Deadly Mission

Deadly Mission - Antique shop, Bath, 2008 - Copyright Philip Cartland

Hank Janson (made to be a tough ex cop turned writer living in the Bronx) - real name: Stephen Frances was a pulp fiction writer in the 50s and early 60s. He lived and wrote in Britain and was revered in the paperback novel world - selling millions of copies of his books. However, he fell victim to censorship by the Home Office when, in January of 1954, the Old Bailey found him and his publisher guilty of obscenity. The Home Office burned or destroy hundreds of thousands of books, among them Janson's paperbacks. He escaped prosecution by fleeing to Spain.

Janson's books were largely cover illustrated by Reginald Heade (though the inferior examples of his work such as 'Deadly Mission' in the photograph, suggest an alternative artist was doing his best to provide a likeness, or that Heade was tiring in his craft). Heade's art collectively provides a perverse selection of fantasy ranging from femme fatale to the classic beautiful victim, all made to match titles such as 'Silken Menace' or 'Nyloned Avenger'.

14 February 2010 - 8:50pm — Philip Cartland