Matt Baker Romance Comics

Matt Baker (December 10, 1921 – August 11, 1959) was an American comic book artist who drew the costumed crimefighter Phantom Lady, among many other characters. Active in the 1940s and 1950s Golden Age of comic books, he is the first known African-American artist to find success in the comic-book industry. He also penciled the very first graphic novel, St. John Publications' digest-sized "picture novel" It Rhymes with Lust (1950). Baker was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009. (from Wikipedia)

Here's some romance comics with cover art by Baker.

Teenage Temptations #1, October 1952.

True Love Pictorial #6, October 1953.

Wartime Romances #17, September 1953.

Teen-Age Romances #2, April 1949.

Teen-Age Romances #3, July 1949.

Teen-Age Romances #42, March 1955.

Giant Comics Editions #15, 1950.

Christmas Pinups

Christmas Elf by Forest H. Clough, n.d.




Christmas Ornaments by Jim Schaeffing, circa 1950.




Pin-Up in Front of Fireplace by Gil Elvgren, n.d.




A Christmas Eve (Waiting for Santa) by Gil Elvgren, 1954.





Christmas Pin-Up by Earl Moran, n.d.

Jack Kamen Bondage Covers

Comic book artist Jack Kamen (1920-2008) us most famous for his stories for E.C.'s line of horror comics. Kamen's stories often featured sleek, ice-cold women plotting to murder their husbands or the object of murder themselves. Kamen's squeaky clean style radiated 1950's era wholesomeness while telling unsettling stories of infidelity, murder and revenge. Before working for E.C., he did artwork for a variety of publishers who took advantage of his skills at drawing women.

Claire Voyant #4, 1947.

Jo-Jo Comics #16, June 1948.

The Saint #1, August 1947.

Zoot Comics #11, December 1947.

Al Feldstein's Junior Comics

The comic book Junior was created, written and drawn by Al Feldstein. Feldstein went on to write, draw and edit for the legendary line of EC Comics and took over the editorship of MAD magazine after creator Harvey Kurtzman left. Junior, and its companion title Sunny were both great examples of cheesecake and the "headlight" style of comic book art. Here's a selection of Feldstein's eye-catching covers. A complete collection of both comics are available from IDW.

Junior #9, September 1947.

Junior #10, November 1947.

Junior #11, January 1948.

Junior #12, March 1948.

Junior #13, April 1948.

Junior #14, May 1948.

Junior #15, June 1948.

Junior #16, July 1948.

Black Terror!

Black Terror #21, January 1948.

Wednesday Witches

I can't make it through a Countdown to Halloween without running this classic by Gil Elvgren. More witches below...




Riding High, by Gil Elvgren, 1958.




A Hornbook for Witches by Leah Bodine Drake. Arkham House, 1950.




The Old Witch by Johnny Craig, n.d.




The Witches of Salem by Carl Barks, 1979.




Wendy, the Good Little Witch #21, December 1963.

Vampirella Magazine, 1969-1971

Here's some early issues of Vampirella with cover art by Frank Frazetta, Ken Kelly, and others. Plus a couple by Dave Stevens from the 1990's, just because I can.





Vampirella #2, November 1969. Cover art by Bill Hughes.





Vampirella #5, June 1970. Cover art by Frank Frazetta.





Vampirella #6, July 1970. Cover art by Ken Kelly.





Vampirella #6, July 1970. Scan of original cover art by Ken Kelly.





Vampirella #7, September 1970. Cover art by Frank Frazetta.





Vampirella #8, November 1970. Cover art by Ken Kelly.





Vampirella #9, January 1971. Cover art by Wally Wood and Boris Vallejo.





Vampirella #10, March 1971. Cover art by Bill Hughes.





Vampirella #11, May 1971. Cover art by Frank Frazetta.




Vampirella #12, July 1971. Cover art by Sanjulian.

Pinups by Arnold Kohn

Some pinups and cartoons by Arnold Kohn (1920-1984). Kohn lived in Chicago and began contributing illustrations and covers to pulp magazines in 1944. He also painted many paperback book covers and was a contributor to Playboy magazine in the 1950's. More on Kohn here.




"Take Off Your Glasses So I Can See What You Look Like" Playboy, July 1956.




"There's something I have to tell you dear. You like your pipes better after they've been broken in ..." Playboy, March 1956.




Hanging Around, n.d.




Brunette Pinup, n.d.

The Predicament

Oh look, another awesome painting by Arthur Sarnoff. This one is from 1955.

Friday Odds and Ends

Tomorrow and Tomorrow paperback book cover, 1956. Art by Bob Lavin.




House of Secrets #103, December 1972. Cover art by Bernie Wrightson.




The Empire Strikes Back radio promo poster, 1982. Art by Ralph McQuarrie.




Green Lantern #29, June 1964. Cover art by Gil Kane.


...and, a couple of pictures of Betty Page (via)....