I've managed to find something even more rare than the already-indexed fourth issue of After Hours--this, the very first issue of Jim Warren's first magazine!When I came across it on ebay, I was a little disappointed that the cover logo was stripped off (a practice still done to this day, where the logo or whole front cover is ripped off and returned to the publisher for credit as an unsold copy), but these first three issues are so hard to find (even the fine folks at TwoMorrows, when they were compiling their Warren Companion book, couldn't find the first three issues for indexing) that I decided to get it anyway, since the rest of the issue was complete.
Of course, there is no connection to the world of black and white comic magazines other than this one name on the credits:
...no, not assistant editor George Novak, silly! James Warren!
Unlike the fourth issue, this inaugural volume has actual nudity, brief as though it is. It features lots of short fiction, cartoons, pin-ups, a Bettie Page centerfold(!), and weird articles like "Young Man with a Nightclub", about a guy that "turned a former stable into a thriving Supper Club." Former stable?
It's a profile of the club, and how its populated by comedians, actors, actresses, general men-about-town, and dancers like this:
...for God's sake, if this is someone you find attractive, seek medical attention.
Even though the other two issue are more like this one (i.e. no comic book, sci-fi, or related-genre content) I still plan to be on the lookout for them. Apparently Jim Warren himself doesn't even own a complete set, so maybe if I ever find #s 2 and 3, I'll give them to him if I'm ever lucky enough to meet him in person...
1 comment:
I think the last time I saw a face like that it was tying Flash Gordon to the rack! YIKES!
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