The bottom line, of course, is that partially clothed, conventionally beautiful, non-threatening women sold magazines and books to their intended audience. As the audiences for #sciencefiction have diversified, this kind of image has become extremely complex. In my search for these images, for example, I discovered that they’re being remixed as transgender/gender-fluid memes, using the chrysalis metaphor. These things are never static; genre images are tools that can be used in different ways by different people. 6/6

#vintagemagazines #amazingstories

Sometimes, she doesn’t seem to be a prisoner at all. Instead, the glass container seems more like a chrysalis—a place of transformation. Or preservation. From that perspective, the glass (or ice) tube (or ball or dome or chamber, or whatever) can be less a literal prison and more of a metaphor for… for… youth? technological transformation of human bodies? It depends. 5/6

#vintagemagazines #sciencefiction

For example, you do see genderless #robots and #aliens under glass; you also see dudes and cishet couples. Sometimes it’s aliens or animals or alien animals gazing at the women. Sometimes she’s clearly the subject of an experiment by mad scientists. Sometimes, she’s threatened by a #yellowmenace; the anti-Asian racism in mid-century #sciencefiction was quite intense. Occasionally, the bikini-clad babe is the one in control, with a man or creature under glass. 4/6

#vintagemagazines #sciencefiction

The dial-a-critique hot take is obvious: sexualized women imprisoned in transparent containers for the benefit of the male gaze. I have no argument with that, but when you account for all the elements and variations in this image, that doesn’t feel to me like the whole story. 3/6

#vintagemagazines #sciencefiction

The imagery has quite old antecedents: you see it, for example, in illustrations for the original tale of #SnowWhite, by the #BrothersGrimm. But I’ve never encountered a really intelligent history or analysis of this image. It reached its peak on the covers of #sciencefiction #magazines 1930-60, but you still see contemporary examples: think of Ripley in her panties sleeping away the light years in the #alienmovies 2/6

#vintagemagazines

I have a lot to do today, so naturally I’m taking to social media with the purpose of discussing something ridiculous: science fiction’s obsession with putting scantily clad (or even nekkid!!) women in glass containers. 1/6

#vintagemagazines #sciencefiction #planetstories

We've been here for #Pride before it got it's name.

I've been with the shop for 40 years. Grandma & Grandpa already carried books like these when I started. Some were dated to the 1950s & '60s, but are now very difficult to find. Stop in to see more!

#DaytonOhio #BrickAndMortar #UsedBookStore #UsedDVDs #VintageMagazines #HappyPrideMonth

I mean it when I say, "We've got books for nearly everyone."

These are not our only adult books—they're some of our adults-only books.

Often, the covers aren't suitable online, so here's a photo of their spines.

6/3/23 Open 6-10p. No open containers, please.

#DaytonOhio #BrickAndMortar #UsedBookStore #UsedDVDs #VintageMagazines #HappyPrideMonth

A fresh batch of graphic novels just arrived, mostly Marvel, a few DC, & a couple of others. You might have to wait for me to read some of these first 😉👍

5/31/23 Open 6-9p. No open containers, please.

#BonnettsBooks #DaytonOhio #DaytonOH #BrickAndMortar #UsedBookStore #BackIssueComics #VintageMagazines #ClassicErotica #WorldsOldestComicShop
#Bookstodon

Good gosh, there's more...
#SouthAfrica
#InternationalAdoption
#RoadTrips
#Punk
#Filmmaking
#IndieFilm
#Audio and #SoundMixing
#Cooking #Curry #Recipes
#UbuntuStudio
#Frugal stuff
#BBS culture
#Everglades
#ChineseFood
#Entheogens
#Tabloid history
#WeeklyWorldNews
#Polari and #Carnival history
#Comics
#InternetCommunities
#Moderation
#ScientificIllustration
#NaturalHistory
#VintageMagazines
#Media #newspapers
#Gnosticism #contemplation
#haïku
#gushi
#aphorisms
#SixWordStories