The Man from C.A.M.P. — 1966 Vintage Gay Pulp Novel Poster

Published in May 1966 by Corinth Publications, The Man from C.A.M.P. was one of the most wonderfully outrageous gay pulp novels of the 1960s, a deliciously campy spoof of the James Bond craze and the enormously popular television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

Written by Victor J. Banis under the pseudonym Don Holliday, the novel introduced Jackie Holmes, a handsome, flamboyant, and thoroughly homosexual secret agent working for C.A.M.P., a clandestine organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the interests of gay people everywhere.

Armed with his good looks, assorted secret weapons, a sharp wit, and a rather dangerous little white poodle named Sophie, Jackie traveled the world battling villains, uncovering conspiracies, and finding plenty of opportunities for a little romance along the way.

The original paperback featured fabulous cover artwork by legendary pulp illustrator Robert Bonfils, whose lurid illustrations helped define the wonderfully sleazy look of mid-century adult paperbacks.

And in 1966, a book like this was considerably more revolutionary than its ridiculous plot might suggest.

Homosexuality was still criminalized throughout much of America, and gay characters in mainstream fiction were routinely portrayed as miserable, mentally ill, criminal, or destined for some particularly unpleasant ending.

Jackie Holmes wasn't having any of that nonsense.

He was confident, sexually adventurous, funny, and perfectly happy being gay. Even better, he was the hero of the story, not the unfortunate homosexual who had to be killed off before the final chapter.

The book proved popular enough to launch an entire series, with nine original Jackie Holmes adventures appearing between 1966 and 1968, including wonderfully titled sequels like Color Him Gay, The Watercress File, The Son Goes Down, and Rally Round the Fag.

The series became an important part of the emerging gay paperback market, offering readers a rare combination of adventure, sexual freedom, humor, and a leading man who didn't have to apologize for being homosexual.

Today, original copies have become highly collectible pieces of queer literary history, prized as much for their fabulous cover artwork as for their place in the evolution of gay popular fiction.