For Men Only

For Men Only, a now-defunct magazine, was an American popular men's periodical that rose to prominence in the mid-20th century. First published in August 1950 by Canam Publishers Sales Corp., the magazine was part of the wave of men's adventure magazines, also colloquially termed as "the sweats," in postwar America.

The magazine's content was a testosterone-fueled melange that encompassed real and fictional tales of peril and bravery, interspersed with eye-catching pin-up illustrations. This peculiar blend of rugged adventure narratives and racy imagery was aimed at sating a burgeoning readership among American men in the throes of post-war cultural metamorphosis.

Known for its sensational storytelling, For Men Only exhibited a remarkable penchant for graphic tales often set against backdrop of wars, expeditions, and explorations. These narratives strove to evoke the primal instincts in readers, often spotlighting scenarios of 'man versus wild', 'man against man', and the timeless 'damsel in distress'. These stories, though far from the realm of literary classics, served as prized escapism for an entire generation of men.

Distinguished illustrators of that era, including Norman Saunders, James Bama, and Mort Künstler, graced the magazine's pages with their vivid and risqué depictions. These artworks were not merely ornamentation; they substantiated the hypermasculine narratives, becoming the visual cornerstone of For Men Only.

The magazine carried a robust tradition of featuring articles on survival skills, sporting accounts, and profiles of inspiring adventurers, further reinforcing its masculine appeal. Yet, on the same token, it bore a distinctive pandering to male fantasies, evidenced in its liberal showcasing of scantily-clad women.

The daring audacity of For Men Only etched an indelible mark in the annals of magazine publishing. Its uninhibited portrayal of men's fantasies and aspirations came to define a genre and era, offering a unique prism into the shifting paradigm of post-war American masculinity. Even though the ink of the last issue has long dried, its legacy forms a riveting chapter in the annals of American publishing.