And speaking of important women from the early 20th century whose life and work intersected with early comic books, here's a book that is likely to be the definitive single volume work on Margaret Brundage.  Ms. Brundage created a slew of iconic Weird Tales covers during her stint as the magazine's premiere illustrator during the 1930s, such as the 1933 "Bat Girl" that graces this collection's cover.  Weird Tales was the horror pulp, providing original publication to the classic works by H.P. Lovecraft, Clark Ashton Smith and Robert E. Howard – among many others – that went on to define contemporary American horror and fantasy; it was in its pages that the genre of Sword and Sorcery was born.  The Alluring Art of Margaret Brundage is a revelation in more ways than one.  While its sumptuous presentation of what may be the most substantial selection of her classic pulp illustration yet collected is reason enough to celebrate, what makes this book a real standout is its historical and biographical component.  Preceding the central art section are a half dozen short essays introducing Brundage, along with a 1973 interview with the artist.  Following the art is the book's highlight:  "The Secret Life of Margaret Brundage," a heavily illustrated, sixty page essay written by the book's editor, J. David Spurlock which chronicles her fascinating personal life which includes a lengthy involvement with the American political left and the civil rights movement.  Who Knew?  Now we can all get hep to this fascinating and talented figure.