Gary Gianni Original Prince Valiant Strips For Sale!

Original Prince Valinat art for sale at www.garygianni.com
Original Prince Valinat art for sale at www.garygianni.com
Original Prince Valiant art for sale at www.garygianni.com
Original Prince Valiant art for sale at www.garygianni.com

Gary Gianni is offering a few of his original Prince Valiant strips for sale. Each piece of original artwork is drawn on heavy Strathmore paper using pen and ink. The paper dimensions measure 14.5 x 23”. For a list of pieces, pricing and contact information visit Gary Gianni’s website here.

Enjoy,

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

Remembering Al Williamson Article by Alex Deuben at Comic Book Resources. Plus, John Fleskes Interview Regarding Al Williamson Archives Volume 1.

Alex Deuben has written a touching and well thought out article exploring Al Williamson’s career and the person, which has been made available on the Comic Book Resources website. You can read it here.

He covers all the major highlights from Williamson’s days at DC, EC, Marvel and Warren to working on Flash Gordon, Star Wars and X-9. Also featured is an exploration of the books collecting his work, including Al Williamson Archives and Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon, as well as material reprinted by IDW and Dark Horse.

Anyone interested in a good introductory Williamson biography will enjoy this article.

John Romita, Jr., George Lucas, Tom DeFalco, Mark Schultz and myself were all interviewed and have quotes in the article. Alex asked me a series of questions for possible use. He was able to use a handful of my responses. I am sharing our question and answer session in full here.

John Fleskes Interview Regarding Al Williamson Archives Volume 1. Conducted in July, 2010.

Alex Dueben: How did you first come to be introduced to Williamson as a person and his work?

John Fleskes: My first exposure to Al Williamson was his work as an inker over John Buscema, John Romita Jr, Rick Leonardi, and Mike Mignola. This was during the mid to late eighties when Al wasn’t doing much pencil work. I was in my early teens and just getting into comics. His collaborations with these artists are still some of my favorite comic runs from that time period, especially the Daredevil run with Romita Jr.

It wasn’t until about 1991 that I discovered EC comics and Al’s pencil work in Weird Science and Weird Fantasy. Soon after I learned about his work in Atlas comics in the mid-fifties, followed by his various movie adaptations and individual stories appearing in the early to mid-eighties. By the time the 1995 Marvel Comics two-issue Flash Gordon that Al illustrated came out I had a substantial collection of material he was involved with. Something about his art resonated with me. He has a streamlined classic approach, combined with a hip feeling that was alive and real to me. I think Al was one of my influences to look outside of superhero comics and branch out more to the adventure realm and to the past illustrators. He was an early bridge for my discovery of Alex Raymond and Roy Krenkel, to name a few.

The first time I met Al was at the San Diego Comic-Con in 1997. I was shy at the time and had to build my nerve to talk to artists and professionals. Al made me feel comfortable right away and gave me considerable time. He answered my questions, signed some of my comics and did a sketch in my sketchbook. He was a combination of the perfect gentlemen coupled with a hysterical wit. I found this personality to be consistent every time I saw him.

Dueben: The first volume of the Al Williamson Archives comes out this month. How long has this project been in the works?

Flesk: I wasn’t in the works for that long. I believe we began talking about the idea soon after Al’s Flash Gordon book was published last summer. Mark Schultz and I visited the Williamson’s in early January of this year to go through Al’s artwork and select and scan what we would use for the first two volumes of the Al Williamson Archives. I planned for us to do the first two volumes at the same time. Within four months we had volume one complete and off to the printer. The designer, Randy Dahlk, already has the second volume about 80% complete.

The idea behind this series was to do a book of Al’s personal work that is mostly unpublished, while providing the viewer of the book to have an intimate experience with Al’s art. What I mean by that is to reproduce the artwork in its original form as if you were actually flipping through the originals. Al was a generous host and friend. This book serves as an extension of his enjoyment in sharing his art collection with his guests. We want to mimic a personal experience as best we can so there is a feeling of the artwork actually being in your hands.

