Howard Elmer Wandrei (1909–1956) was an American artist and writer who contributed significantly to the mid-twentieth-century pulp magazine era. Writing under his own name as well as the pseudonyms Robert Coley and H.W. Guernsey, Wandrei authored over 200 stories. His fiction spanned several popular genres of his time, appearing in prominent publications such as Weird Tales, Astounding, Esquire, and Black Mask. Through these venues, he established himself as a versatile voice in fantasy, science fiction, and detective fiction.
Despite his prolific output as a writer, Wandrei is often better remembered for his distinctive illustrations. Many of his artistic works were featured in the books of his brother, Donald Wandrei, a fellow writer and co-founder of the speculative fiction publisher Arkham House. His illustrations helped shape the visual aesthetic of the weird fiction community during its formative years.
Although Arkham House initially announced several collections of Wandrei's stories for publication, these projects did not materialize under their imprint. Instead, the publisher Fedogan & Bremer later released several collections of his work, adopting some of the titles originally proposed by Arkham House to preserve his literary and artistic legacy for modern readers.
