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Bob Deis

@bobdeis.bsky.social
917 followers 933 following 1.5K posts

I’m a #pulp culture historian who focuses on vintage men’s adventures magazines and paperbacks. I co-edit the Men’s Adventure Library book series, the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY magazine, and the ART OF RON LESSER book series. My website is MensPulpMags.com

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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Stories about truckers were common in men's adventure magazines movies like SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT created the trucker movie craze. Here's an example from MALE, May 1973. The original painting and 2-page spread (printed horizontally) are included in the book POLLEN'S ACTION (amzn.to/49lA3BI).
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
This story in our men’s adventure magazine anthology WEASELS RIPPED MY FLESH (amzn.to/4d6Msx0) is doubly trippy, since the “Savage Blonde” enslaves men with a mind-altering drug. Reprinted from HUNTING ADVENTURES, Summer 1956. The full-color WEASELS edition is available via Amazon & MensPulpMags.com
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Bill Cunningham, MPB @madpulpbastard.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
@bobdeis.bsky.social has received his print proof of MAQ #15, but of course, mine is still in transit. 😢
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
From our new book, MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOL. 1: (amzn.to/4qqaWaU). BATTLEFIELD was a Martin Goodman men’s adventure magazine published from 1957 to 1959. Stan Borack and George Gross painted the covers for its first seven issues. Mort Künstler painted the final two, dated July and November 1959.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Here’s a two-page spread from our new book, MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOL. 1 (amzn.to/4qqaWaU), the first in a series showcasing Mort Künstler’s men’s adventure magazine covers. These two are from FOR MEN ONLY, May and June 1965—classic examples of Mort’s action-packed cover art.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
One of my favorite quotes by musical satirist Tom Lehrer is “Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.” I wrote a blog post that provides the story behind the quote and a link to a recording of Tom delivering it. Here's the link→https://bit.ly/LifeIsLikeaSewer
thisdayinquotes.com
The Tom Lehrer quip: "Life is like a sewer" Tom Lehrer’s “Life Is Like a Sewer” Quip
The story behind Tom Lehrer’s darkly funny line: “Life is like a sewer: what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.”
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
From our book POLLEN'S WOMEN: THE ART OF SAMSON POLLEN (amzn.to/3DQ9jvX), here's Sam’s artwork for a story in MEN, Aug. 1969 next to the 2-page spread it was used for. POLLEN'S WOMEN is available via Amazon, my MensPulpMags.com bookstore or my eBay listings (ebay.com/usr/subtropicbob). #booksky
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
A rarity: SEA STORIES, March 1954, edited by Harry Harrison before becoming a famous sci-fi author. Cover by Clarence Doore, with stories by Winston Churchill, Edgar Allan Poe, Steve Frazee, and more—plus an article about fake "Jenny Haniver" sea monsters. Take a look→https://bit.ly/SeaStoriesPulp2
menspulpmags.com
SEA STORIES, March 1954 — a rare pulp featuring Harry Harrison, Winston Churchill, and Edgar Allan Poe
Spread the wordI mostly collect vintage men’s adventure magazines, MAMs for short. But over the years I’ve also bought many classic pulp magazines. Some in my collection are rare, like…
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
A new post on my This Day in Quotes blog discusses how a classic Western TV series & Bob Hope’s autobiography turned the linguistic formula “Have X – Will Travel” into a familiar “snowclone” - i.e. a phrase template people use by replacing the original famous words with new ones) #quotes #quotations
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“Have Gun - Will Travel” lives on as a linguistic “snowclone” and in reruns...
