1920s to 1970s is the golden Jazz age. Not long after World War I and with the alcohol prohibition, there was an emptiness to fill in many people’s lives. The criminal rate was escalating at the time, and as absurd as it sounds, certain criminals held the status of a celebrity. It led to the publishing of the first detective magazine in 1924. Attracting readers with detective stories at first, they soon turned to reporting real crimes in 1928.

Since the Great Depression in 1929, many criminals became memorable public figures, such as Machine Gun Kelly, Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson and John Dillinger. This genre of publication became increasingly popular in America. Police and criminals were irresistible to the possibility of being on the cover. J. Edgar Hoover, the head of FBI at the time, was a regular contributor too.

Many detective magazines show a sexy female holding a cigarette on their covers. In the beginning of the 20th Century, it was considered shocking for women to be seen smoking. It symbolises rebellion and immoral even. For the first and second generation of detective magazine readers, such figure is a representation of sexual arousal.

Following the end of the Great Depression and alcohol prohibition, well-known criminals were captured in a roll (or passed away) and the criminal rate fell enormously. With the lack of attention-grabbing material, the magazines started to show sexy female in skin-tight outfits, skirt with high-slit and high heels.The ‘evil in moral ground’, so to speak. In the 1960s, TV became the biggest competition for magazines. Detective magazines then turned to drugs, extreme violence, abnormal behaviour, severe anti-social behaviour and even sexual violence as tricks to maintain the circulation. ‘Playboy’ was one of the best-selling magazines at the time, therefore erotic content was considered essential to shift magazine sales.

The heyday of detective magazines from 1924 to 1969 put the genre firmly on the map of America publishing. Taschen has invited magazine collectors Eric Godtland, George Hagenaur and ‘True Detective’ editor Marc Gerald to analyse the development of detective magazines. Including over 450 covers, the book showcases American at a moment in time.

Text: Marjorie Yau | Translation: dilettante | Photo Courtesy: Taschen
Update: 9 Jun 2009

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