Monster of the Day #1032

Updated on November 10, 2014 By Ken Begg 15 Comments

I know I must seem lazy, but I loves me some pulp covers.

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  • Flangepart

    Space suits, ray guns and giant ants…what’s not to love, Ken?

  • Man, they’re doing it wrong! They’re supposed to shoot the antennae, not shoot from the antennae.

    Actually, riding around on giant ants would be fairly cool. Though uncomfortable had they not had the saddle.

  • Beckoning Chasm

    At least they are regular giant ants, not those “weird mummy insects!” that Blackhawk had to deal with.

  • Ericb

    The Ant Whisperer

  • Luke Blanchard

    This was the issue for Dec. 1938. Apparently the cover story was “Hands Across the Void” by Henry Kuttner, writing as Will Garth.

    THRILLING WONDER STORIES was edited in the period by Mort Weisinger, who is well known to comics fans because he ran Superman’s titles in the 50s and 60s. The covers of his comics were sometimes created before the stories. Possibly for THRILLING WONDER STORIES he came up with cover ideas, had the covers painted, and then plotted stories based on them verbally with his reliable writers before sending them home to write them. If so, the reason he often didn’t use the cover stories’ titles on the covers might be that he used the names of what he saw as the best stories, because he wanted the readers to read them first. (If the readers read the weak stories first they might skip the good ones.)

    The Giant Turtle Man cover of SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #53 (1961) was based on that of THRILLING WONDER STORIES, Jul. 1940. Weisinger edited both issues.

  • Flangepart

    “Yee-haw, ride ’em ant boy…”
    “Do you know how STUPID that sounds?”
    “Son, these is TEXAS ants!”
    “Like that makes it better?”

  • bgbear_rnh

    I recommend a bottle of Kayro syrup and these mounts will be useless to the hoomans.

  • Rock Baker

    Now that is a thing of beauty!

  • Luke Blanchard

    I just realised Weisinger recycled this one too, as the cover of SUPERMAN’S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN #54 (“King of the Giant Ants!”).

  • Marsden

    Fire Ants!

  • Eric Hinkle

    Stanley G. Weinbaum and Clifford D. Simak? Those are some names to conjure with, yet *sigh* how many modern SF fans even know who they are?

    And the Gi-Ants look cool.

  • Eric Hinkle

    Thanks for the history lesson, Mister Blanchard!

  • Luke Blanchard

    Thanks. The second paragraph is speculation after “Possibly for”. Other pulp editors who went into comics were Jack Schiff and Julie Schwartz. Many pulp writers also wrote for comics, including Otto Binder, Edmond Hamilton, Frank Belknap Long and Manly Wade Wellman. Gardner F. Fox and John Broome, who are more remembered for their comics work, wrote stories for the pulps too. Jack Kirby did pulp illustrations.

  • Luke Blanchard

    On reflection, I’m not sure Schwartz edited pulp magazines (he did do a fanzine). He was a literary agent for SF writers. Alfred Bester wrote for comics too.

  • Flangepart

    Those are some names to conjure with, yet *sigh* how many modern SF fans even know who they are?
    (Sigh) These kids today with their Rowlings and all…stay off my metaphorical lawn!