Sunday, October 30, 2011

Paperback 471: Model for Murder / Stephen Marlowe (Graphic 94)

Paperback 471: Graphic 94 (PBO, 1955)

Title: Model for Murder
Author: Stephen Marlowe
Cover artist: Walter Popp

Yours for: $16


graph94.mod4murder

Best things about this cover:
  • I have no idea what these people are up to, but that cigarette and that cigar are getting it on.
  • Finally, a taut thriller about the exciting, dangerous world of copyediting.
  • Steve is puzzled to find that his meticulously researched paper, "Broads: Stacked vs. Unstacked," merits only a B-. "I don't think I understand this whole 'Women's Studies' thing, Bernie."


graph94bc.mod4murd

Best things about this back cover:
  • Kinsey!
  • Out-Kinseyed Kinsey! "Screw this survey stuff, let's just install hidden cameras."
  • Lady wrestlers! Be still my heart.
  • Talk about ... Pop Grujdzak. Talk about ... Pop Grujdzak.
  • If I had to invent a stupid-sounding last name, and had several days to do it, I still couldn't beat Wompler.

Page 123~

The clothing was Ken's naturally, and as I dressed and tested the stiffness in my left arm, I began to wonder. The arm couldn't have punched its way through a wet Kleenex tissue.

So ... he dresses up like Barbie's boyfriend and he has a lot of experience testing the tensile strength of wet Kleenex. He sounds dreamy.

~RP

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11 comments:

Jean said...

Holy moley. "But first the cute daughter of Pop Grujdzak, a Bible-quoting cop, had to pose for Wompler in her sister's lingerie!" has got to be the best awful sentence of the week. That just made my day.

Tulse said...

I want to open a bakery called "Wilson Wompler, the Cheesecake King".

Sparky said...

Wow, they spent the money for two pieces of art. This is a class act.

Grs said...

Wait, the heroine's name is Phyllis Kirk? Like the "House of Wax" actress? I wonder if she knew about this.

JamiSings said...

What's that word for when you see images in things that are suppose to be random?

Because in the cigar smoke I swear I see a man's profile, wearing glasses, staring intently at her boobs, and in her cigarette smoke I swear I see the word "WOO" written above smoke-man's head.

Rex Parker said...

Whoa. It's weird that you ask. I just learned that word today (a few hours ago, in fact) while reading the new Chuck Klosterman novel, "The Visible Man." The word is: APOPHENIA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia

dcmatthews said...

That name "Wompler" just destroys any semblance of disbelief suspension I'd muster for this novel. If it's a pseudonym, it's horrible: Wompler is the kind of name you change from, not to.

And finally, because I can't resist...

Pop
Pop
Pop Grujdzak

Pop
Pop
Pop Grujdzak

Well, you started it... ;)

DemetriosX said...

Actually, the word JamiSings is looking for is pareidolia. That's when you see Jesus on a moldy orange or something. Apophenia is more like Richard Dreyfuss playing with is mashed potatoes and going,"This means something."

Anyway, the blonde on the front is going to get a burn on her left thigh soon. That cigar is going to drop ash any second and it's pretty precariously balanced, too.

Wilson Wompler (undoubtedly Willy to his friends) is a terrible name. It just makes you crack up, destroying any atmosphere the author might have built up. Also, it took me a while to realize that "cheesecake king" didn't mean he was a baker.

Rex Parker said...

@Demetrios,

Actually, pareidolia is a type of apophenia.

Here's the Apophenia subheading for Pareidolia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apophenia#Pareidolia

Deb said...

I learn so much by reading this blog!

JamiSings said...

Either way I still see a man's face and the word "Woo" in the smoke.