3.15.2009

Sultry Sunday #24 - The weekly "Pop Sensation" crossover

Fabulous find for you today - a small paperback publisher from the early 50s brings you naked dancing and more smoke than you're apt to see anywhere outside of a Pink Floyd concert.

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Paperback 207: Readers-Choice Library No. 8 (1st ptg, 1950)

Title: Green Light for Death
Author: Frank Kane
Cover artist: [Blickenstaff]



Best things about this cover:

  • "Is that a naked banshee over there in the corner? Doing the Lambada? O man, I'm so wasted..."
  • "Misunderstanding the concept of "War on Drugs" completely, Johnny Liddell began firing randomly at the smoke that filled the room."
  • I have "marijuana!" written on the ID sticker on this book's plastic bag, but I can't find confirming evidence that pot is at all involved in this story. I will say, though, that there are references to cigarettes, pipes, and smoking in general on virtually every page.
  • Love love love the naked dancer's necklace, captured in mid-air. Lovely.
  • Also love the disaffected Brando look-alike at the small of her back. For some reason, in my mind, he is French.

Best things about this back cover:

  • Text!
  • I'm not sure "accident or suicide" really warrants quoting.

Page 123~

Liddell's eyes sought out Mike Lane where he sat gloating like an obscene Buddha, his tiny eyes fixed hungrily on the cavorting girl, his head nodding in time to the music.


Unless Mike Lane is a fat Asian hip-hop fan, this simile sucks.

~RP

3 comments:

BikerPuppy said...

my favorite line on the back cover: "If you can stand the pace...." Vague, but I would tend to interpret this as "slow and plodding."

LostinManc said...

Hello there - just want to say I'm really enjoying your blog. Keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Cover and title correspond very nicely in this case: this amount of cigarette-smoke = green light for death.

And I love your blog, it is hilarious!