Acquired Tastes XLIII: Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 208 - Spade Classics, Part 2 of 5

Acquired Tastes XLIII:

Gay Pulp Fiction, Part 208

Spade Classics

Part 2 of 5

Today, we take a second look at Spade Classics.

This was yet another imprint brought to you by the good people at Star Distributors, LTD., the Spade Classics imprint lasted a three years, from 1972-1974, publishing 52 titles in all. Star Distributors, LTD. operated out of a P.O. Box at the Canal Street Station in New York City and are responsible for numerous, short-lived vintage gay pulp imprints. As with most such publishers, information is in short supply.

The books covers went through four distinct styles changes. Initially, they featured a solid black background with the title in a unique bold white font, below which you'd find a black and white erotic drawing done in a linocut style. Their unique logo, a black card spade set in a white Mars/male symbol with the name of the imprint could be found in the upper left corner of the cover, the price - in the upper right, and the author's name below the linocut style drawing.  

That changed with the thirteenth book in the series. The new style was similar to the first, but now a white banner ran the width of the top of the book, containing the Spade Classics logo, name and price. The artwork, by the same artist, was now framed in a circular frame with the sides cut flat. The artwork also softened a bit, looking more like a pen and ink drawing or an engraving, rather than the rough linocut look used previously.

With no rhyme or reason, the imprint would see saw back and forth between the two styles for the next twenty titles, at which point a third style would be introduced. 

All the authors are presumed to be writing under pseudonyms. 

These books tend to sell for between $25.00 and $50.00.

Here are the next ten Spade Classic titles. I was able to locate nine of ten covers.

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Boarding House Buddies

 Author: Jason Styles 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-111

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about "active sex in a boarding school".

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing for $1.95!

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Male Hunters

 Author: Jason Styles 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-112

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Young Hard and Handsome

 Author: Mike Smith 

 Spade Classics

1973

SPADE-113

Listed on the spine as simply '13'.

 Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Farmer's Son

 Author: Grant Myerson 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-115 

Listed on the spine as simply '15'.

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The Special Breed

 Author: C. Kell 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-116

 Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Rock-Hard Roommates

 Author: Lindsay Latham 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-117

According to Hommi Publishing's Big Ass List, this one is about a "boy who finally dares to make it with his roommate".

 Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Cycle Slaves

Author: Roland Pichette

 Spade Classics 

1973

 SPADE-118

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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Lust for Leather

 Author: C. Kell 

Spade Classics

 1973 

SPADE-119

Available as a downloadable PDF or ebook at Hommi Publishing.

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The Meat Eaters

Author: Jamie Bolin

Spade Classics

1973

SPADE-120

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And that's all for now.

Next week: ten more tantalizing Spade Classics titles. 

Until then...

Thanks for reading!

Rock Hard - Suzi Quatro

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip: Sarah Silverman

Sunday Diva/Three From The Hip:

Sarah Silverman

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing dedicated to the Ladies Of Comedy. Theses are the gals who made us laugh and, on occasion, brought a tear to our eyes. They are visionaries, capturing aspects of the human condition while holding up a mirror to the world. Their characters, style, and phrases have helped form our daily vernacular in ways we are not even always aware of - but that is the power of comedy and the magic these ladies all possess. Breaking ground while breaking all the rules?

That would be... Sarah Silverman.

In a nutshell.

Oy, the mouth on this one!

Sarah has never met a twisted bit of logic she couldn't twist a little more. Oh, yeah, she twists it hard - like a comedic dominatrix.

Clever, sardonic, cutting. This diva will set an audience up to walk on landmines. And  then, when the explosion occurs, she will smile and tell you why you had it coming while using her prettiest voice.

She's a good kid. It's hard to hold anything against her... because 99% of the time, she's right.

But, oh, that one percent! 

Silverman courts controversy like it was her favorite dance partner and every night is Senior Prom. 

Thing is - like her - her stuff is smart. How could it not be? 

As the world continues to spin off its axis...

Thank the stars, we have Sarah Silverman to keep us centered!

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic? Shocking And Offending

"I don't set out to offend or shock, but I also don't do anything to avoid it"

"Some people say my humor focuses too much on stereotypes. It doesn't. It focuses on facts."

"It shows the truth - that the real meaning of a word is only as powerful or harmless as the emotion behind it."

"I think I've been called edgy - but in all honesty, there is a safety in what I do because I'm always the idiot. Unless you're just listening to buzz words and not taking into account the context of the situation, you see I'm always the ignoramus."

"I really think everything is fair game."

"I have a ton of Holocaust stuff, and some of it is really hard core."

"Well, I'm not afraid to say something if I think it's funny, even if it's harsh or racist."

