Pulp

I’m choosing to write about the Dave Robicheax series by James Lee Burke. I understand that isn’t an early pulp novel. However the crime series holds many aspects of the genre. I’ve read (listened to) The Neon Rain and In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead.

Dave Robicheax himself is a perfect typecast of the crime genre. He’s rugged, hard boiled, emotionally wounded, a recovering alcoholic who won’t take shit from no one. Every story a puzzle and a crime that is committed. Another consistent thing about the novel is the gritty, realistic language. The dialogue really feels like it’s from the era and from the south.

In Nean Rain he’s investing gating the murder of a young prostitute. Doesn’t get much more pulp than that. The story is really saturated with details and pushes the moral envelope when it comes to racism and misogyny. While I may not agree with it, I must say it adds more to a specific time and place and helps amerce one into the story.

(WARNING not pertaining to the assignment) Just also wanted to mention that I'm doing pulp covers for my thesis. (illustration). It's funny because we talked a lot about the lurid nature of the novels. Frankly, I'm not really fan of racism or misogyny, but i feel like it's just part of the cult and culture of the time(which may or not may not be a valid excuse) Anyway, I'm doing pulp covers more for the dynamism, color schemes, ect. Mostly just the more literal aspects of the covers. I hope to get a sense of adventure, thrill, so on that the old pulp covers where able to achieve with out the exploitation of breast.