August 2015 | Rebecca Rego Barry

PulpFest!

Pulpfest.jpgComing up in Columbus, Ohio, is PulpFest, an annual convention for collectors of pulp fiction and magazines. Successor to Pulpcon, first held in 1972, PulpFest celebrates the history and culture of dime magazines and vintage paperbacks. As described on its web site: "The summertime destination for fans and collectors of vintage popular fiction and related materials, PulpFest seeks to honor pulp fiction by drawing attention to the many ways it had inspired writers, artists, film directors, software developers, and other creators over the decades."

The four-day confab opens on August 13 with "early bird shopping in the dealers' room," followed by programming that includes lectures by dealers and collectors of mysteries, science fiction, westerns, Street & Smith comics, and pulp art, plus a Saturday night auction. In special focus this year is horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, born 125 years ago this month, and Weird Tales, the magazine that published much of his work.

Image: This year's PulpFest flyer features Matt Fox's artwork for the front cover of the November 1944 Weird Tales and the 35th issue of Thrilling Comics, published by Standard Comics and dated May 1943.