How Have Gun – Will Travel became a famous TV catchphrase and linguistic snowclone, plus the history of Paladin, Richard Boone and the show's theme song.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
JUNGLE MYSTERIES by Tony W Arnold is amazingly creative and funny. It shows photos of real vintage Florida postcards, then adds witty captions describing them. It's especially entertaining if you know something about Florida history and its tourism industry. On Amazon here→https://amzn.to/4xR1jVR.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Robert F. Dorr, the late, great author of men’s adventure magazine stories & history books, would have turned 87 this year. His birthday inspired me to repost the introduction he wrote for our collection of his classic MAM stories, A HANDFUL OF HELL. It’s here→https://bit.ly/BobDorrIntro #booksky
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Remembering Robert F. Dorr and what he wrote about A HANDFUL OF HELL... Remembering Robert F. Dorr and A HANDFUL OF HELL
Remembering author Robert F. Dorr and his classic men’s adventure magazine stories, with excerpts from his introduction to A HANDFUL OF HELL.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I was honored to co-edit A HANDFUL OF HELL (amzn.to/4iY8feX), the collection of men’s adventure magazine stories by author Robert F. Dorr (1939–2016). Bob would have been 87 years old today. He was a great writer of both non-fiction history books and gripping fiction yarns—and a great human being.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Huge thanks to Booktuber Olly Clarke for his glowing review of HE-MEN, BAG MEN & NYMPHOS, the collection of men’s adventure magazine stories by Walter Kaylin, co-edited by me and Wyatt Doyle. See Olly’s full review on his “CriminOlly” channel here: bit.ly/OllyHE-MEN #booksky
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
A Friday Femme Fatale post…Actually TWO deadly pistol-packing gals on 2 pages from the new book MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOL. 1 (amzn.to/4qqaWaU): featuring the covers of FOR MEN ONLY, February 1966 and April 1966. `You can see a flip-page preview of the book on my blog at this link-> bit.ly/4xb8dnr
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOLUME 1, which showcases Mort’s classic men’s adventure magazine cover art, is now available in softcover and deluxe hardcover editions from Amazon (amzn.to/4yhhtrh) or directly from me via my MensPulpMags.com bookstore. Click the link below to see a flip-page preview.
menspulpmags.com
NEW! MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOLUME 1 NEW! MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOLUME 1
MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOLUME 1 is the first in a new series showcasing Mort Künstler’s classic men’s adventure magazine cover art. It also features a rare 2011 interview with Mort about his years as ...
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Happy Birthday to my friend Eva Lynd, the legendary artist’s model, pinup photo model, and actress. I’m honored to have co-edited the book about Eva’s career with her and Wyatt Doyle. It’s available in on Amazon or from my bookstore, here-> www.menspulpmags.com/product-tag/...
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
A peek at the deluxe hardcover edition of our new book THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (bit.ly/4x0DzNF), showcasing over 200 of Ron’s paperback covers, iconic posters for Western movies, and Western history paintings.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Robert E. Schulz is among the artists featured in MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #15 (bit.ly/OrderMAQ15). His cover for ADVENTURE, Feb. 1964, depicts the fate of Blackbeard the Pirate. After being killed in a battle with the British in 1718, Blackbeard's head was hung from the bowsprit of a British sloop
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Artist Mort Künstler would've been 99 today. I was honored to have known Mort and to have co-edited two books featuring his men's adventure magazine artwork: the new book MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOL. 1 (amzn.to/4g9LlON) and MORT KÜNSTLER: THE GODFATHER OF PULP FICTION ILLUSTRATORS (amzn.to/35jNO2E).
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Bill Cunningham, MPB @madpulpbastard.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
I am proud to announce that THE ART OF RON LESSER VOL. 3 - a book this bastard designed - is on display at the Ringling College of Art & Design seated right next to Joe Jusko's new art book! @bobdeis.bsky.social @tthewitt.bsky.social #graphicdesign #publishing #artbook #illustration
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Are you a fan of noir films, articles about them, and artwork they inspired? Then you need the new issue of the NOIR CRAZY zine, created by Jauntworks Studio’s multitalented mastermind Erik J. Kreffel. I got mine. Get yours here-> www.jauntworks.com/noircrazyzin...