Dueben: He of course died last month and towards the end of his life suffered from Alzheimer’s, but how involved were his wife and the Williamson family on this?

Flesk: As Al’s affliction steadily took its course Cori served as an extension of Al’s desires and wishes, and she continues to do so now. She is a steady rock and helps to guide us so Al’s art is represented appropriately. For the Archives books Mark Schultz, Cori and myself had a discussion about how Al would like to see his work reproduced. I then provided Randy with our feedback and roughly 230 selected images and turned him loose to design the first two volumes. Once the first book was complete, I provided Cori with a print out for her thoughts. Then we make any corrections, if necessary–then it’s off to the printer.

Dueben: This is going to be a series and there are themes to each volume. How did you decide on them and what is the theme of the first one (and the next few if you’re willing to) and what were you trying to achieve with the book? Is it just a sketchbook or is it something more?

Flesk: I’d like to think of these as something more than sketchbooks. I’m always thinking of how we can push the quality and design of the book to make them stand out and better represent an artists’ work.

Al’s artwork fell easily into different categories and we then grouped the art together based on what felt natural. The first two volumes show a range of preliminary works spanning 50 years, from the late forties to the late nineties. So you get bits of early work from his pre-EC days all the way to his later personal drawings. There is fantasy and sci-fi pieces, fifties western and unfinished strip art, dinosaurs, female renderings, just a broad array of the various genres that have made Al’s work memorable and different enough to stand out from the pack. Even though they can be classified as such, personally I find them to be more than sketches. They serve as the evolution and thought process behind a master storyteller.

After volume two the themes will focus more on specific projects he worked on. I would be willing to mention the planned ideas for volumes three and four now, but I need to get the permissions sorted out first. You can also expect to see more historic essays relating to each theme. So, the first two will be a range of personal works, and then we will get into more specific themes.

I want to make sure each book is an improvement on the previous volumes. Otherwise they wouldn’t be worth doing. We’ll keep going as long as we can improve each volume.

Dueben: Now you published Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon last year and you’ve published a lot of amazing books on illustrators and artists like Joseph Clement Coll, Franklin Booth, James Bama, Harvey Dunn, and then more contemporary figures comics fans are likely more familiar with like Mark Schultz, Steve Rude, Gary Gianni. Where do you feel Williamson and his work and his influence fits?

Flesk: This isn’t something I have thought about before. It’s a good question. Each of the artists I have published had a personal impact on me in some form. To me, these artists represent those who I feel have made an impact in their chosen field. Who I publish is based mostly on my gut. I like a broad range of art and genres, so I try not to limit myself in the artists I publish.

I don’t think I would try to put Al into a certain category outside of the field he worked in, comics and strips. The only comparison I can think of in regards to the others artists I have published books on is my feeling they are all exceptional.

Dueben: Are there any entertaining stories of Williamson that you’d like to share or great stories he told that stand out?

Flesk: The generosity and openness of both Al and Cori is something I will always be grateful for. The opportunity to meet and be able to spend time in the Williamson home is something I will never forget. Al was a warm and friendly host. He was very open about his life and those he cared deeply about. He spoke of Roy Krenkel often and shared many moving and entertaining stories. Al had a big heart and genuinely cared about our comfort and time spent while visiting.

A funny little story I can share is when Mark Schultz, Randy Dahlk, Steve Kammer and I spent two days at Al and Cori’s house to work on the Flash Gordon book. One of us, I forget who, was holding up his art for the King Comics Flash Gordon #5 cover from the sixties. Al had an old toy metal ray blaster, which reminded us of a Flash Gordon style weapon. Al was holding this toy gun while looking rather jokingly serious, then dropped to his knee in the exact pose of the cover art. Then he broke out in his big grin. It was completely spontaneous and funny.

You read biographies of artists, but it is a completely different experience to hear about their life direct from them. What I got from Al is not only what an amazing artist he is, but also what a great guy he was.

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications
© 2010 John Fleskes

“Al Williamson: A Tribute” Exhibit at Marywood University’s Mahady Gallery, October 8-11, 2010!

