As previously mentioned, I adore me some Mort Künstler! So much so in fact, we chose him to grace our cover this week, sans our usual annoying cover text. Check out this amazing work of art involving the eternal battle between man, polar bears, and explosions here.
And as promised, here’s more Künstler. While nowadays he’s primarily known for his gripping civil war scenes, my favorite Künstler work was when he was doing cover art for men’s magazines in the ’50s and ’60s. As I’ve previously written, I’m a huge fan of these post-war mags, and you can see their inspiration splashed all over the Mercury. And while I love these magazine’s depictions of men battling sharks/Nazis/bears/pirates/monkeys and rescuing scantily clad women from Bulgarian sex prisons, nobody captured the audacity of these scenes—and with such subtle artistry and nuance—as Künstler.
What follows are just a few classic examples of Künstler’s pulp work, but this guy has had—and continues to have—an amazing career. Check out more here.
- “Killer Komodo,” 1955
- “Disco Dilemma,” from Men Only, 1968
Even more cool Künstler illos after the jump!
- Stingray
- Stag, “The Sergeant Who Decoyed The Nazis’ Fraulein Werewolves” (1960)
- Stag (1955)
- Putting on Nylons, Men cover, 1970
- “Subway Fight”, 1965
how could you leave out: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5XvBYfxU_dM/S4yNtF1Z…
@ bookfiend
Coincidentally, that was our second choice for this week’s cover! It’s a beauty!
Despite the guys in turtlenecks carrying guns, I wish I could live in the Dilemma Disco.
Also, if I’m not mistaken, the girl in the red- and white-striped top and red miniskirt at the disco is the same as the girl in the orange- and yellow-striped top and orange miniskirt on the subway. Her life must have been one long series of adventures (and striped tops and miniskirts).
And is the guy rappelling into the disco the same as the karate-chop soldier in the subway? His and striped-top girl’s destinies are apparently intertwined.