Two Versions and a Sketch

This is a pretty powerful composition that seems almost Frazetta-like in its sweep and execution, even though it was painted nearly a hundred years before the fantasy master. It was interesting to find two versions and a sketch and assemble them together here.

Évariste Vital Luminais — Flight of King Gradlon — circa 1884

 Luminais

Luminais

Early Fritz

I'm delighted that I've made so many good friends via blogging. 

One of our long time good friends that we met via the Whirled of Kelly blog is OtherEric of the Digital Comic Museum, who has here sent over some Frank Frazetta material. Most Frazetta fans know that Fritz was a comic book artist early in his career. It's sort of amazing to see his early funny animal cartoons when you know that he gave us sublime fantasy paintings in the bulk of his career.

These are some text illustrations from 1947 comic books, such as Happy Comics, CooCoo Comics and Goofy Comics. As cute as these are, Fate (in the guise of Roy Krenkel) made the right path for Frazetta, to help him land his Ace Paperback painting commissions.

all above illustrations by Frank Frazetta — 1947

A Kind and Gentle Soul

A really great friend of ours passed away very recently. It was after a long illness, yet still it was a shock to actually lose him. He was the guiding force of Middle Earth Publishing, which was famous for having published fantasy art portfolios in the 1970s, showcasing the likes of Frank Frazetta, Jeffrey Jones, John Severin, Barry Smith, Howard Chaykin, Mike Ploog, and a number of others. 

This was a man who actually art directed Frank Frazetta, staying at his house for a number of days at a time, and actually served as a model for one of the portfolios. I will be producing a tribute to this man as soon as I can make time, and you'll learn more about him then. In the meantime we are greatly saddened at his passing. He was a kind and gentle soul . . . and Harlan Ellison is still pissed at him. More about that later.

Barry Smith — Conan of Cimmeria — © 1975 Gorblimey Press

Tales from the Crypt

This image is rather morbid, considering his passing, but Frazetta had to have known that his paintings would outlive him.

Frank Frazetta —Tales From the Crypt — 1964

 Frank Frazetta — original painting — 1964

Accountability

Beware of disreputable Mind-Travel Agents that have dismal accountability, liable to leave you stranded in some corner of the universe with no return ticket. Such has happened, such as below, travelers that received a confirmation for pick-up that just indicated "tomorrow, midnight" — but didn't leave a clue as to a date or coordinates. These unfortunate fellows traversed the Kingston III planetoid multiple times hoping to intersect their transport home.

No they never returned, and their fate is still unlearned.

Frank Frazetta — Tomorrow Midnight

To Roam Her Mighty Form

Remember this golden oldie, demonstrating that Frazetta could match the skill of any penmaster of the past?

Frank Frazetta — The Giantess

Illustration as Art

As part of my deadlines, I'm sending off huge digital files to the client — so between uploads I'm taking advantage of internet moments to post up even more previously scanned material.

Frazetta — American Artist — May, 1976

Jungle Moon

Last post's jungle image was nice, but when it comes to primitive jungle moonlight, nobody does it better than Frazetta did, even when it's just a rough preliminary.

Frank Frazetta — rough

Patron Saint of Fantasy Art

One more word about a new golden age of illustration and then I'll shut up (for now).

I have to backpedal a bit more and admit, of course, that the field of Fantasy Art has been in an aura of a golden age for many years, with Frank Frazetta as the patron saint of the genre. Fantasy illustrators are some of the most talented creators of all time, continuously transporting us to realms far beyond our mundane world. Every year that is confirmed and kept alive for us by the wonderful Spectrum annual of The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art, published by Underwood Books.

Speaking of Frazetta — Doc Dave, if you're looking in, as I know you sometimes do, please email me. I'm concerned about what happened with your blog.

Frank Frazetta — Spectrum III — 1996

Checklist

Frank Frazetta and Roy Krenkel are forever linked through their decades of work and friendship, inspiring each other on to create their best.

Frank Frazetta — 1950s sketches

Roy Krenkel — Sorcery

As well, they are forever linked to the Edgar Rice Burroughs' oeuvre of work, exciting the imagination more with their paint and ink, than perhaps ERB's words do (though don't get me wrong—they are ripping yarns).

A question came in from one of our good friends, regarding the ERB Ace John Carter books. He was having trouble figuring out just where they originally appeared and how many total there were. He's got four of them, but he can't find an image of a paperback with the universally famous artwork of the A Princess of Mars, and he's wondering what exactly to look for.

Well, first off, there ARE only four John Carter Ace paperbacks from the 60s, and A Princess of Mars is, inexplicably, not one of them. And when the new Ace series, with new Frazetta art, rolled out, none of the John Carter novels were among them. Instead, the hardback editions, published by Nelson Doubleday, presented Frazetta's mature paintings on dust covers and interior pen and inks. And that is where we find maybe the finest interpretations ever of the Barsoom series.

For any help it might provide, I'm posting below a checklist of ERB Ace paperbacks by Frazetta and Krenkel, gathered by Bruce Brenner in the lovely Fanzine Qua Brot, published some years ago. Disclosure: I did some editing to present only the information pertinent to this post.

Flexing Artistic Muscle

This beautiful ink rendition by Roy Krenkel is of course based on the original painting by PJ Monahan for Tarzan and the Golden Lion, for the December 9, 1922 cover of Argosy Magazine.

It is not a swipe, but pays honor to the classic illustrative history of ERB , as well to flex Krenkel's artistic muscle and 'improve' Tarzan's visual identity.

Above, Roy Krenkel. Below, PJ Monahan—1922

You can certainly see some of the inspiration for Frazetta, as well.

Fazootie

Frank Frazetta did his share of lampooning in his career. Here, in 1981, Wallace Tripp lampoons Conan, as portrayed by Fazootie.

Movie Love

The majority of Al Williamson's work may have been sci-fi related, but when you're starting out, well, ya gotta take what's offered ya.

This little bio of Bill Holden, the actor, is from Movie Love #8—April 1951. It looks very probable that Frank Frazetta had a hand in this as well, as these guys were apt to help each other out at this time of their careers.

Queen of Darkness

Here's a Frazetta that you don't see as often as others. From National Lampoon, folks who were not afeared, in the least, to be politically incorrect.

Below, as pointed to by an anonymous commenter is the original art.

Smoking Doesn't Pay

Multiply those cig costs for 40 years of inflation and taxes!

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Just look at the off-center headlong rush of this barbarian. You can feel the weight of the axe as it whirls with a deadly arc into the fray. You don't even need to see any background or other figures to hear the clash and the din of the fracas surrounding him. I think this is one of Frazetta's finest barbarians ever.

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