Art by Frank McCarthy from OUTDOOR LIFE, March 1963. (Scan via the Men's Adventure Magazines & Books Facebook Group-> bit.ly/mensadventureFB). Thanks to artist Joe Jusko for telling me what issue this was in!
Bob Deis
@bobdeis.bsky.social
I’m a #pulp culture historian who focuses on vintage men’s adventures magazines and paperbacks. I co-edit the Men’s Adventure Library book series, the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY magazine, and the ART OF RON LESSER book series. My website is MensPulpMags.com
These pages in THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (bit.ly/45C19Fb) showcase three of the Louis L'Amour Western paperbacks with Lesser cover art. The page at left includes the reference photo of the famed male model Steve Holland that Ron used for HELLER WITH A GUN.
If you're at PulpFest this weekend, you can get copies of all three volumes in THE ART OF RON LESSER series from my co-editor Bill Cunningham at his table, plus copies of issues #1 through #14 of the MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY. If Bill runs out you can get them via my MensPulpMags.com website.
Here's a Shark Week post that features Mort Künstler's men's adventure magazine shark art and his own commentary about painting sharks, creating classic MAM illustrations, spoofing the JAWS poster for MAD magazine, and more. bit.ly/MortK%C3%BCn...
Shark art by Mort Künstler in the MANEATERS book...
Before he died, legendary illustrator Mort Künstler shared the story behind his memorable shark paintings, including his parody of the iconic JAWS movie poster for MAD magazine. This post reprints his...
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"Charity covers a multitude of sins” and “Love covers a multitude of sins” are both familiar sayings. Both are based on the same line in the Bible. The difference reflects a religious debate over what gets you into heaven. The story behind it in this post on my quotations blog-> bit.ly/CHARITYvsLOVE
What covers a multitude of sins? Charity or love? What Covers a Multitude of Sins? Charity or Love?
Both versions are correct—but they come from very different traditions. Here's the surprising history behind one of the Bible's best-known sayings and why modern translations usually prefer "love."
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My Shark Week blog post (bit.ly/SharkWeekMPM) notes that many shark attack stories reprinted in our book MANEATERS are pure fiction. But some, like the one from VALOR, are true. The two downed airmen in the story actually did fight off sharks with their fists for 22 hours before they were rescued.
In honor of Shark Week, here's a post that takes a deep dive into the book MANEATERS: KILLER SHARKS IN MEN'S ADVENTURE MAGAZINES, which features an introduction by the guy who created the Shark Week concept, Steve Cheskin... bit.ly/SharkWeekMPM
The Original Shark Week: Killer Sharks in Men's Adventure Magazines... Shark Week's Vintage Ancestors: Killer Sharks in Men's Adventure Magazines
Long before Discovery's Shark Week, men's adventure magazines featured terrifying shark attack stories and dramatic artwork. See rare examples collected in MANEATERS, with commentary by real shark exp...
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July/August brings 3 new Australian crime novels that offer something a little different from the usual outback mystery! #ATPrewett, #SusannahGlenn #RileyJames murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-australi...
NEW AUSTRALIAN CRIME FICTION JULY 2026: SUSANNAH GLENN, RILEY JAMES, A.T. PREWETT
The Australian crime fiction titles have been coming thick and fast so far in 2026. There has been quite a bit of variety, although the old favourite of outback/small town mystery still seems to do…
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Happy Birthday to artist Gil Cohen! And thanks for giving me and Wyatt Doyle the privilege of working with you to publish the new book showcasing your classic men's adventure magazine covers and interior illustrations, GIL COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION (amzn.to/4c878Wp). #art #booksky
#SHARKWEEK? Long before that existed, men's #pulp adventure magazines published gripping shark attack stories & great shark artwork. Some of the best are collected in MANEATERS: KILLER SHARKS IN MEN'S ADVENTURE MAGAZINES (amzn.to/2W7ay7j), which has Foreword by Steve Cheskin, creator of Shark Week.
Pellucidar: Land of Awful Shadow (book 2 of the Dead Moon Super-Arc), coming in 2027 from @edgarriceburroughs.bsky.social Cover art by renowned fantasy artist Daren Bader!
RENEGADE #2: BLOOD RUNNER is one of the nearly 200 Western paperback covers featuring art by Ron Lesser included in THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (amzn.to/4v3lxti). The guy in the photo at left is Ron's model for the Renegade character, aka Captain Gringo. #booksky #Westerns
Artist Alberto Vargas became known for the famous "Vargas Girl" pinup paintings he did for ESQUIRE magazine in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he also painted Vargas Girls for CAVALIER magazine. Then in the 1960s, for PLAYBOY. This one is on the back cover of CAVALIER, Nov. 1952. #pinup #illustration #art
Mel Brooks parodied it. Dan Quayle famously butchered it. But what's the story behind the slogan "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" and who coined it? Read the backstory on my This Day in Quotes blog here→ bit.ly/4vL7Qzh #quotes #slogans #UNCF
“A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” "Who Coined "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste"?
