Saturday, August 30, 2014

Paperback 808: The Golden Blade / John Clou (Graphic Giant G209)

Paperback 808: Graphic Giant G209 (1st ptg, 1955)

Title: The Golden Blade
Author: John Clou
Cover artist: Robert Maguire

Yours for: $12

GraphG209
Best things about this cover:

Ron Weasley fantasizes about gutting that lousy scar-faced pretty boy.
Easily the best painting you'll ever see of a shirtless caped redhead admiring his primary phallic symbol. (Secondary phallic symbol safely sheathed on right hip)
I am not a fan of these big dumb historical romance montages, but if you gotta do it, yeah, go with Robert Maguire. Grace and beauty of his painting will soften the overwhelming cheese of the subject matter.
Everything about that woman is improbable. Actually, I would change that to "probable" if you just moved her indoors. There's no way she's that artfully, nakedly posed out there in the dirt of the battlefield.

GraphG209bc

Best things about this back cover:

  • Everybody dance now.
  • "Enough with the hip-shaking. Fill my goblet and then polish my sex boots, woman!"
  • I like the blue-skirted lady, or, as I call her, The Mead Whisperer.


Page 123~

The day after Cholan's party arrived at the cave. Juji went hunting. He was pleased that Gesikie offered to accompany him, for he wanted an audience to acclaim his skill with the bow.

This page also features Jhotuz, Kisil, and Temujine, in case you're interested.

~RP

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2 comments:

Karl said...

Re. the back cover painting: That brazier belching out flames and noxious smoke inside a tent is not going to end well.

OTOH, it's rather cool that there's a whole different illustration for the back cover; you don't see that often.

Rex Parker said...

It's a wrap-around cover. I should've mentioned that.

Spine has no real details or I'd've scanned that, too.

RP