|
Post by dem bones on Aug 31, 2010 8:29:38 GMT
The word on the street has it that it will soon be time for our next Paperback Fanatic jabs. A two pronged assault this time - the regular magazine, and, for the hard core (the Paperback Lunatic?), the eagerly anticipated special, The Visual Guide To New English Library. For further details and/ or to subscribe, contact Justin via Fanatic HQ. And remember, these super publications have a habit of selling out fast so get smart, get with it. Justin Marriott (ed.) - Paperback Fanatic #16 Post Apocalyptic SF with the Doomsday Warrior!
A look back at the classic Magazine of Horror!
Controversial sex spy series Commander Amanda!
The tragic life of Hank Janson creator Stephen Frances!
The occult meets Hell's Angels!
Even more colour and cover reproductions! And italics! Justin Marriott - A Visual Guide To New English Library The definitive visual guide to the legendary UK publisher!
Over 200 full-colour reproductions of pulp paperbacks, including-
Juvenile Delinquents- Hell's Angels, skinheads and hippies
Horror- devil worshippers, killer crabs and slime beasts
SF- Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tully Zetford
Historical adventure- trashy togas and whip-cracking slavers
Sleaze- out of control teenagers and thinly-veiled biographies
Checklist of the titles, authors, pseudonyms, artists, publication data and other trivia
Even the most avid collector of pulp fiction is guaranteed to discover books they never dreamt had existed
88 pages A5 with a perfect bound cover!
|
|
|
Post by Craig Herbertson on Aug 31, 2010 11:18:16 GMT
The word on the street has it that it will soon be time for our next Paperback Fanatic jabs. A two pronged assault this time - the regular magazine, and, for the hard core (the Paperback Lunatic?), the eagerly anticipated special, The Visual Guide To New English Library. For further details and/ or to subscribe, contact Justin via Fanatic HQ. And remember, these super publications have a habit of selling out fast so get smart, get with it. Justin Marriott (ed.) - Paperback Fanatic #16 Post Apocalyptic SF with the Doomsday Warrior!
A look back at the classic Magazine of Horror!
Controversial sex spy series Commander Amanda!
The tragic life of Hank Janson creator Stephen Frances!
The occult meets Hell's Angels!
Even more colour and cover reproductions! And italics! Justin Marriott - A Visual Guide To New English Library The definitive visual guide to the legendary UK publisher!
Over 200 full-colour reproductions of pulp paperbacks, including-
Juvenile Delinquents- Hell's Angels, skinheads and hippies
Horror- devil worshippers, killer crabs and slime beasts
SF- Edgar Rice Burroughs and Tully Zetford
Historical adventure- trashy togas and whip-cracking slavers
Sleaze- out of control teenagers and thinly-veiled biographies
Checklist of the titles, authors, pseudonyms, artists, publication data and other trivia
Even the most avid collector of pulp fiction is guaranteed to discover books they never dreamt had existed
88 pages A5 with a perfect bound cover! To anyone new to these Dem is not joking about selling out fast. I take any mention of this wonderful mag to mention that I would give me right arm for a copy of the Burroughs issue. Veteran members if the vault just give me a sad condescending smile. Buy while you have a chance.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 1, 2010 8:15:09 GMT
in all of yesterdays excitement, i didn't spot that Justin had included a message with the cover scan. All going to plan, we're looking at a "mid-September ish" publication date for #16, not sure about the 'Visual Guide to NEL'. Hard to believe that the first incarnation of Paperback Fanatic, the stunning debut Pulp Mania!, appeared a mere four summers ago. Sixteen issues AND two of Men Of Violence is phenomenally industrious over that short period when you consider how consistently excellent they've been. i gather there is yet another PF project in the works, but that, of course, is down to Mr. M. to clue you in about when he thinks the time is right!
