Thursday, January 16, 2014

Paperback 733: Waterfront Blonde / Gordon Semple (Beacon B352)

Paperback 733: Beacon B352 (PBO, 1960)

Title: Waterfront Blonde
Author: Gordon Semple
Cover artist: Fracé (!?) (see signature just left of Beacon icon)

Yours for: $12

Beac352

Best things about this cover:
  • She was everything shirtless Carrot Top wanted … the body of a goddess, the eyes of an old-school extra-terrestrial, the smoking habit of a young Selma Diamond …
  • I thought the "Bawd" was the go-between / pimp. Yes, "a woman in charge of a brothel." So she's … half in charge of a brothel?
  • Love the bikini—appropriate attire, as the room appears to be underwater. 
  • I like how the cover copy reads like poetry/verse. Speaking of … 

Beac352bc

Best things about this back cover:
  • Epic Sleaze Acrostic!
  • Seriously, someone worked long and hard on this. OK, maybe not "long," but … someone *worked* on this, is what I'm saying.
  • Best word in the whole poem: "practically" (line 4)
  • Mmm, "velvety charms." They're magically delicious! (I assume)

Page 123~

She chuckled, gave his hair a rumpling, then went to the door and saw a pocket-size Venus attired in a nautical costume that did full justice to her hips and formidable bosom. The Venus flashed an insouciant smile. "Mrs. Marsh, no doubt?"

They don't call Gordon Semple "The Faulkner of Sleaze" for nothing. Actually, they don't call him that at all, but they should.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

6 comments:

Pat said...

Pocket-sized venus is a great name for a 80s girl/hair band.

eliselzer said...

I can't get past "Randy Marsh." I can only picture Stan's dad on South Park, and I imagine that that image would make this a highly entertaining book.

Random White Guy said...

Is it just my screen or does Carrot Top's body look kind of green?

Jean said...

Yep, green. Like he's walking into a swimming pool.

A said...

eliselzer - I totally was thinking Randy on South Park, too.


As to Carrot Top, I'm thinking the he got some kind of disease from the "velvety charms".

DemetriosX said...

I don't know, there's something about the angle of head that seems off to me. But her hand is great, so very late 50s/early 60s. It feels like it`s right out of commercial art from the period where women have those teeny, tiny waists.

Also that bikini seems like it was added after the fact, especially the bottom.