PULP COVER FRIDAY PRESENTS THE SHUDDER PULPS!

Popular Fiction launched TERROR TALES in 1934 and added its sister zine HORROR STORIES in 1935, originating what has become known as the Shudder Pulps genre. And I use the word “sister” advisedly, since the covers of every single issue of both mags presented distressed damsels depicted in a manner that can only be described as “lurid.” Unless you wanted to call them “extremely lurid,” which would probably be more accurate.

Both folded in 1941, HORROR after 41 issues and TERROR after 51. What’s pretty amazing is that in over half of these covers, the poor gals are being menaced by guys in red robes. Either this was one damn persistent gang of woman haters, or else everyone in the biz brought their supplies at the same torture supply house. In any case, it’s certainly a mystery to be investigated in depth at a later time.

First up, we find a damsel in the soup. At least, I hope that’s tomato soup…

An extreme case of the wedding bell blues.

An example of the ever-popular babe in a glass container genre. I was pretty surprised to see how popular this sub-genre actually was.

Guys in red robes. Perhaps soup, also. Also, I don’t know about you, but I really want to read “The Mole Men Want Your Eyes.”

Red robe AND glass tube.

Delicate surgery about to be preformed.

Red robe AND glass tube AGAIN. Apparently a favorite.

AND AGAIN. (But at least she has company this time.)

No red robes this time (phew). But, even better, a mummy with a gat!

More tomato soup!

Well, sure, we got the red robes, but what the hell?

And we close with a personal favorite, more mummies.