Some good postwar Erotic Mad Science pulp

Amazing Stories for July 1946 has a well-executed cover by Walter Parke, about whom I have been able to find out very little aside from his being born in 1909 Little Rock, Arkansas, and that he appears to have been a classically-trained fine artist for whom this sci-fi cover might have felt like slumming. Certainly it is fine fuel for those who like to imagine what the wicked spider will do with the pretty fairy once he has ensnared her.

The first big piece of interior art is something impressive and very mad science, done by the prolific Malcolm Smith, whose work we have seen here before. As published this illustration for McKenna and Shaver’s story “The Witch Queen” stretched across two pages. I’ve stitched it back together as best I was able; discerning eyes will note that my work is not perfect. It’s big in original size, you you may wish to click and download.

“He writhed helpless under the powerful light.”

This issue of Amazing Stories is available to read and download at the Internet Archive.