Talking Weird #138 UFOs and Cryptids with Bob Deis

Bob Deis is a pulp and pop culture historian who collects and writes about vintage men's adventure magazines (MAMs) and paperbacks published in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He owns one of the largest and most complete collections of MAMs in the world.

Since 2013, Bob has co-edited the MEN'S ADVENTURE LIBRARY book series with Wyatt Doyle, head of the New Texture indie book publishing imprint. That series, which reprints classic MAM stories and artwork, now includes over 20 illustrated anthologies and art books, including one that focuses on the significant role MAMs played in increasing and shaping public awareness of Bigfoot and other cryptid monsters, titled the CRYPTOZOOLOGY ANTHOLOGY. It features commentary by David Coleman, author of THE BIGFOOT FILMOGRAPHY and was named one of the "Best Cryptozoology Books of the Year” in 2015 by Loren Coleman, founder of the International Cryptozoology Museum.

Another recent illustrated anthology co-edited by Bob and Wyatt, ATOMIC WEREWOLVES AND MAN-EATING PLANTS, features supernatural and science fiction stories published in MAMs. It was named as one of the best books in the “Weird Tales’ tradition by NEW YORK TIMES book critic Micheal Dirda published in 2023.

In 2021, Bob launched MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY magazine with graphic designer and head of Pulp 2.0 Press, Bill Cunningham. The MAQ reprints MAM stories and artwork, provides background on the writers, artists and magazines, and includes articles about related vintage paperbacks, movies and TV shows. Each issue has a theme.

The latest issue, MAQ #11, features classic UFO stories and artwork published in men’s adventure magazines in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Commentary in that issue also shows how MAMs played a key role in increasing public awareness of UFOs and of the U.S. governments’ attempts to suppress and coverup reports of UFO sightings. The MAQ has developed a loyal following of fans and for combining classic stories and artwork with the eye-poppingly cool layouts created by Bill. Bob and Bill also co-edit THE ART OF RON LESSER book series, which showcases Lesser's famed paperback cover art, historical artwork and more recent paintings.

Bob's main website is www.MensPulpMags.com. He also writes a blog about famous quotations, www.ThisDayinQuotes.com .

He lives near Key West, Florida with his beautiful wife BJ (who graciously tolerates his piles of old magazines and books), their three dogs and four cats.

The gorgeously illustrated MEN'S ADVENTURE LIBRARY books and MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY magazine issues co-edited by Bob Deis are available on Amazon worldwide or directly from Bob at:

https://www.menspulpmags.com/

Bob visits with Talking Weird to chat about an assortment of classic UFO and cryptid cases, first recorded and published in classic men's adventure magazines decades ago, and recently collected and reissued in some of Bob's amazing publications: Including articles from such notable researchers as John Keel, Donald Keyhoe, and Ivan T. Sanderson.

Do not miss this fascinating episode about an assortment of some classic as well as some long-forgotten tales of the weird and anomalous.