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Here's a link to popular BookTuber Michael K. Vaughan's review of HE-MEN, BAG MEN & NYMPHOS—our illustrated collection of men's adventure magazine stories by Walter Kaylin. Michael is a witty, entertaining book reviewer with nearly 30,000 subscribers, so it was great to see his review. #booksky
youtu.be
Reading Report 8/25/26
YouTube video by Michael K. Vaughan
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
From the new book MORT KÜNSTLER COVERED, VOL. 1 (amzn.to/4qqaWaU), here’s a page showing Mort’s cover for ACTION FOR MEN, September 1960. Before Mort passed away last year, Wyatt Doyle and I began working with him on a series of books showcasing his great men’s adventure magazine artwork. #booksky
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
One of my favorite stories in MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #12 (amzn.to/4iZMDLQ), the Private Eyes Issue, is the Michael Avallone story “Make-Out Mob Girl” from MAN’S WORLD, October 1962. It’s a “Book Bonus” version of his 1953 novel THE TALL DOLORES. Artwork by Frank Soltesz.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
From the August 1954 issue of SIR! magazine... A little back pages ad for "Sailor Jock's PLAIN WRAPPER CLUB" that made me chuckle. It will show up in a future issue of the MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
“A unique look into the life and work of an artist who had a powerful impact on our pop culture.” — Thanks again to Bud’s Art Books for carrying and praising our book THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS. You can order it from Bud’s here➞ bit.ly/4gzRbdL
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
From SAGA, May 1955, a lament for baseball the way it used to be. "You can't 'dust 'em' or 'spike 'em' these days, or even cuss the umpire. Do they think it's a game for ladies?" (Scan via the Men's Adventure Magazines & Books Facebook Group-> bit.ly/mensadventureFB)
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
Ed Valigursky is one of the artists featured in the forthcoming MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #15 (bit.ly/OrderMAQ15). He created hundreds of illustrations for sci-fi magazines and paperbacks, and artwork for men's adventure magazines like SAGA, CLIMAX, ARGOSY, MALE, MAN'S MAGAZINE, and MEN.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
OUT NOW! Our new art book MORT KÜNSTLER: COVERED, VOL. 1, the first in a series that showcases the eyepopping men's adventure magazine covers created by Mort Künstler, one of America's greatest illustration artists. It's available now from Amazon or the New Texture website, here-> bit.ly/MKCvol1
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
SIR!, Oct. 1954. This cover painting by Mark Schneider goes with the story inside that addresses the question: "CAN THE H-BOMB STOP SEX?" Short answer: Yes! (Scan via the MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY BRIGADE Facebook Group→ bit.ly/MAQgroup)
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
SOUTH SEA STORIES, July 1960 has an eye-grabbing cover painting by Mark Schneider, one of the artists whose work will be featured in the MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY #15 (coming soon). Scan via the Men's Adventure Quarterly Brigade Facebook Group-> bit.ly/MAQBrigade.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
New on my blog: 10 Book Recommendations, ranging from violent noir, Western & spy novels, to sword & sorcery, film & TV history. Authors include Kilroy, Paul Bishop, Sean CW Korsgaard, Terrance Layhew, John Bluck, Chuck Dixon, Josh Alan Friedman, James Reasoner, Max Allan Collins & Andrew Nette.
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10 Book Recommendations: From Crime, Western & Spy Novels to Film & TV History
From over-the-top grindhouse gunfights to Cold War spies and Westerns, here are 10 recent reads highly recommended by MensPulpMags.com editor Robert Deis.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Art by Frank McCarthy from OUTDOOR LIFE, March 1963. (Scan via the Men's Adventure Magazines & Books Facebook Group-> bit.ly/mensadventureFB). Thanks to artist Joe Jusko for telling me what issue this was in!
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
These pages in THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (bit.ly/45C19Fb) showcase three of the Louis L'Amour Western paperbacks with Lesser cover art. The page at left includes the reference photo of the famed male model Steve Holland that Ron used for HELLER WITH A GUN.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
If you're at PulpFest this weekend, you can get copies of all three volumes in THE ART OF RON LESSER series from my co-editor Bill Cunningham at his table, plus copies of issues #1 through #14 of the MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY. If Bill runs out you can get them via my MensPulpMags.com website.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Here's a Shark Week post that features Mort Künstler's men's adventure magazine shark art and his own commentary about painting sharks, creating classic MAM illustrations, spoofing the JAWS poster for MAD magazine, and more. bit.ly/MortK%C3%BCn...
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Shark art by Mort Künstler in the MANEATERS book...
Before he died, legendary illustrator Mort Künstler shared the story behind his memorable shark paintings, including his parody of the iconic JAWS movie poster for MAD magazine. This post reprints his...
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
"Charity covers a multitude of sins” and “Love covers a multitude of sins” are both familiar sayings. Both are based on the same line in the Bible. The difference reflects a religious debate over what gets you into heaven. The story behind it in this post on my quotations blog-> bit.ly/CHARITYvsLOVE
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What covers a multitude of sins? Charity or love? What Covers a Multitude of Sins? Charity or Love?
Both versions are correct—but they come from very different traditions. Here's the surprising history behind one of the Bible's best-known sayings and why modern translations usually prefer "love."
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
My Shark Week blog post (bit.ly/SharkWeekMPM) notes that many shark attack stories reprinted in our book MANEATERS are pure fiction. But some, like the one from VALOR, are true. The two downed airmen in the story actually did fight off sharks with their fists for 22 hours before they were rescued.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
In honor of Shark Week, here's a post that takes a deep dive into the book MANEATERS: KILLER SHARKS IN MEN'S ADVENTURE MAGAZINES, which features an introduction by the guy who created the Shark Week concept, Steve Cheskin... bit.ly/SharkWeekMPM
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The Original Shark Week: Killer Sharks in Men's Adventure Magazines... Shark Week's Vintage Ancestors: Killer Sharks in Men's Adventure Magazines
Long before Discovery's Shark Week, men's adventure magazines featured terrifying shark attack stories and dramatic artwork. See rare examples collected in MANEATERS, with commentary by real shark exp...
