And as long as we’re on the subject of the macabre, above and below are some covers of the classic Street & Smith pulp magazine The Shadow. This particular haunter of the dark came into being in a radio show in 1930, made the leap to print in 1931, and then to film starting with a series of short features that same year. He is one of the earliest—and certainly the best—of many New York City anti-heroes, and there are rumors he’ll appear on the screen again one day. That isn’t necessarily good news. The last version flopped with the talented Alec Baldwin in the lead role, and we doubt Hollywood has any new ideas how to handle the character except to wrap him in computer graphics and release him in 3D. But you never know. Six more covers below.

 

Pictured below, you see assorted romance pulps from the 1930s and 1940s. These did quite well during the golden age of pulp, and in fact, Ranch Romances was among the last true pulp magazines published, appearing on newsstands until the 1960s. The people who painted these covers remain mostly unknown, but these are some representative examples of the art.