Al Williamson Postcard Sample 1 of 5 Available For Free at the Exhibit © 2010 Al Williamson Estate
Al Williamson Postcard Sample 1 of 5 Available For Free at the Exhibit © 2010 Al Williamson Estate

Celebrate the art and career of Al Williamson at a special exhibit at Marywood University’s Mahady Gallery in Scranton, Pennsylvania from October 8-11, 2010. “Al Williamson: A Tribute” will showcase over 60 original works spanning five decades. More than ten pieces will represent each decade from 1950 to 2000.

Featured will be original art done for comics, posters, trading cards, preliminary sketches, family birthday and Christmas cards, as well as drawings he did for his own pleasure. Comic pieces include finished pages for Flash Gordon, Star Wars pages and covers, Secret Agent Corrigan strips, and comic pages for Eerie magazine (“The Jungle”). Examples of Al’s pages from Weird Science (“Captivity”), Classics Illustrated (The World Around Us: Prehistoric Animals), Blade Runner, Dark Horse Presents (“One Last Job”), his Sub-Mariner story, as well as inked pages completed for Marvel Comics, and more, will be on display.

Al Williamson’s wife, Cori, shares more about the show. “This exhibit is a tribute and celebration of Al Williamson’s life through his art. Al fell in love with comics and drawing at an early age. By the time he was 12 years old he knew he wanted to be a cartoonist. He had the talent and perseverance to achieve that goal. Al loved working in ‘the field’ as he called it but he also enjoyed sharing with others his knowledge of illustrators and cartoonists that influenced and inspired him. His studio and home were always open for friends, young artists and fellow collectors. He liked to pull out originals he had and spend time looking at them with others. All are welcome to join friends and family at the opening reception.”

A set of five different postcards adorned with Al’s art has been produced to coincide with this show. They will be given away free to all those who attend.

The exhibit reception will be held on Friday, October 8 from 6-9 PM. The Mahady Gallery is located on the Marywood Universtiy campus in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Gallery hours and directions can be found here: http://cwis.marywood.edu/galleries/VISIT.html. More details are available on the Mahaday Gallery website: http://cwis.marywood.edu/galleries/future.html

Flesk Publications has donated copies of Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic and Al Williamson Archives, Vol. 1 for the reception. All proceeds from the sales of these titles will go towards the Al Williamson Scholarship Fund at the The Joe Kubert School. Those unable to make the show and would like to make a donation can send a check to:

The Joe Kubert School

37 Myrtle Avenue
Dover, NJ 07801
Attn: Al Williamson Scholarship Fund

Al Williamson was born in New York City in 1931. Williamson, who first and foremost considered himself a cartoonist, excelled at illustrative science fiction, adventure and western stories, pulling inspiration from both classic comic strips and motion pictures.

Williamson began his professional career in 1948 and achieved popular recognition in the early 1950s as the youngest and one of the most talented contributors to the legendary EC line of comics. Beyond EC, Williamson drew superior work for many comic publishers, including American Comics Group, Atlas/Marvel, Charlton, Classics Illustrated, Dark Horse, Dell, Harvey, King, Prize, Toby and Warren. From 1967 until 1980 he produced the art for the King Features Syndicate’s daily Secret Agent Corrigan newspaper strip, and from 1981 to 1984 drew the daily and Sunday Star Wars newspaper strip.

Beginning in the 1980s Williamson reintroduced himself to a new generation of comics readers as an inker for DC and then Marvel Comics, enjoying memorable stints finishing the work of other artists on Superman, Daredevil and Spidergirl.

Al produced a much beloved series of stories for King Comics’ Flash Gordon comic book in the 1960s. He returned to the character in 1980, drawing a comic’s adaptation of the contemporary Flash Gordon motion picture. In the 1990s, he produced a Flash Gordon mini-series for Marvel Comics and later contributing to the original Sunday strip

Over his career he received numerous professional awards, including multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards and the National Cartoonists Society’s 1967 Award for Best Comic Book Cartoonist, and most recently the 2010 Spectrum Grand Master Award.

