Hugh Joseph Ward

Detail from the cover of “Spicy Adventure Stories” August 1936, art by Ward

This week I’d like to introduce you to pulp artist,  Hugh Joseph Ward. If you are at all familiar with the Spicy, Detective, or Mystery pulp magazines during the 1930’s and early 1940’s, you will have seen his work—Ward was very prolific as a cover artist during this time.

Early painting of Superman by H.J. Ward (1940)

Here are some of Ward’s iconic pulp covers.

Bedtime Stories, March 1937

Spicy Detective Stories, July 1942 featuring, "Puzzle in Purple"

Private Detective Stories, October 1940 featuring, "Nominated for Murder"

Spicy Detective Stories, October 1942 featuring, "Phantom Fangs"

The Lone Ranger Magazine, July 1937 featuring, “Valley of Shadows”

My Ward pulp copies. My most recent copy is first followed by two others. The second two are part of the science fiction covers series I mentioned in the podcast.

The cover of Private Detective Stories, July 1938. Notice how the color was shifted in printing from the original. This might have been because of the low-quality paper, or it might have been a deliberate choice on the part of the editor/art director.

Artwork used for the cover of Private Detective Stories, July 1938 (left), my alcohol marker and colored pencil copy (right)

Artwork used for the cover of Spicy Adventure Stories, August 1940 (left), my casein and watercolor copy (right)

Cover of Spicy Adventure Stories, February 1941 (left), my watercolor copy (right)

To find out more about Ward check out this site.

This is the Rocketeer signing off for today.