Weird Tales July 1937 – The Thief of Forthe by Clifford Ball, Virgil Finlay Cover
Sword and sorcery dominates this lurid pulp cover — no future technology here, but the dark magic of an aged sorcerer serves as the speculative force. A muscular, leopard-skin-clad barbarian thief confronts a pale woman in white robes, sword extended between them, while a hooded white-bearded sorcerer lurks menacingly behind a glowing yellow moon. The painting showcases classic Weird Tales fantasy tropes: arcane menace, imperiled femininity, and brooding heroic physicality rendered in dramatic chiaroscuro.
That creepy old sorcerer sneaking up behind them while the hero points a sword at the girl is seriously giving me the chills — I had to hide this one under my mattress so Mom wouldn't see it. You just KNOW something horrible is about to happen with that glowing moon and all those scary names on the cover!
“JULY Weird Tales THE THIEF OF FORTHE a shuddery story of the dreadful weird magic of a treacherous aged sorcerer By CLIFFORD BALL Paul Ernst Robert Bloch Henry Kuttner G. G. Pendarves 25¢”