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Jeff Popple @murdermayhem.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
July/August brings 3 new Australian crime novels that offer something a little different from the usual outback mystery! #ATPrewett, #SusannahGlenn #RileyJames murdermayhemandlongdogs.com/new-australi...
murdermayhemandlongdogs.com
NEW AUSTRALIAN CRIME FICTION JULY 2026: SUSANNAH GLENN, RILEY JAMES, A.T. PREWETT
The Australian crime fiction titles have been coming thick and fast so far in 2026. There has been quite a bit of variety, although the old favourite of outback/small town mystery still seems to do…
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Happy Birthday to artist Gil Cohen! And thanks for giving me and Wyatt Doyle the privilege of working with you to publish the new book showcasing your classic men's adventure magazine covers and interior illustrations, GIL COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION (amzn.to/4c878Wp). #art #booksky
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
#SHARKWEEK? Long before that existed, men's #pulp adventure magazines published gripping shark attack stories & great shark artwork. Some of the best are collected in MANEATERS: KILLER SHARKS IN MEN'S ADVENTURE MAGAZINES (amzn.to/2W7ay7j), which has Foreword by Steve Cheskin, creator of Shark Week.
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Win Scott Eckert ☄️ 🦖🐍🐒🦀🐢🐘🦕🦣🦞🦒🦍🌞🌛🗻🪐💫(He/Him) @woldnewton.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
Pellucidar: Land of Awful Shadow (book 2 of the Dead Moon Super-Arc), coming in 2027 from @edgarriceburroughs.bsky.social Cover art by renowned fantasy artist Daren Bader!
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
RENEGADE #2: BLOOD RUNNER is one of the nearly 200 Western paperback covers featuring art by Ron Lesser included in THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS (amzn.to/4v3lxti). The guy in the photo at left is Ron's model for the Renegade character, aka Captain Gringo. #booksky #Westerns
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Artist Alberto Vargas became known for the famous "Vargas Girl" pinup paintings he did for ESQUIRE magazine in the 1940s. In the 1950s, he also painted Vargas Girls for CAVALIER magazine. Then in the 1960s, for PLAYBOY. This one is on the back cover of CAVALIER, Nov. 1952. #pinup #illustration #art
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Mel Brooks parodied it. Dan Quayle famously butchered it. But what's the story behind the slogan "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" and who coined it? Read the backstory on my This Day in Quotes blog here→ bit.ly/4vL7Qzh #quotes #slogans #UNCF
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“A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste” "Who Coined "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste"?
Who coined the famous slogan "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste"? Learn how the UNCF campaign began, why it became iconic, and how it inspired countless parodies.
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Quote Investigator @quoteinvestigator.com · 21/07/2026
An unhappy politician delivered the following legendary concession speech: The people have spoken—the bastards. Was this legend true or false? Who was the politician? quoteinvestigator.com/2026/07/21/p...
 Picture of stickers stating “I Voted” from Unsplash.
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Huge thanks to retromedia maven Jules Burt for his cool flip-through review of THE ART OF RON LESSER, VOL. 3: WILD, WILD, WESTERNS, the new book I co-edited with Ron, Bill Cunningham, Tim Hewitt, and James Reasoner. Much appreciated, Jules!
youtube.com
The Art Of RON LESSER - Vol 3 - Wild, Wild Westerns - A Superb New Hardback - Reviewed
YouTube video by Jules Burt
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Bill Cunningham, MPB @madpulpbastard.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Michael K. Vaughn gives our ART OF RON LESSER VOL. 3 and MAQ 14 a review. If you're on the fence about getting a copy then come to #Pulpfest next week and get yourself one! @bobdeis.bsky.social
youtu.be
MACHO MAIL!
YouTube video by Michael K. Vaughan
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Bob Deis @bobdeis.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
This cover painting by Gil Cohen for MEN, February 1968, is among those featured in our new book COHEN: INSIDE/OUT—THE ARCHIVE COLLECTION (amzn.to/4c878Wp). The deluxe hardcover edition is now available from Amazon, Bud's Art Books, and my MensPulpMags.com bookstore.
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