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SMB Noir

For the Fans of Hardboiled, Pulp & Gumshoe Art

Back in 2013, our tumblr site was started and ran until 2018, when they decided it was too "adult" - too lurid, supposedly. We followed the exodus to newtumbl and four years of dedication vanished in June of 2023. That work was not only new posts but upgrades of hundreds of old tumblr posts as well. So far, there has been no way to rescue those posts, so this will be the third version of this project. And, I'll warn you in advance, I may slip in covers that are not crime or mystery but just because I like the artwork. Enjoy!

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Tag: lew merrill

cover art by H.J. Ward

Speed Adventure Stories cover, November 1943
Oil on canvas, 30 x 21 in.
Signed lower right

Posted on April 29, 2024April 23, 2024Categories adventure, crime fiction, finest kind, Hardboiled, magazine, mystery, original art, pulpTags flood, h.j. ward, lew merrill, oil on canvas, speed adventure storiesLeave a comment on cover art by H.J. Ward

May 1938 issue ~ cover art by Delos Palmer

May 1938

cover art by Delos Palmer

Posted on April 6, 2024January 18, 2024Categories action fiction, adventure, Hardboiled, magazine, pulp, spicyTags delos palmer, idol, lew merrill, scimitar, spicy-adventure storiesLeave a comment on May 1938 issue ~ cover art by Delos Palmer

April 1936 issue ~ cover art by H.L. Parkhurst

April 1936

cover art by H.L. Parkhurst

[cover updated 11/19/25]

Posted on March 21, 2024November 19, 2025Categories crime fiction, Hardboiled, horror fiction, magazine, mystery, pulp, spicy, updated, weird fictionTags chained, dungeon, evil eye, h.l. parkhurst, lew merrill, pulp art, rat, skull, spicy mystery storiesLeave a comment on April 1936 issue ~ cover art by H.L. Parkhurst

September 1941 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

September 1941

cover art by H.J. Ward

Posted on March 19, 2024January 2, 2024Categories action fiction, adventure, fantasy, Hardboiled, magazine, pulp, spicyTags bound, h.j. ward, lew merrill, science fiction, spicy-adventure stories, whipLeave a comment on September 1941 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

October 1939 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

October 1939

cover art by H.J. Ward

better image than previously posted

Posted on March 3, 2024February 23, 2024Categories action fiction, adventure, finest kind, Hardboiled, magazine, pulp, spicyTags h.j. ward, lew merrill, pith helmet, rubies, spicy-adventure stories, whipLeave a comment on October 1939 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

November 1938 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

November 1938

cover art by H.J. Ward

better image than previously posted

Posted on March 3, 2024December 17, 2023Categories action fiction, adventure, Hardboiled, magazine, pulp, spicyTags h.j. ward, lew merrill, monkey, south seas, spicy-adventure storiesLeave a comment on November 1938 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

July 1942 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

July 1942

cover art by H.J. Ward

better image than previously posted

Posted on February 22, 2024May 23, 2025Categories crime fiction, finest kind, magazine, mystery, pulp, spicyTags black cat, dagger, finest kind, garter, h.j. ward, lew merrill, pulp art, racist imagery, spicy mystery magazine, stockings, vampire, woman with a gun, yellow menaceLeave a comment on July 1942 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

December 1942 issue ~ cover art by Allen Anderson

December 1942

cover art by Allen Anderson

last Spicy-Adventure title , next issue will change to Speed-Adventure

Posted on February 21, 2024December 17, 2023Categories action fiction, adventure, Hardboiled, magazine, maritime fiction, pulp, spicy, war fictionTags allen anderson, garter, lew merrill, nurse, spicy-adventure stories, stockings, submarine, torpedo, u-boatLeave a comment on December 1942 issue ~ cover art by Allen Anderson

January 1941 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

January 1941

cover art by H.J. Ward

Posted on February 5, 2024December 21, 2023Categories action fiction, adventure, Hardboiled, magazine, pulp, spicyTags h.j. ward, lew merrill, south seas, spicy adventure stories magazineLeave a comment on January 1941 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

August 1942 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

August 1942

cover art by H.J. Ward

better image than previously posted

Posted on February 4, 2024December 17, 2023Categories action fiction, adventure, finest kind, Hardboiled, magazine, mystery, pulp, spicyTags cat fight, h.j. ward, lew merrill, south seas, spicy-adventure storiesLeave a comment on August 1942 issue ~ cover art by H.J. Ward

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