Friday, May 30, 2014

Paperbacks 780 and 781: The Unknown and The Unknown 5 / ed. D.R. Bensen (Pyramid R-851 and R962)

Paperbacks 780 & 781: Pyramid R-851 & R-962 (PBO, 1963 & 1964)

Titles: The Unknown and The Unknown 5
Editor: D.R. Bensen (both)
Cover artist: John Schoenherr (both) / Illus. by Edd Cartier (both)

Yours for: $12

PyrR851
PyrR962

Best things about these front covers:
  • Two for one today, as these appeared back to back on my bookshelf and seemed to go together.
  • The adorableness of Winky Peek-a-Boo Demon is considerably undermined by his unholy thumbnail.
  • I'm classifying that bony limb on The Unknown 5 as "Fear Hand," though honestly, it's more like "Hey. 'Sup? Hand."
  • Can't tell if that bird has no head, or if it's just set completely within its squat little torso.
  • I don't know what became of The Unknowns 2-4, but I fear the worst.

PyrR851bc
PyrR962bc

Best things about this back cover:

  • Weird that 3/5 of the names on The Unknown 5 are legendary and 2/5 I never ever saw before just now.
  • Everybody must name something "Cleve," the next opportunity you get. I insist.
  • I like that the back cover of The Unknown 5 believes there is such a category as "Fine Paperbacks." Adorable.


Page 123~ (from "Hell Is Forever" by Alfred Bester)

"Ego—" mused the voice. "That is something which, alas, none of us can understand. Nowhere in all the knowable cosmos is it to be found but on your planet, Mr. Braugh. It is a frightening thing and convinces me at times that yours is the race that will—" The voice broke off abruptly.

Don't tase me, Braugh.

~RP

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2 comments:

Jean said...

I do believe that that is a headless bird. Why is it headless? The world will never know.

I love how the skull is all "hey there, how's it going?"

DemetriosX said...

It's a pity the art on the first book is so shrunken down. I think the 'Sup? hand is more either a high five hand or "ha ha, joy buzzer!" hand. Schoenherr is probably best known today for his Dune artwork. It's nice to have a reminder he could do other stuff.

Hawking a Louis Nizer bio on the back of the first book is a case of really poor marketing. I'm sure there's some audience overlap, but not much. The second back cover makes me want to know why The Unknown 5 is the "second collection".

Cleve Cartmill is best known for having the FBI drop in on him in 1944 for a story that very accurately described an atomic bomb.