Born in 1872, James Allen St. John began illustrating books for A. C. McClurg in 1912, starting with L. Curry Morton’s The Hero and the Man. At the same time, a new writer named Edgar Rice Burroughs was gaining a substantial reputation at Munsey’s The All-Story.
“Under the Moons of Mars” appeared in early 1912, followed by “Tarzan of the Apes,” published in its entirety in the October 1912 issue. A. C. McClurg would begin publishing Burroughs’ novels in book form beginning with Tarzan of the Apes in 1914.
Although McClurg decided to use N. C. Wyeth’s cover painting for The Return of Tarzan in 1915, they asked St. John to contribute twenty-six chapter headings to illustrate the book. Beginning with the third novel in the series — The Beasts of Tarzan — St. John would contribute all of the interior art, as well as the full-color dust jacket. The artist would go on to contribute artwork for 36 Edgar Rice Burroughs books published by McClurg, including fourteen dust jackets for the Tarzan series.
We hope you’ll join PulpFest on Friday, August 4, at 8:55 pm for “J. Allen St. John — Master of Fantasy Art,” as pulp art historian David Saunders takes a look at the artist whose work is most identified with the stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs. It’s part of our programming line-up for this year’s ERBFest, celebrating the centennials of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., the author’s “Moon Trilogy,” and more.
David Saunders is, quite probably, the foremost scholar of American pulp artists. His free public website, Field Guide to Wild American Pulp Artists, has over 300 biographical profiles of these creators of popular culture. Additionally, he has written biographical profiles of artists for Illustration Magazine and several coffee-table art books on pulp artists.
An award-winning artist himself, David is the son of the late pulp artist, Norman Saunders, who painted 867 pulp covers for almost every title and publisher, a number greater than any other artist. David is the winner of PulpFest’s 2016 Lamont Award, named in tribute to the long-running Pulpcon.
The general public is welcome to attend our evening programming events free of charge. To learn more about our programming, please click the Schedule button at the top of this page.
For those who also want to enjoy our dealers’ room, you can join PulpFest by clicking the Registration button at the top of this page. And don’t forget to book a room at the DoubleTree. They’re going fast!
Our featured image is excerpted from J. Allen St. John’s dust jacket art for The Beasts of Tarzan, published by A. C. McClurg in 1916.
Our lead image was adapted by PulpFest advertising director William Lampkin from J. Allen St. John’s dust jacket art for the first edition of At the Earth’s Core. The first novel in the Pellucidar series, it was originally serialized by Munsey’s All-Story Weekly during April 1914. It was published in book form by A. C. McClurg in 1922.
J. Allen St. John was certainly no “one-trick pony.” In addition to the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, he would illustrate many other books, including work by Robert Ames Bennet, Ray Cummings, Oscar J. Friend, Edgar A. Guest, Robert J. Horton, Otis Adelbert Kline, Clarence E. Mulford, George Ogden, Kenneth Perkins, Robert Pinkerton, Charles Alden Selzer, Jack Williamson, and George F. Worts. He would also contribute cover art as well as interior illustrations to many magazines including Weird Tales.
Pictured above is St. John’s cover art for the January 1933 Weird Tales, illustrating a scene from the Otis Adelbert Kline serial, “Buccaneers of Venus.” Also included in the issue was a Conan story written by Robert E. Howard, “The Scarlet Citadel.” In addition to celebrating the life and work of Edgar Rice Burroughs, PulpFest 2023 will also be saluting both the centennial of “The Unique Magazine” and the 90th anniversary of such great pulp heroes as Conan of Cimmeria.
For more on the centennial of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., please visit our YouTube Channel to view Craig McDonald’s video marking the company’s 100th anniversary. You’ll also find Craig’s videos Weird Tales Celebrates 100 Years and “90 Years of the Great Pulp Heroes #6” — Conan. While you’re there, please be sure to subscribe to the PulpFest Channel.
Artwork © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Trademarks Tarzan®, John Carter®, John Carter of Mars®, Warlord of Mars®, Dejah Thoris®, Barsoom®, Pellucidar®, At the Earth’s Core™, David Innes™, Edgar Rice Burroughs®, Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe™, ERB Authorized Library™, ERB Universe™, and others owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Associated logos, characters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Used by Permission.
