Acquired Tastes XLIII
Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 159
Gaytimes Book Club, Part 5
Today, we continue taking a look at New Male's Gaytimes Book Club imprint.
Unsurprisingly, very little is available in the way of information regarding the imprint's history.
The books were distributed by Star Distributors, LTD., which held a P.O. Box (#362) at the Canal Street Station in New York, NY, zip code 10013,
The imprint published 208 titles during its run from 1979 to 1992, all credited to Anonymous.
Unsurprisingly, very little is available in the way of information regarding the imprint's history.
The books were distributed by Star Distributors, LTD., which held a P.O. Box (#362) at the Canal Street Station in New York, NY, zip code 10013,
The imprint published 208 titles during its run from 1979 to 1992, all credited to Anonymous.
Publisher's Page
The covers went through four distinct cover changes. Initially they displayed facial or upper torso with face portraits of masculine gay archetypes presented in a stylistic manner all done by the same artist. The publisher chose to switch cover designs starting around book #60 in 1983. At that point the portraits, typically of a single figure, although there were exceptions, featured a three-quarter portrait of a male, typically clothed. The drawings, all done in a comic book-like style by the same artist, appear somewhat amateurish, though colored nicely in an array of flat, solid colors. A third style would be introduced, featuring a black background, creating a domed frame with an amateurish colored drawing. By that point the books were under the heading of New Male, with the Gaytimes Book Club name not mentioned at all. Near the tail end of the imprint's history, they would feature a colored drawing with a bit more artistic merit, minus any framing device or background.
Examples of the back covers. The first example was used for books #1-60. After that, the back covers were used to advertise the most recent offerings from Star Distributer's Rough Trade imprint.
But the covers were not the only thing to change. The books now advertised ten pages of personal ads and an assortment of sexual enhancement products. Below is a partial description of such a book from Gay's The Word Bookshop, "the UK's oldest LGBT+ bookshop, opening in January 1979 at 66 Marchmont Street."
"Very rare pulp paperback published in 1984 by the GayTimes Book Club (New York). Read and worn, with creasing to spine and on lower cover, but intact with no loss and in solid condition. Yellow sticker on upper cover showing "R" rating: "(a) not to be sold or exhibited to minors, (b) Not to be available for perusal by minors, (c) Not to be displayed in any place to which minors have access, (d) Not to be advertised." With advertisements for "Stallion Slo-Cum Spray" and "Anal Ecstasy" on inside covers, personal advertisements in the final pages ("TEN pages of ads from people who want to meet you!"), and a further catalog of gay erotica available from Star Distributors."
Books #1-60 also feature ads, about nine pages worth, at the back of book - things like subscriptions to The Gaytimes News (12 issues for $18), payment to be sent to P.O. Box 101, Murray Hill Station, New York, NY 10016; Rough Trade, Male Photo, and Stud Series books; and an assortment of 'Butt Tinglers', 'Pocket Pussies', and alarming-looking dildoes.
Oddly, the book's catalog number does not appear on the cover of the book (only on the spine), nor do the words 'New Male' appear anywhere on this first batch of covers, yet that brand name is later associated with the books.
As previously mentioned, I'm not sure how many of the 208 covers I will be able to track down, but here are the next ten covers I could find. We'll just take it one post at a time...
So far, out of 50 titles, I have found 40 covers. But believe me... as we continue, there are going to be more and more covers missing.
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Cellblock Beefcake
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-051
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Come Hungry Cruiser
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-052
This one would be re-published twice - as FIN-004 and FIN-132 - for the Finland imprint.
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Muscle Master
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-053
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Orgy Garage
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-054
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Brute Brothers
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-055
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Punishment Platoon
Author: Anonymous
1982
NM-056
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Fraternity Brother
Author: Anonymous
1983
NM-057
Available at Hommi Publishing as a downloadable e-book or PDF.
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Army Buddy
Author: Anonymous
1983
NM-058
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Trucker’s Boy
Author: Anonymous
1983
NM-059
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Black Leather
Author: Anonymous
1983
NM-060
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Coming Out
Author: Anonymous
1983
NM-061
And note the banner in the bottom right corner announcing the arrival of "Personals Ads" "Ten pages of ads from people who want to meet you!"
Now I have to track down one of these books. I am dying to know what kind of people would advertise themselves in such a manner. Very brave - or stupid, depending on how you look at it. And how did New Male find these people? Or are they fake ads? How did you communicate with them if interested? So many questions.
Now I have to track down one of these books. I am dying to know what kind of people would advertise themselves in such a manner. Very brave - or stupid, depending on how you look at it. And how did New Male find these people? Or are they fake ads? How did you communicate with them if interested? So many questions.
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And that's all for now.
Next week: ten more Gaytime Book Club covers.
Until then...
Thanks for reading.
Coming Out - Jessie Paege
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2 comments:
The style of the artwork brings to mind "pointilism." Kind of cool.
P.S. You mentioned in a comment on my blog that you've been spending your time reading and writing. We caught "A Little White Lie" - a film based on the Novel "Shriver." Going inside the mind of a writer (well, any artist, really, I guess). Very funny and well done.
Well, that Coming Out one did differ, no?
And they matched the title to the cover, which is nice. The wrench touch in Orgy Garage? Nice.
XOXO
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