Popular Western Cover Art

Continuing with the Pulp art I'm finally getting around to posting, here's a BEAUTIFUL one!

It's a tightly rendered pencil prelim cover to the Popular Western Pulp magazine by the great George Rozen (THE Shadow artist to many)

The image was eventually published. I'm told it did in fact grace the cover of a Popular Western... BUT my research shows in Feb. 1945 Rozen published a nearly identical cover for Rio Kid Western. It's nearly exactly the same right down to the cows, the poses... everything EXCEPT, the gorgeous woman on the horse was replaced by a man! There's no doubt that this prelim was used for this cover.

Also in 1949 Rozen contributed another similar cover to Popular Library #199 "Whispering Range". It's possible Rozen did a self-swipe on that Whispering Range cover.

As you can clearly see, back in the days of the Pulps is was not uncommon for a cover to be submitted to, say, "Dime Westerns"... but ultimately appear on "Spicy Western", "Thrilling Western", or any of the other myriad titles that appeared throughout the Pulp years.

Someday I'll have more time to see if this image was also published on a Popular Western cover. Till then I hope you enjoy this gorgeous 7x10 rendition.

Truly spectacular in person.