Friday, January 19, 2018

A Shindig Suitable for Softbacks


Bedeviled, by Raymond Mason (Hillman, 1960).
Cover art by George Ziel.


Today marks a full nine years since I launched Killer Covers as a companion blog to The Rap Sheet. During the last 12 months I added a variety of regular features to the posting lineup here, all designed to increase activity on the page. In addition, I put up several galleries (including one highlighting books with the word “business” in their title and another that showcased fronts with women exposing themselves to men), presented a month-long celebration of American cover artist Harry Bennett, and expanded a few previously popular themed posts (such as this one featuring blondes and another focused on peeping toms). Killer Covers is still a work in progress. I don’t think I have yet found its perfect mix, one that allows me flexibility but that also keeps me attentive to its expansion. Maybe by the blog’s 10th anniversary in January 2019, I shall feel as if things are going as smoothly as possible here, but I haven’t reached that point yet. Nonetheless, this blog is now nearing 750 posts in total, and has already recorded more than 1.25 million pageviews.

By way of commemorating this anniversary, I have put together nine vintage paperback façades. These scans aren’t linked by a common theme. But they have all been added to my computer files over the last year, and I haven’t found a reason to post them before. Furthermore, I am fond of them all. I hope you enjoy them, too.



Love Cult, by Harry Whittington (Lancer, 1962.)
Cover art by James W. Lampp.



Missing! by Michael Avallone (Signet, 1969).
Cover art by Robert Heindel.



The Flying Eyes, by J. Hunter Holly (Monarch, 1962).
Cover art by Jack Schoenherr.



The Love Seekers, by Jay Carr (Beacon Signal, 1963).
Cover artist unidentified.



Operation Super Ms., by Andrew Offutt (Berkley Medallion, 1974). Cover art by Mel Crair.



Six Graves to Munich, by “Mario Cleri,” aka Mario Puzo (Banner, 1967). Cover artist unidentified.



Make My Bed in Hell, by John Sanford (Avon, 1957).
Cover artist unidentified.



Hot to Trot, by John Lahr (Fawcett Crest, 1975).
Cover art by Morgan Kane.

1 comment:

TracyK said...

Congratulations on nine years, and I have enjoyed viewing the covers here and your in-depth information on the artists.