Introduction

1950 issue of Adventure

"Thrill Seekers: The Rise of Men's Magazines" charts the growth of men's magazines from the 1940s to the 1960s. Drawing from collections in Washington University's Modern Graphic History Library, this exhibit features artwork of some of the most prominent men's magazines of the mid-twentieth century, such as Esquire, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, and Fortune, as well as lesser-known pulp fiction and girlie magazines. Artists featured include Al Parker, Robert Weaver, Ernest Trova, Robert Andrew Parker, and Cliff Condak, among others.

The exhibit is arranged chronologically and thematically, and we encourage you to begin with the Esquire page of the Image Collection. To learn more about the magazines and cultural history covered in the exhibit, check out the Recommended Reading page. The Digital Collections page provides links to other relevant online exhibits and collections you might enjoy. For information about this exhibit and the Modern Graphic History Library, see our About and Bibliography pages. Information about copyright and citation can be found in Rights & Permissions.