June 1, 2010

"The River of Crawling Death." "Red Tide of Death." "Mad Monkeys Manned the Life Boats." "Flying Rodents Ripped My Flesh." "Chewed to Bits by Giant Turtles."

Let's read vintage men's magazines.

I love the artwork!



And this one reminds me that Meade and I need to go out for a walk:

35 comments:

Alex said...

That's some hilarious artwork.

Sofa King said...

The inside stories are the best!

"New U.S. Menace: Teenagers in Black Leather Jackets"

Ah, for the days when that was considered a national menace.

"Why foreign girls make better wives and lovers"

I guess some things never change.

Meade said...

"WHY FOREIGN GIRLS MAKE BETTER WIVES AND LOVERS"

I understand now: for a hoosier boy, there can be something quite exotic about a girl from Delaware.

(Also, do that toe-curling thing again where you talk to me in your native language -- legalese!)

Rialby said...

Lileks has been doing commentary on this stuff for years.

Kevin Walsh said...

That's where Frank Zappa got the idea for his Weasels ripped My Flesh cover.

www.forgotten-ny.com

Bruce Hayden said...

I hope that you don't go around with Meade showing that much of your chest.

While we see that today, at times, back then, it was just not done.

But I have always found the Damsel in Distress quite interesting. Some men and, yes, women go for it. Never could really understand it. Which is why I ended up with such a woman.

LordSomber said...

"Why have humans ripped my flesh?"

http://pungeon.blogspot.com/2006/03/humans-ripped-my-flesh.html

Hoosier Daddy said...

(Also, do that toe-curling thing again where you talk to me in your native language -- legalese!)

Oh Meade, don't tell me you go all weak kneed like Jamie Lee Curtis in a Fish Called Wanda when the Professor starts rattling off Latin.

Big Mike said...

@Meade, so the Professor whispers "res ipsa loquitur" into your ear and you simply become putty in her hands?

Irene said...

"Flying Rodents Ripped My Flesh."

Haha. Flying squirrels attack.

Hoosier Daddy said...

@Meade, so the Professor whispers "res ipsa loquitur" into your ear and you simply become putty in her hands?

If she ever says vae victus, run.

A.W. said...

mmm, regarding the second one, only a guy in the midst of being attacked by snake would still attempt to cop a feel.

Saying that as a guy, of course.

Btw, for more fun, go to the superman is a dick page. that has a ton of stuff, not quite as ridiculous as that, but close.

Unknown said...

Well, at least we know why you two are so fond of walks in the woods.

Big Mike said...

@Meade, so the Professor whispers "res ipsa loquitur" into your ear and you simply become putty in her hands?

With the Professor, nothing turns to putty.

DJA said...

If you like those and want to see LOTS more, there are two fantastic print collections of men's magazine art: "It's A Man's World: Men's Adventure Magazines, the Postwar Pulps" and "Men's Adventure Magazines in Postwar America" (both available at Amazon). Both are worth getting, but "It's A Man's World" is the better of the two and has a much more in-depth overview of the genre, plus interviews with some of the artists and men's mag editors. It's out of print, but the Marketplace prices aren't too outrageous.

Ralph L said...

I didn't know men shaved their pits in the 50's.

What's holding her blouse on, besides her nipples?

Fred4Pres said...

Ann Althouse (on the Tipper/Al thread): "He had to go for some other woman's warm globes?"

A little know fact but snakes are attracted by women's warm globes.

Especially the trouser variety.

vet66 said...

I always enjoyed the cover art on men's magazines and the bodice rippers for women. The Archie comics were hot too. Veronica...!

There was a scene in the movie "6 days, 7 nights" where Harrison Ford heroically snatches the snake from Ann Heche's shorts and saves her from GOD knows what.

No metro-sexual could accomplish such a feat of manly courage. "I better not see you smile"

Balfegor said...

RE: Lord Somber:

"Why have humans ripped my flesh?"

http://pungeon.blogspot.com/2006/03/humans-ripped-my-flesh.html


I was so sure that was going to be some kind of Jesus Christ parody. But I was wrong.

Also, I agree with Sofa King. Those inside story titles are hilarious.

Wince said...

"Back when everything ripped a man’s flesh."

And we liked it!

Sin-Happy Vactionists are Overrunning Cape Cod

Oh, so that's what Titus looks like.

Man-Hungry Hussy of She-Devil Island

Wedding photos prove Meade and Althouse were not really wed in Colorado.

The Elder said...

So that's what you call it?

"Going for a walk?" Hmmm.

Phil 314 said...

Partially clad woman is threatened by big, black snake.

To paraphrase Dr. Freund:
And sometimes a cigar is MORE THAN a cigar


(watch out for the big, black snakes in the fever swamps of our subconscious.


And any size snake will threaten a man when pointed at his head)

Roger J. said...

I do remember these magazines--they were staples of the barbershops when I was kid--no wonder I had my haircut once a week. And they usually had the equivalent of a centerfold--some damsel in a torpedo bra, but g rated by today's standards. Of course, I only read them for the articles.

chickelit said...

Apparently, in the 1950s, guys were really worried about what might happen if they waded in lakes and rivers, and yet they seemed to have a tendency to do so often.

Instead of an anti-communist metaphor, it could be as simple as a reaction to the scene starring Bogart and the leeches in The African Queen (1951).

paul a'barge said...

Frank Zappa

Unknown said...

A friend of mine's father used to have a bunch of those. We loved them too!

Drew W said...

All I remember of this type of men's magazine was Argosy, which I'd flip through but could never contemplate buying when I was in grade school. I think it may have been the last of the line for that genre. Now that I've seen the Man-Hungry Hussy Of She-Devil Island, I know I was born too late.

Chris said...

Those covers remind me of the leech scene in "The African Queen".

I think next time I watch that movie, I'll imagine Hepburn and Bogart as Althouse+Meade.

traditionalguy said...

I wonder if these were cathartic images and stories actually helping the returned veterans bring up and deal with their dreams from Post Traumatic Stress.

Eric said...

I like the hand placement in the second picture. Restricting her movements without protecting her. But it's a win because if she moves he'll accidentally cop a feel.

GMay said...

Is that the only way the artist could draw a male face?

Trooper York said...

Sure that artwork is fun, but everybody knows that Betty Rubble is a dirty slut!

Phil 314 said...

And for those Zappa/MOI lovers,
here's the album cover

Synova said...

The men on the two covers have the exact same look on their face.

I'm trying to decide if it's a "manly" look or not.

Unknown said...

Reminds me of an old Mad Mag gag that would show the picture and headline, and then you would read the lead paragraph. "He was an old Lion hunter"... but the the young lions were much tooo vicious for him, so thats how Fenwick furd began molesting....

Lance Burri said...

...this one reminds me that Meade and I need to go out for a walk:

Who's getting the Photoshop warmed up?