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 21, 2010 20:04:06 GMT
Justin Marriott (ed.) - Paperback Fanatic #16 (September 2010) well, we already have a cover scan at top of thread, but here is some more detail on #16 which arrived today. Justin Marriott - Fanatical Thoughts Fanatical Mail (contributors include Guy N. Smith, Michel Parry, Andy Boot, Rob Matthews, Warren Murphy, Andreas Decker, Stuart Williams, Edouard Vergriete, James McRobert, Ben Bienowski, Kev Demant) Sennit Sez Commander Amanda & Corporal Punishment - George Revelli's Amanda Nightingale series. Justin Marriott - Action, Romance & Mutants - Post Apocalyptic SF Mens Adventure: Ryder Stacy's Doomsday Warrior Andy Boot - Strange Temptation: The tragic life of Hank Janson creator Stephen Frances Justin Marriott - From Acme Publishing: Robert A. W. Lowndres Magazine Of Horror! Martin Jones - The Devil Riders: Of Dracula & Buchenwald. Alex Stuart's occult-tinged biker novels.Trust me, even i get sick of going on about how great Paperback Fanatic is, but what else can you say when it so consistently delivers such an eclectic, entertaining and downright inspiring selection of wild delights? First impressions (not had time to read everything yet and i sure ain't gonna rush it). The ghost of Karl E. Wagner looms large over this issue. Sennett devotes his column to KEW the editor (his notorious "three By thirteen" also gets a look in) while both Guy N. Smith and Michel Parry write movingly of his generous nature and capacity for downing Jim Beam. According to Michel, R. Chetwynd-Hayes considered Karl his best friend. This issue's top "i've never heard of these before, but wish i had!" perve-out moment is Justin on George Revelli's five paperbacks featuring Amanda Nightingale the sexy captured Allied spy, a series which Mr. Fanatic argues may well be the Gor of Nazisploitation. i make no bones that Robert A. W. Lowndres is a hero of mine and it is heartening to see his magnificent Magazine Of Horror recognised to the tune of six pages! Guy N. Smith's contribution to the letters page is an article in itself, detailing, among much else, his involvement with London Mystery Magazines and long-standing friendship with Rev. Lionel Fanthrope dating back to Badger Books. i've saved pulphack on Stephen Frances, Justin on Doomsday Warrior and Martin Jones on those nasty NEL bikers until later, not through lack of interest but because i've only the two eyes and one seriously addled brain! Will leave Justin to tell you the welcome if startling developments concerning a "Best Of Paperback Fanatic" collaboration scheduled for 2011. More good news. Single issues of Paperback Fanatic are now available from Simon Gosden's Fantastic Literature, and, of course, the already near legendary Interzone@TYPE interzone books at the sign of the Twin-typewriters: click nice new photo to reach online bookshop
|
|
|
Post by andydecker on Sept 24, 2010 18:45:09 GMT
Another winner. I know that this begins to sound like the mantra of gushing fans, but this is just as perfect as it can be.
A very interesting and lively letter column, with letters from Guy N. Smith - which really is half an article - and a hello from Warren Murphy. And some nice anecdotes about KEW.
Hard to say which article was the best. Strong line-up. An exhaustive and very in-depth artice/reviiew about the Commander Amanda novels which sounded very strange, the sad tale of Stephen Frances, the man behind Hank Janson, another of those creators who got screwed both by the autorities and his business partners - the tale of Frances´ woes would made a terrific movie - and a fun write-up of the Doomsday Warrior series.
But I was really fascinated of part one about the biker novels of Stewart Gordon as Alex P. Stewart. Written by Martin Jones this sound like absolut mental books. Personally I have zero interest in this genre, but this article makes me wonder. Sharp, insightful writing, maybe better than the novels itself. Can´t wait for part 2.
And the usual assortment of fantastic cover-scans.
|
|
|
Post by dem bones on Sept 28, 2010 8:38:32 GMT
The world is catching up.
"The ninth and tenth issues of Justin Marriott's fascinating Paperback Fanatic contained interviews with Peter Beresford Ellis (Peter Tremayne), Chris Lowder (aka Jack Hamilton Tweed) and Lovecraft cover artist John Holmes, plus articles on artist Richard Clifton-Dey, authors Gerald Suster and Barry Sadler (the "Casca" serie), the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series, Don Glut's German Frankenstein series, and a lively and informative letters column" - Stephen Jones in his introduction to Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror #21 (2010)
Strange Temptations: The Story of Stephen D. Francis is another terribly sad account of the early pulpster's lot which have become something of a PF speciality. "Jansen led to prosperity for everyone, it seemed, except Frances ..." As Andy D. comments above, "the tale of Frances´ woes would made a terrific movie" though i'd argue it would make for an even better documentary, touching as it does on anti-obscenity witch-hunts, ludicrous prison sentences, shady business deals, David Gold's empire and the super "Peter Saxon" paperback, The Disorientated Man AKA Scream And Scream Again.
