Virgil Finlay's Lamia Demon Queen, Weird Tales May 1951
Classic pulp weird fiction tropes ignite in this Virgil Finlay cover painting: the seductive supernatural femme fatale reigns supreme, her low-cut black gown and wild dark hair framed by a hellscape of orange flame and leering demon faces. The Lamia — a shape-shifting predator of Greek mythology — smiles invitingly while horned grotesques leer from the shadows, perfectly embodying Weird Tales' signature blend of erotic menace and supernatural horror that titillated and terrified newsstand browsers alike.
A single frame packs mythological menace, erotic danger, and infernal spectacle — leering demon faces crowd the edges while the Lamia commands the center with a come-hither smile that promises doom. Finlay's lush painting technique transforms a sensational tagline into genuine visual dread.
“Weird Tales MAY 25¢ ANC Virgil Finlay ...love affair with a female demon! THE LAMIA IN THE PENTHOUSE Thorp McClusky”
