Endorsements

A brilliant tapestry of history, intrigue, and quest, The Painter, the Pin-up, and the Pallbearer uncovers the startling era of American pulp fiction magazines and art—an almost forgotten era that Joshua revives with the ardor and integrity of an art historian. As he narrates this riveting tale of mystery, piecing together clues about his grandfather’s art and life to solve the mysteries of his own life, Joshua has the urgency of a sleuth and the eye of a poet, meticulously crafting every image and sentence with astonishing grace. —Richard Blanco, Barack Obama’s Inaugural Poet, author of The Prince of Los Cocuyos

The legacy of pulp fiction art is complicated. Today its imagery can make us squirm, yet we cannot deny the virtuosity of its leading practitioners, nor the outsize impact their artistry had on our society—from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes through Star Wars, and so much in between. Getting a handle on pulp art is hard, so why not tackle it by focusing on one of its great innovators? Earle K. Bergey was a pulp superstar whose surprising story has not been properly told—yet. Now it's a joy to discover that his gifted grandson has traced Bergey's journey through life and art so intriguingly, bringing the raucous funhouse of pulp back to life through the lens of one of its key players. —Peter Trippi, editor-in-chief, Fine Art Connoisseur magazine

Earle K. Bergey was one of the most versatile, talented, and prolific pulp artists of the American 20th century. A book devoted to his story and his fantastic, influential pulp artwork is long overdue. A talented cultural historian and also the artist's grandson, Joshua David Bergey is uniquely qualified to write Bergey's story. There's no book I'm looking forward to seeing more! —Doug Ellis, co-editor of The Art of the Pulps: An Illustrated History