Did Hong Kong's 'Dr. Lamb' character (played by Simon Yam in Billy Tang's gut-punching horror film) inspire these unbridled tomes of version?
Probably not. But it's fun to consider a fantasy connection, at least.
Unapologetically lurid in title, content, and form, the Dr. Lamb Library series was spawned by Star Distributors, the sleaziest and, arguably, most audacious of the pulpy porn paperback publishers.
They managed several porno lines including 'War Horrors Casebook', 'Slave Horrors', and the 'Bizarre Library', which often featured great cover art by Phantom favorite Di Mulatto.
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The company survived for fifteen years in a competitive and transforming market before its founder, Robert "Dibi" DiBernardo, was found in the trunk of a car. He wasn't smiling.
The company employed talented artists at bargain basement rates and these fellas really delivered the erotic goods.
These covers, married to uncluttered graphic presentation, are examples of fine, unpretentious work.
The element lacking in the cover art of the Dr. Lamb Library is "fun" (a relative term, of course). These tales were hard and unforgiving, set in a world where lust trumped all else and a body was a vessel for selfish pleasure. Cover art from Greenleaf, for example, was more inclined to feature characters sporting a naughty smile or a background character getting their vicarious jollies from an observed scene of carnality.
Common in porno novels of this period were the small swinger ads, some accompanied by grainy black and white pictures.
I've yet to encounter anybody who can testify to the effectiveness of these.
I love the 'strictly business' attitude of the guy here. He takes his pleasure seriously.
The green socks on the lass are a fine touch.
The series was created by A. de Granamour (real name: Paul Little), who penned the bondage classic The Cult of Sathanas. I don't believe he was the same Paul Little who created (and is) Max Hardcore, although the coincidence would have some folks scratching their heads.
