So what does pure escapist adventure aka pulp fantasy mean to me? It has lots of parts "Sword and Sorcery" in the vein of Robert E Howard mixed with "Sword and Planet" in the vein of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Included are the "Sword and Sandal" in the vein of mythology and Ray Harryhausen movies and "Far Future Fantasy" in the vein of Jack Vance.
In these books the "Heroes" are men such as Conan, Tarzan, John Carter, Solomon Kane, Doc Savage, The Shadow, Zorro, Carson Napier, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Bran Mak Morn, Cormac Mac Art, Phantom, Dick Tracy, El Borak, Breckenridge Elkins and many others. These are not "nice" men, and they are not necessarily good although when the chips are down most of them lean that way. But what they are, are men that can be depended on when the chips are down. No cowards among them and they are not afraid of getting their hands dirty.
These "heroes" are real men, they have their faults, they may cross a line or two here or there, but they know what real evil is when they see it and they are opposed to it. Some of them go around dispensing justice as they see it, others are just out to have a good time and quest for wealth and power. They are larger than life and they don't pass through the world unnoticed. They tend to draw others to them, both men and women, and yeah most of them have a great appreciation for beautiful women.
These stories don't focus on scientific accuracy and believeability and that is well. These are at the base fantasies and who cares about letting scienfific facts get in the way of a good story. These stories and these "heroes" are primal things, but that does not mean there is not world building, in fact, in my opinion the world building of these writers of these characters is often undervalued and underrated.
These things are the basis of OD&D and of all excellent Heroic Fantasy and permeate the way that I play the game.
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