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Boys’ Life [April 1971] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 40¢, 92pp, 9½" x 12") Information from EBAY auction.

Boys’ Life [June 1971] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 40¢, 78pp, 9½" x 12") Information from EBAY auction.

Boys’ Life [July 1971] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 40¢, 78pp, 9½" x 12", cover by Fred Kaplan) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [April 1972] (Boy Scouts of America, 9½" x 12") Information from EBAY auction.

Boys’ Life [December 1972] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 50¢, 92pp, 9½" x 12", cover by Manny Rubio) [PSP]

Boy’s Life [April 1975] (Boy Scouts of America, 8" x 11") [DKL]

Boys’ Life [July 1975] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 68pp, 8" x 11", cover by Flip Schulke) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [August 1975] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 68pp, 8" x 11", cover by David Harvey) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [November 1975] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 76pp, 8" x 11", cover by David Hiser) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [December 1975] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 76pp, 8" x 11", cover by Brian Payne) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [April 1976] (Boy Scouts of America, large) Information from EBAY auction.

Boys’ Life [May 1976] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 84pp, 8" x 11", cover by Brian Payne) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [June 1976] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 76pp, 8" x 11", cover by Tim Eagan) [PSP]

Boys’ Life [July 1976] ed. Robert E. Hood (Boy Scouts of America, 60¢, 68pp, 8" x 11", cover by Brian Payne) [PSP]

Boy’s Life [April 1977] (Boy Scouts of America, 8" x 11") [DKL]

Boys’ Life [June 1977] (Boy Scouts of America, large) Information from EBAY auction.

Boy’s Life [April 1978] (Boy Scouts of America, 8" x 11") this issue also features the first installment of the comic strip adaptation of Heinlein’s BETWEEN PLANETS. [DKL]

Boys’ Life [September 1999] ($3.00, 10 x 8) The recent issue is that of September 1999. The size is now 10 x 8; the price is $3.00, and while the subtitle still indicates that this is “For All Boys,” there is no longer a circulation figure given on the cover—but there is a small box to “Parents” telling them that they may wish to review certain materials on pp. 37+ before passing on their child. The magazine contains 66 pages, all on slick paper and in lavish, arguably garish, color (and including a centerfold poster of dolphins, introduced by Garfield the Cat). The issue contains one piece of fiction, (though the author’s name is not given on the ToC, nor are those of any of the writers); it runs just a bit over two pages of text. There are six articles: ballooning; concrete canoes; competitive birdwatching; Boy’s Life’s choice for an all-star NFL football team; Garfield the Cat (again); and back-to-school backpack fashion. There are eleven pages of individual cartoons, including “PeeWee Harris” (now drawn in the style of, I think, THE JETSONS rather than the old standard cartoon style; no artist name given); “Bible Stories” is also still around but the others are new; several are puzzle pages rather than narrative. No space stuff, but Pedro the Burro (who now has his own comic strip as well as still running the letters column) is involved with evil twins from a mirror world. Columns include “Hitchin’ Rack” and “Think & Grin” plus others on Nature, Games, Collecting, etc. The guts of the issue, however (and the mysterious page 37+ feature) is an inserted SPIDERMAN comic book (part 1 of 4), not I think by its usual artist or writer (though I don’t follow it and may be wrong) which is promoting an anti-drugs message (J. Jonah Jameson, surely a role model for all Spidey fans, refuses to run a suggestive movie ad, yadda yadda). Ads include instant chocolate milk, snack crackers, movie videos, computer games, Scout craft kits, compasses, and more computer games. And that’s just about all—there seem to be far fewer ads than 1964. (No door to door selling scams any more.) The classifieds, now heavily illustrated, are split between “Schools & Camps” (same old) and “Gifts & Gimmicks” (no stamps, a few coins, but lots of magic tricks, gags, knives, plans for Go Karts, fake LightSabres, improve your golf and baseball skills bookelts, “Green Tree Frogs Make Charming Pets,” and so on; the biggest ad is for brand-name inline skate shoes. The backcover features SpiderMan again, shilling for the “Got Milk?” campaign. The reading level strikes me as upper grade school, which probably means it’s contemporary high school. But the reading level is almost beside the point, as the overwhelming impression of the magazine is that of comics, cartoons, photos, art of all sorts, with minimal text. [DKL:15929]

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