nature". When I went down there, I found a time capsule of 50's/60's "adult",um,"literature" (I would hesitate to call it porn,by today's standards). The guy had a collection of men's sweat mags. I was running to the edge of my budget,so I didn't buy any. Foolish move,considering what they sell for on ebay these days--at fifty cents apiece, I should have shelled out for some!

BTW,there are several books on the genre,for those who want to read about it--and lots more cover art online.

I did not know that he did anything other than ACW art until I saw this.

I too was unfamiliar with this part of Kunstler's work. There is some pretty good artwork in there.

Either my father or mother would drive me to the barbershop when I was a kid.
He had them all, and there was no way I could pick any of them up to read them.
Damn!

Marc put it best, ya gotta pay the bills! Looking at the dates, that must have been Kunstler's "struggling artist" days. Long before he became what he is today. Still, a good way to hone your craft.

zone--Yeah, the magazine artists were always undervalued;Exhibit A being Norman Rockwell. And it's even more impressive when you consider the time constraints they worked under.

The sad fact is that,except in rare circumstances,the illustrations were sold to the publishers outright, who mostly didn't value them either. After they were through with them, most were destroyed. That's thousands of paintings and drawings during the Pulp era.

I'm not sure what's meant by "really pulp". None of these illustrations were from pulp magazines. As Hafen pointed out, The OP's links are to art from men's "sweats" from the 1950's and early 1960's. Are they "pulp fiction" though? Sure! Great stuff.

Mort = dead (in French)
Kunstler = artist (in German)
….the only artists who make any money are the dead ones.
His ACW stuff is excellent

Lol.

Dan

he cant hold a candle to don troiani