Pulp Magazines

Pulp magazines, made on cheap wood pulp paper and largely consisting of short fiction, were a part of the popular literary landscape from the 1890s to the 1950s. Because of the chemical composition of the pulps and because they were considered culturally disposable during their time, very few original issues of pulp magazines exist today. Recent scholarship focusing on the modernist and early postmodernist era of American literature has begun to reassess the value and merit of the writings in these magazines. This LibGuide highlights James Madison University's collection of pulp magazines and pulp-related resources, including our holdings of three of the most sought after pulp magazine titles: Amazing Stories, Black Mask, Weird Tales, and Love Story. 

Below is a featurette on the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention that provides a glimpse into the world of pulp magazine collecting and culture.