Who coined the famous slogan "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste"? Learn how the UNCF campaign began, why it became iconic, and how it inspired countless parodies.
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An unhappy politician delivered the following legendary concession speech: The people have spoken—the bastards. Was this legend true or false? Who was the politician? quoteinvestigator.com/2026/07/21/p...
Huge thanks to retromedia maven Jules Burt for his cool flip-through review of THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS, the new book I co-edited with Ron, Bill Cunningham, Tim Hewitt, and James Reasoner. Much appreciated, Jules!
The Art Of RON LESSER - Vol 3 - Wild, Wild Westerns - A Superb New Hardback - Reviewed
YouTube video by Jules Burt
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Michael K. Vaughn gives our ART OF RON LESSER VOL. 3 and MAQ 14 a review. If you're on the fence about getting a copy then come to #Pulpfest next week and get yourself one! @bobdeis.bsky.social
MACHO MAIL!
YouTube video by Michael K. Vaughan
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This cover painting by Gil Cohen for MEN, February 1968, is among those featured in our new book COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION (amzn.to/4c878Wp). The deluxe hardcover edition is now available from Amazon, Bud's Art Books, and my MensPulpMags.com bookstore.
Bob Larkin did the masterful illustration for this story in MAN'S WORLD, April 1971. It's a "Book Bonus" version of the Edward S. Aarons novel ASSIGNMENT STAR STEALERS, first published by Gold Medal in 1970. (Scan via the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY BRIGADE Facebook Group→ bit.ly/MAQgroup)
This one of the paintings featured in our new book THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (amzn.to/4vEtHcK), which showcases more than 200 of Lesser's Western paperback covers, movie posters, and historical paintings. #booksky
The forthcoming MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #15, the Science Fiction issue, will include a reprint of a story from the men’s adventure magazine CLIMAX, April 1953, which features this outstanding cover painting by artist Tran Mawicke. You can preorder MAQ #15 here → bit.ly/OrderMAQ15
Big thanks to Booktuber Nick Anderson for this cool video on his YouTube channel about THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS, the new art book I co-edited with Ron, Bill Cunningham (@madpulpbastard.bsky.social), Tim Hewitt, and James Reasoner. #booksky youtu.be/oqwLK58hdjc?...
The Paperback Cover Art of Ron Lesser
YouTube video by The Book Graveyard
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ICYMI, here's a post on my blog about MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #7, the "Gang Girls" issue-> bit.ly/MAQ7-GangGirls
About MAQ #7, the “Gang Girls” issue of the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY – Part 1…
Spread the wordIssue #7 of the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY, which I co-edit with the multi-talented writer, graphic designer and publisher, Bill “Mad Pulp Bastard” Cunningham, is now available on Amazon...
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WHY IS THIS MAN SMILING? Because he just received his copy of MAQ+! You can get yours by attending #Pulpfest or purchasing one of our books from MensPulpMags.com. We will have some for sale by mail after the show. Details forthcoming. @bobdeis.bsky.social
My friend Jason "Java" Croft recently released the Summer 2026 issue of BACHELOR PAD, his cool retro pinup magazine and "Digest of Atomic Age Culture." I heartily recommend it. You can get a print or digital copy on his website here → bachelorpadmagazine.com. @javabachelor.bsky.social
My new blog post is a shout out to Jules Burt. His popular Collections & Unboxings Channel features excellent videos about retro media and collectibles, including vintage paperbacks and magazines and new books involving those topics. You rock, Jules! #booksky
Jules Burt looks at GIL COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION Jules Burt looks at GIL COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION
Pop culture expert and collector Jules Burt reviews GIL COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION. See highlights from his video and learn more about his past Men's Adventure Library posts and MEN'S AD...
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The words "I never promised you a rose garden" from Lynn Anderson's 1970 hit song was previously the title of a bestselling 1964 novel about a schizophrenic teenager. But did the novel coin the saying? Click this link to my post on This Day in #Quotes to read what I discovered bit.ly/RoseGardenSa...
“I Never Promised You a Rose Garden” — What’s the origin? You Probably Know "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden"—But Do You Know Where It Came From?
Most people know "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" from Lynn Anderson's hit song. But the phrase actually came from a bestselling novel—and while researching this article, I uncovered an even earli...
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Shortly before the film LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was released in 1962, the July 1962 issue of SIR! ran the article "Lawrence of Arabia: Desert Fighter and Woman Hater." That issue was full of odd, sex-related stories. Scan via the Men's Adventure Quarterly Brigade Facebook Group> bit.ly/MAQBrigade. #pulp
Read the backstory on one of the most famous quotes in sports history in the latest post on my This Day in Quotes blog, at the following link -> bit.ly/JoeLouisquote
“He can run, but he can’t hide.” "He Can Run, but He Can't Hide" - The Story Behind Joe Louis' Famous Quote
One of the most famous quotations in sports history came from heavyweight champion Joe Louis. Here's the fascinating story behind the phrase.
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