Thanks for the back story and peek into the workings. I too feel that the actual painted art of the 50s and 60s was the best; marvelous and colorful pieces. So good that Bantam recycled some of them for years among its different western titles.

But the logo branding Bantam did in the early 70s was very effective to this buyer / reader.

I've thought some of the cover designs since have been lacking, but the Greg Manchess art is just terrific. I wish he could have done more with that old logo design. I'd love a print of the OFF THE MANGROVE COAST cover painting on my wall.

But the older covers...yes, CATLOW- fantastic. SHALAKO, HIGH LONESOME, THE CALIFORNIOS...and THE BROKEN GUN with James Bama's man desperately gripping the sheer flat wall hundreds of feet up just gives me the willies.

I wish there was a book collecting them.