EVA—MEN’S ADVENTURE SUPERMODEL

EVA 

MEN’S ADVENTURE SUPERMODEL

I am a huge fan of the heyday of the men’s adventure magazines with the lurid and garishly illustrated covers that proliferated on the newsstands from the late forties through the seventies. More specifically, I’m fascinated by the writers who produced the incredible array of stories on battered typewriters, the cover artists who understood the over the top nature of the scenes they were depicting, the models who provided the inspiration for the action poses, and the editors who came up with the outrageous story titles and cover banners—all of which were the sizzle that made the almost exclusively male audience plunk down their hard earned cash.

The history of the men’s adventure magazines has been saved from the obscurity of cultural disdain by a handful of brave chroniclers and a dedicated gaggle of obsessive collectors. Among the leaders in both categories is Bob Deis who, along with his co-editor and partner in crime Wyatt Doyle, produce the most important and beautifully presented men’s adventure genre related books currently being published.

Under the banner of The Men’s Adventure Library, Deis and Doyle have done yeoman work editing and publishing such titles as Weasels Ripped My Flesh (the classic men’s adventure tale and similar stories), A Handful of Hell (war adventures by the brilliant Robert F. Dorr), Barbarians On Bikes (outlaw bikers, broads, and bullets), Cryptozoology (stories of strange beasts that were a staple of the men’s adventure mags), He-Men, Bag Men, and Nymphos (stories by the endlessly creative Walter Kaylin), and two books filled with the amazing art of Samson Pollen (Pollen’s Action and Pollen’s Women).

Their most recent effort, however, is quite possibly my favorite. Eva, Men’s Adventure Supermodel is a loving tribute to actress/model/singer/writer Eva Lynd—a woman who is without question men’s adventure magazine royalty. A blonde Swedish countess, Eva modeled for many of the most eye-popping men’s adventure magazine covers and interior illustrations, often posing with the legendary male model, Steve Holland.

She was the top model of choice for the best of the era’s cover artists and glamour/pin-up photographers. As an actress, she appeared alongside some of the biggest names in movies and television of the time. A woman of grace and talent, Eva is an icon of 20^th century popular culture unlike any other.

Capturing Eva’s story in her own words, Eva: Men’s Adventure Supermodel is lavishly filled with illustrations by from such masters artists as Norm Eastman, Al Rossi, Mike Ludlow, and James Bama—all featuring Eva in glorious action. There is also an array of never before seen pin-ups and previously unpublished photos drawn from Eva's personal archive, making this a must have.

The hardcover presentation version of Eva: Men's Adventure Supermodel contains an abundance of exclusive material not available in the softcover, but either edition is an excellent choice for fans of the men’s adventure magazine genre.