The most sexist paperback cover in history. Battle of the Sexes. While censors were chasing down producers of soft-core pinups and underground erotica publishers. CRAP like this was churned out by major publishers (AVON) and displayed on revolving book displays in stores and anywhere paperbacks were sold. In fact, Avon books were described as "mass market" which means you didn't have to skulk into a men's bookstore to purchase it. Circa 1955.
While his name doesn't appear on my copy, the Cumulative Paperback Index 1939-1959 lists this as one of a dozen books by Charles Preston. Other "joke" books he edited include A Cartoon Guide to the Kinsey Report and Pets - Including Women (also stinkers) but not as graphic as Battle of the Sexes. Although on the cover of Pets, he does show a bloated millionaire-type treating a woman like a dog.
Battle of the Sexes looks like a serial killer's nightstand reading. Apparently Mr. Preston moved on to become cartoon editor for the Wall Street Journal. It also looks like when billionaire right winger Rupert Murdoch bought the Wall Street Journal, he bumped Preston's cartoon column to the back pages...certainly not because he has good taste. He did it to make more money.
Below are a few other clunkers attributed to Charles Preston. GOSH these gags are riotous...not. At the same time, the Humorama line published by Timely features ruled the newsstands for dirty comics. They may not have been "America's Leading cartoonists" but they sure were better.
I remember seeing crap like this all over the place in the '50s and early '60s. As a little girl it was so confusing. We had few role models and what was laid before us as life options were limited. We weren't in history books. We were invisible. Thank god for the '60s!
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