Acquired Tastes XLIII:
Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 39
Trojan Books / 1 of 5
As promised, today we start to take a look at Trojan Books. Very little information is available, which is surprising, given the breadth of their output. The earliest book I could verify is 1971 and the latest 1977. They had a number of imprints: Trojan Classics, Locker Room Library, Golden Helmet Classics, Spartan Classics, Gay Way, Svensk Series and Zorro Books.
Trojan Classics all have a small Trojan Helmet in the upper left. They also have a mask of Zorro in the upper right, in reference to their distribution company. As imprints go, this one is dedicated strictly to gay male subject matter.
The publishing company? GX, Incorporated of Chatsworth, CA. Distribution was handled by Zorro Distributing Company in San Diego, CA
GX, Inc. had a penchant for black ink/pencil drawings presented on solid color backgrounds for their covers. This is true of all their various imprints.
I did my best to track down as many covers as I could. They are presented in order of publication. I am basing the order on a list published in the back of one of Trojan Classic's titles and their sequential numbers. The lists at the back of the books also came with directions on how to order additional titles. 
Title Page
Over Eighteen Over Eight
End Zone
Trojan has a number of titles, written by Dal Temple, that play on the word 'phallus'. Clever? I think the jury's still out.
Getting The Shaft
Check out that handle bar mustache! Is he a circus clown?
Do My Thing
More word play. We'll allow it...
His Brother's Keeper
The publishing company? GX, Incorporated of Chatsworth, CA. Distribution was handled by Zorro Distributing Company in San Diego, CA
GX, Inc. had a penchant for black ink/pencil drawings presented on solid color backgrounds for their covers. This is true of all their various imprints.
I did my best to track down as many covers as I could. They are presented in order of publication. I am basing the order on a list published in the back of one of Trojan Classic's titles and their sequential numbers. The lists at the back of the books also came with directions on how to order additional titles.
Young And Tender Boys
Author: George Kiva
TC #201
This is, indeed, the first book published under the Trojan Classics imprint.
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(not found)
Searchlight Insight
Author: Lance Rogers
TC #203
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(not found)
Lighthouse Is For Loving
Author: Lloyd Campbell
TC #204
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Tearoom Castles
Author: Dick Garfield
TC #202
"In a whirlwind reportage of the secretive, mind-blowing, sexual antics which occur in any men's room at some time and practically always in others, the author takes you on a probing search of this rarely discussed phenomenon. Graphically depicted here are the various toilets, the multitudinous types of habitués and their own particular brands and methods of sexual gratification... Explosive and enlightening to the open-minded."
Back Cover
Ah, one of my favorite subjects. I tell you, if one could, I'd have earned a doctorate degree in tearoom etiquette. Hey... we all have our passions.
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Leave The Driving To Us
Author: Lance Rogers
TC #205
About the art work: I have to say I find it a tad amateurish. Interesting, arresting and erotic, of course. But these are not exactly of the same caliber as, say, the work of Tom of Finland. They are effective. And I did do my best to try and learn the name of the illustrators. If you happen to know... leave their name in the comments section. I would love to know.
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Whipping A Hang-Up
Author: Stan Wentworth
TC #206
This one has me super curious. The title makes no sense. And then there's that rather old-fashioned matron stuffing the one stud's pants with moolah. Also.. note the one-half of a whole necklaces dangling on the lads' chests. That's a lot of subtext. And none of it makes any sense.
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Author: Rick Tulane
TC #207
I take it this is about a math tutor? And they are working on fractions. And one of them says, well, I am both over eighteen and... (sound of zipper unzipping) over eight! What happens next? What, have you never seen gay porn?
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T-Town Tease
Author: Dal Temple
TC #208
Can you tell me how to get... how to get to T-Town? It looks like my kind of haunt.
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Geisha Boy
Author: Lance Roberts
TC #209
Interesting art work, given the book's title.
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Author: Rod Larson
TC #210
LRL #111
Note: The two different catalog numbers? And that this is a Locker Room Library imprint book cover? I'll explain in a bit...
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Little Big Horny
Author: Brian Powers
TC #211
A parody of the 1970 Dustin Hoffman movie Little Big Man?
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Humpin' Jumpmaster
Author: Brad Powell
TC #212
Erotic skydiving? Hmm. That's not exactly where I imagine all the blood rushes as you jump.
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Hanging Loose
Author: John Maggie
TC #213
John Maggie is one of the few authors to use his real name. We learned a little bit about him last week, when I reviewed his book, Three Ring Sex Circus.
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Pacific Phallusades
Author: Dal Temple
TC #214
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Author: Vic Blake
TC #215
LRL #106
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Yesterday's Trade
Author: E.E. Patcher
TC #216
LRL #105
So, yes... it seems Trojan Classics would also publish the same title under their Locker Room Library imprint. Why would they do that?
This is my best guess, but I think it may also prove to be the right one. In the past, I've written about censorship laws and how, frequently, a publisher would offer up a number of imprints in order to evade detection. Let's say a judge of a certain county or state handed down a ruling banning all titles carrying the Trojan Classics imprint. In order to circumvent the law and get their goods into that market, they would publish the same title under a different imprint. Clever, yes? But expensive, no. Same artwork, same title, same book. All they have to alter is the title page and the publishing banner at the top of the cover.
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3 Way - The Only Way
Author: Houston Smith
TC #217
LRL #104
So, I am not sure, but I think there are four different artists at work here. Agree? It still all feels rather amateurish. Like something I would have worked on in my notebook in the eighth grade.
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Author: Manbow & Pedersen
TC #218
LRL #103
Interesting dual authorship. Manbow (hee, hee). Pedersen (Pedarist).
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Phax & Phallusies
Author: Dal Temple
TC #219
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Author: Rick Tulane
TC #220
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That's all for this week.
Next week, we'll take a look at another slew of Trojan Classics cover art.
Until then... thanks for reading!
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother - The Hollies
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3 comments:
This post can work also al time machine!
The covers alone!
As you say, the subtext was incredible. I guess the artists needed to read or at least know what the contents were so they could come up with the artwork.
Also, they got away with a LOT in those covers!
XOXO
Some of that cover art is pretty bad - as you say. The titles sure tell the story though, don't they?
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