R.I.P Frank Frazetta

[Darth Quorthon]

N.Y. Times

Frank Frazetta, Illustrator, Dies at 82; Helped Define Comic Book Heroes
By BRUCE WEBER and DAVE ITZKOFF
Published: May 10, 2010

Frank Frazetta, an illustrator of comic books, movie posters and paperback book covers whose visions of musclebound men fighting with swords and axes to defend scantily dressed women helped define fantasy heroes like Conan, Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, died on Monday in Fort Myers, Fla. He was 82.

The cause was complications from a stroke, said Rob Pistella and Stephen Ferzoco, Mr. Frazetta’s business managers.

Mr. Frazetta was a versatile and prolific comic book artist who, in the 1940s and ’50s, drew for comic strips like Al Capp’s “Lil’ Abner” and comic books like “Famous Funnies,” for which he contributed a series of covers depicting the futuristic adventurer Buck Rogers.

I always loved his "death dealer" paintings, I used to have one on the door to my bedroom when I was a kid. R.I.P.

[Patrick Degan]

That's still just a little too early. Frazetta was my favourite fantasy artist. I had several books of his works in my collection which was lost to the Flood and have only recently gotten two of them back as replacements.

Damn... He will be missed.

[The Yosemite Bear]

in memorium your most famous creation, and aptly named creation...

[Tsyroc]

I actually have a Death Dealer "action figure" on the shelf above my computer monitor. I also have the series of novels staring the Death Dealer character.

To tell you the truth I didn't know that he was still alive. Most of the time when I read something relating to his art it was the "Estate of Frank Frazetta" something or other so I just assumed that he had passed away.

[Elfdart]

Quite simply, when I think of Swords & Sorcery, I think of Frank Frazetta's paintings. His artwork made Robert Howard's novels into international best-sellers.



Publishers used to ask him for his paintings to use as book covers, whether they had anything to do with the book or not. He had a real knack for depicting desperate, furious action and suspense:





His art fueled the imagination of millions.

[Patrick Degan]

I especially liked his John Carter of Mars works. He also did a series of promo paintings for Battlestar Galactica back in 1978 and the one of those which really grabbed my attention was his concepiction of Count Iblis being confronted by three Colonials which ran for the ABC print ad for "War Of The Gods" in that week's edition of TV Guide. The full colour plate of that piece can be seen in one of the three-volume series of his life and works (Icon, Legacy, Testament), but I can't recall which one at the moment.

[LadyTevar]

R I P

He will be missed.

[Havok]

Hats off, one last time, to the master.

R.I.P.

[Temujin]

Shit.

He was the fantasy artist; hell, probably the first artist aside from historical figures who I knew by name.

I used to see adds for his work in the back of everything from comics to Starlog magazines since as far back as I can remember.

Goodbye Great One

R.I.P.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

He was one of my heroes. He greatly influenced my own artwork, not that my artwork is any good. He definitely left his mark on the world.