Though we’re six months away from putting the next issue of The Pulpster into your hands, we’re lining up articles for the 35th issue of our magazine. Are you interested in contributing? The Pulpster No. 35 will debut next summer at PulpFest 2026.
For more than 50 years, PulpFest has celebrated mystery, adventure, science fiction, and more. We’ll be marking the centennials of Amazing Stories and Ghost Stories at PulpFest 2026. Have something to write about them? Or do you want to tackle another magazine, a writer, an artist, or an editor? We’d love to hear from you.
We’re always happy to have articles related to our PulpFest themes, but we don’t limit contributions to those topics. Each issue blends essays on the men and women who wrote, illustrated, edited, and published the pulps; magazine histories; and pieces on the pulp-collecting hobby itself.
There are plenty of other anniversaries in 2026. It’s the centennial of the birth of Bob Abbett, remembered for his Burroughs covers for Ballantine Books, and the sesquicentennial of Jack London, the popular fiction writer and early science fiction innovator. London was born 150 years ago on January 12, 1876.
Marvel’s Ka-Zar the Great turns 90 next year, and Fiction House’s pulp, Stories of Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, is 75 in 2026. Both artist Earle K. Bergey and writer W. Ryerson Johnson turn 125 in the coming year. At the same time, it’s the 80th anniversary of Philip José Farmer’s first professionally published story, “O’Brien and Obrenov,” which appeared in the March 1946 issue of Adventure.
But that’s not all. 2026 also marks the 90th anniversary of The Skipper, The Whisperer, Thrilling Wonder Stories, and The Witch’s Tales. All four debuted in 1936. And the granddaddy of them all, The Argosy, became a pulp near the end of 1896, making next year its 130th anniversary. Editors Arthur Sullivant Hoffman and John Nanovic also have significant anniversaries in 2026, as does writer Jack London.
Don’t forget about our associated conventions as well. Doc Con, Farmercon, and Shadow Con, dedicated to the “Master of Darkness,” will be joining PulpFest in 2026.
Please keep in mind that we’ve run articles on many of these topics in the past and don’t want to repeat ourselves. Adding a fresh angle or a new perspective is perfect.
There are two routes you can take to help us out:
- Do you have an idea for an article you’d like to write for The Pulpster? Please drop us a line and let us know.
- Do you have an idea for an article you’d like to read in The Pulpster, but not necessarily write? Let us know that, too. We’ll try to recruit someone to write it.
If you have an idea, shoot me an email at bill@thepulpster.com. The sooner I hear from you, the better; I have to plan space for articles and start collecting artwork and illustrations. The deadline to submit your finished article is May 1, 2026. (Earlier is always better.)
If you’d like to advertise in The Pulpster, please write to the magazine’s publisher, Mike Chomko, at mike@thepulpster.com. He can provide pricing and print specifications. If you’d like a cover spot, they sell quickly, so reach out to him as soon as possible.
And of course, please register for PulpFest 2026 to ensure you get a copy of next year’s issue.
If you’re not able to attend PulpFest in 2026, consider registering as a supporting member. To thank you for your contribution, we’ll mail you a copy of The Pulpster #35 after the convention. All members of PulpFest — including supporting members — receive a free copy of The Pulpster as part of their membership.
To order a copy of the current issue of The Pulpster or select back issues, please click here.
We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at our 54th PulpFest. It’s scheduled for July 30 – August 2 at the beautiful DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Pittsburgh – Cranberry in Mars, Pennsylvania. You can make your reservation now by clicking “Book a Room” at the top of our page.
Our lead image is a preliminary cover for The Pulpster #35. Adapted by Bill Lampkin, the artwork is from Walter Baumhofer’s cover for the December 1935 issue of Doc Savage Magazine, illustrating “The Fantastic Island,” by W. Ryerson Johnson and Lester Dent.
Our featured image is excerpted from Oliver Kemp’s cover painting for the November 1, 1910 number of Street & Smith’s The Popular Magazine. The first segment of Jack London’s six-part serial, “Adventure,” was featured in the issue. According to Jack London State Historic Park, “Set in the Solomon Islands, Adventure is a penetrating portrayal of colonialism and slavery on a copra plantation at the end of the nineteenth century. Fighting local cannibals as well as unforgiving nature, the main character runs the plantation with an iron will. A strong and independent woman arrives to further add to the problems.”