"Relations between black and white would be greatly improved if we were more accepting of our fears and our feelings and more vocal about it."

"Traditionally, I have no right to talk about race. I'm white; I didn't grow up in an all-black neighborhood. But the license I see for myself is I'm a member of the world."

"Jews, black people - any people who are hated or who have suffered, either as individuals or as a people - use humor. It is a survival skill."

"But I think you can make fun of anything as long as it's funny enough."

"I never defend my material. Comedy is subjective."

"That's not to say that I don't find anything offensive."

"I never want to be in a position where I have to defend my material. It's too subjective. It's for other people to defend or not defend."

"You know, I think whatever a comic talks about onstage is all they talk about offstage."

"I tend to be more arrogant on stage. Far more ignorant. I sometimes say what I think and sometimes say the opposite of what I think and the lines get blurred, but I can only hope that some kind of absolute power transcends."

"I like my messiness on stage, though I watch comics who come at a joke from every angle and I think, 'Yeah! That's how it's done!' But for me it's the audience. If I feel connected to them, I have so much fun, and if not, it stinks."

"If you are truly offended by an 80-year-old man saying you're not funny, then you're probably not funny."

Sarah Silverman's Sister Hates This Joke - Sarah Silverman

Jesus Is Magic - Sarah Silverman

Lesbian Niece - Sarah Silverman

And one last parting shot...

"I had a lot of depression as a kid."

"As a kid, I was terrified. I was a bed wetter, and I had to go to sleepaway camp every summer, which was humiliating and terrifying. I had lots of insecurities and scaredness."

"I have very vivid dreams - almost always action-adventure. I'm often on the run. I've always had dreams. When I was little, I'd go to sleep with my head on my hands, which were in fists like I was looking through a camera. I felt like sleep was the movies - just drifting off to the movies."

Mr. Rogers And Masturbation - Sarah Silverman

Weekend Onesie: The Magic Of Burton Rice - Part VII

Weekend Onesie:

The Magic Of Burton Rice

Part VII

As you may know, on Thursdays, Wonderland Burlesque does a series of posts about old movies, featuring movie posters. During the course of research, I fell in love with a particular type of poster art, enough so that I wanted to learn a bit more about the artist.

That's what I'll be sharing with you the next few Saturdays, as part of the Weekend Onesie series (which is rarely about a single image, so, not sure why I cling to that title).

I remain in awe of this man and his work; the sheer volume and quality is astounding. He must have slaved over his drawing table like a madman. His movie posters for Bluebird and Pathé are not all he did... he also created book covers, advertisements, and sheet music art. For this series, I've chosen to group them according to visual type.

I find his use of color and white space quite amazing and far ahead of his time. 

Here's a bit of information (all cribbed from various sites) about the artist and samples of his work.

The Magic Of Burton Rice

American designer, illustrator, photographer, and poster artist Burton Rice is best known for his work creating posters for the Bluebird Photoplays division of Universal Pictures between 1916 and 1919. Little else is known about him.

He was an American native born in a Chicago suburb on April 15, 1894. Records show that he returned from France in 1917, when he was 23 years old, and again in 1924, aged 30. In 1943 his draft registration card showed him living in New York city, and self-employed. 

Burton designed a wide range of products, but you might know him under a different name. When designing fashion pieces, he often used the pseudonym of Dynevor Rhys. No one knows why Rice did this. Some believe he wished to save his real name for fine art, but this was never confirmed. This change happened after his New York studio burned down in November of 1923. After the fire, Rice began submitting magazine covers as Dynevor Rhys.

In 1959, he returned to Chicago.

He died in Paris on April 4, 1977.

Through his years as a designer, Burton Rice produced many impressive pieces. His posters help capture an era. Through his work, we can better experience the time period.

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Bluebird - Miranda Lambert

Friday Fun: Happy National Cream-Filled Donut Day!

Friday Fun: 

Happy National Cream-Filled Donut Day!

So... who doesn't love a cream-filled donut?

Me? I've always wondered how it happens. I mean... how does one get filled with cream?

Yes, please... fill me in!

To find out, I turned to the only place I know to get information - so much so, that it practically does all my thinking for me. Yes, I am talking about the internet. The worldwide web, if you will - where you only find the most accurate of information and everything you find is the absolute truth.

Based on my exhaustive research, below, you will find several fine examples demonstrating exactly how one goes about filling a donut with cream.

I tell you, that Google... 

It sure knows its stuff!

Ah, Wonderland Burlesque.

A place you can trust...

When it comes to getting to the 'bottom' of things!

- uptonking from Wonderland Burlesque

Fill Me In - Loud Luxury & Ryan Shepherd

Fill Me In - David Craig