The Robert Lowndes/ Magazine Of Horror retrospective is most welcome. I think of MOH and its sister publications (notably Startling Mystery Stories) as an unofficial latter-day 'Not At Night companion' in that, like Christine Campbell Thomson before him, RAWL revisited the 'twenties & 'thirties pulps for the bulk of his material and they clearly both shared a love for full-on pulp horror lunacy. One small factual error; F. Paul Wilson's The Cleaning Machine is widely believed to be his first professional sale, but Ramsey Campbell was selling stories long before The Scar showed up in SMS.
The Martin Jones article on Alex Stuart's five post-apocalyptic biker novels featuring misanthropic anti-hero Little Billy and a music festival that out-Altamont's Altamont makes for yet another compelling read and five more additions to the wants list that never ends.
|
|
|
Post by robertmammone on Oct 3, 2010 11:31:41 GMT
Has issue 16 sold out?
|
|
|
Post by justin on Oct 3, 2010 11:37:23 GMT
Yes, but I do have a handful of copies left which I keep for emergencies. I don't sell single copies, but my policy is to offer them as part of a 3 issue sub. i.e subscribe and I'll start with issue 16 rather than 17. If that makes sense?!
|
|
|
Post by pulphack on Nov 15, 2010 7:31:58 GMT
so anyway, finally i get my hands on a copy thanks to the kindness of justin after the post office managed to lose PF, november's Classic Rock, and some Sexton Blake stuff that one of my few surviving borrowers had returned (it's her to thank for knowing it had all gone astray, as she put a tracking number on it)...
rant over, on to the magazine itself, of which i shall say little concerning Hank Janson except to point out that i don't think Stephen Frances did a tie-in for Adventures Of A Plumbers Mate - i think it was Private Eye he wrote the tie-in for, under a pseudonym, and the script for Plumbers Mate that he penned. my error, i believe. crap typing and not checking copy, basically.
but the rest of it was excellent! again. the letters page is getting better, and it was nice to see mr Murphy responding to his interview, and a long missive from GNS. the nice thing is that the old guys who are still alive can now see that someone still cares, and hopefully that will bring them out of the woodwork to record more memories before it's too late. also nice to see our own mr decker in there with some more insight - really looking forward to seeing more about euro pulp from him. to sidetrack slightly, do you know much about Jean Bruce, andy? i read a couple years ago, and thought of him solely as the french fleming, but having picked up a couple from Milan at Zardoz and havingdone a bit of googling, i can see there's much more to the franchise that that.
but to get back on track. this issue's sexy spy - Commander Amanda - was a tricky proposition in man ways and also highlighted how the avant-garde in fiction and the reviled pulp end of the market had more interplay with each other than the mainstream. from the influence of the beats on NEL editors Howell and James to the way in which writers like Alex Trocchi veered between cheap porn and arthouse imprints, there's an interesting feature there - though i suspect next issue's New Worlds feature will touch on that, as NW was one such interface. CM herself sounds tough going, but worth a look if ever found.
speaking of the avant-garde/pulp interface, also looking forward to the next part of the Alex Stuart/Stuart Gordon piece. i'd seen his books about but always passed as some biker stuff is a bit dull to me - looks like that was an error that needs rectifying.
the piece on Bob Lowndes and his magazines follows nicely from what's been on here, and although strictly speaking i guess being magazines should put them outside of the remit, the fact that guys like him provide the link and bridged that gap,for both writers and editors as well as readers, when there was little horror in p/b makes him a vital part of the chain.
i've left the post-apocalypse stuff til last. i have an ambivalent relationship with those kinds of books as 12 years on Deathlands takes a toll - the big question for me is why that one has survived when the others have disappeared. partly, i suppose, because the publisher is one of the few that didn't collapse. but also because it's not so rabidly right-wing, and so has weathered the change in social climate a little better. it does raise the question of how seriously the writer takes the viewpoint, and how much it's about 'getting in character'. from the sound of jan stacy himself, i'd hazard a guess that he was doing a little Sapir/Murphy kind of satire, but got taken seriously!
realy looking forward to the next one now... the Rev Lionel, andy on Nick Carter, and New Worlds? c'mon, justin - how you gonna top THAT one?
|
|