MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY
Issue No 8 : Full Color Edition
Edited by Robert Deis & Bill Cunningham
Pulp 2.0
163 pgs
Every time a new issue of Men’s Adventure Quarterly shows up, we’re reminded of Christmas morning wondering what’s hidden in those brightly wrapped boxes under the tree. In this case, the anticipation is what’s between the beautiful, and skillfully designed covers. To date, we’ve yet to be disappointed. In fact the actual, articles and fiction only seem to getter better with each new issue. Number 8 is no exception.
The theme is “hit-men” and Editor Bob Deis digs deep into his bag of goodies to offer up eight exceptional stories from the various MAMs of the 50s and 60s. It would be hard to pick a favorite from this all star collection, but if forced, we’d lean to “The Hit Man Who Turned Out To Be A Woman.” Deis has an encyclopedic knowledge of hundreds of writers and artists who worked for those periodicals and his enthusiasm for introducing us to them to the world is contagious.
As for fact articles, Gary Lovisi’s interview with Betty Brosmer was a really nice bonus. Whereas most readers of this series are all too familiar with brunette Betty Page, it is nice to see Lovisi shine the spotlight on the blonde bombshell whose own career was equally stellar. That she ended that life by marrying bodybuilding promoter and celebrity Joe Weider was a surprise to this reviewer who fondly recalls those ads in comics when the skinny kid got sand kicked in his face…before he took Weider’s at home course.
As always all this reading treasure is accentuated with great, classic artwork from the MAMs deftly layout out by design guru, Editor Bill Cunningham. In all, a fantastic issue that tips its hat to the bad guys and those so with panache. Pick up a copy at Amazon. You can thank me later.