Enjoy!

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

Al Williamson 2010 Recipient of the Spectrum Grand Master Award!

Al Williamson
Al Williamson

Cathy and Arnie Fenner have announced on the Spectrum Fantastic Art website that Al Williamson is the 2010 recipient of the Spectrum Grand Master Award! A short biography and the official news release can be read here.

The Grand Master Award is presented annually to an individual whose art has been acknowledged as being superior, coupled with a career that has been influential to the fantastic genre. A full biography and appreciation will appear in Spectrum 17, available later this fall 2010.

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

Update: The following is the official press release.

Spectrum Press Notice 9-21-10

For immediate Release

AL WILLIAMSON: Spectrum Grand Master

Cathy Fenner, co-director of Spectrum Fantastic Art, today announced that the recipient of the 2010 Spectrum Grand Master Award is legendary artist, Al Williamson.

Born March 21, 1931 in Manhattan, Al Williamson spent much of his youth in Bogotá, Columbia; he returned to the States in 1943 and eventually resettled in New York. A deep interest in comics < and particularly the works of Flash Gordon creator Alex Raymond < led him to enroll in the Cartoonists and Illustrators School (the forerunner to the School of Visual Arts) where he studied under Burne Hogarth and met and befriended Roy Krenkel and Wally Wood. He quickly began working in the comics industry and gained recognition for his science-fiction/heroic fantasy art for the EC Comics Weird Science and Weird Fantasy in the 1950s. In the 1960s he became famous for carrying on Raymond’s illustrative tradition with his work on the Flash Gordon comic-book series for King Features and was a seminal contributor to Warren Publishing’s black-and-white horror comics magazines, Creepy and Eerie. Williamson spent most of the 1970s drawing his own strip (from scripts by Archie Goodwin), Secret Agent X-9 (which coincidentally was another Raymond creation); in the ’80s he became known for his work adapting the Star Wars films for newspaper strips. From the mid-1980s to 2003 he was primarily active as an inker < mainly on Marvel Comics superhero titles featuring Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Spider-Girl. Early in his career Williamson often collaborated with other artists including Frank Frazetta, Krenkel, Angelo Torres, George Woodbridge, and George Evans; after he became established he also helped fellow artists that were down on their luck by hiring them to assist on jobs or steering clients in their direction. Williamson has been cited as a stylistic influence on a number of younger artists and nurtured and encouraged many. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2000.

Long considered an “artist’s artist,” Williamson’s friend and fellow illustrator Mark Schultz says, ³What made his work unique is that he incorporated the fluid motion of cinema into his drawings. No other illustrator or cartoonist has approached his ability to create an illusion of action.² Flesk Publications has recently produced several books by Al, including Al Williamson¹s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic and Al Williamson Archives Vol. 1. Al Williamson Archives Vol. 2 will be released in 2011. An exhibit of his art will be on display October 8th – October 12th at the Mahady Gallery, Marywood University, Scranton, PA. Opening reception is Friday, October 8th 6-9 PM. Directions found at http://cwis.marywood.edu/galleries

The Grand Master Award is presented annually to a living artist whose career excellence has proven to be an influence on both readers and fellow artists; sadly, Al Williamson passed away June 12 this year. “The Advisory Board selected Al for this honor back in February,” Cathy notes. “So while this announcement is being made several months after Al’s death, he was very much with us when the decision was made that he be this year’s honoree. It’s appropriate that his award be both a recognition and a remembrance of an important artist and member of the arts community.”

Past recipients of the Spectrum Grand Master Award are Frank Frazetta, Don Ivan Punchatz, Leo and Diane Dillon, James E. Bama, John Berkey, Alan Lee, Jean Giraud, Kinuko Y. Craft, Michael William Kaluta, Michael Whelan, H.R. Giger, Jeffrey Jones, Syd Mead, John Jude Palencar, and Richard V. Corben.

An Al Williamson biography and appreciation will appear in Spectrum 17.

Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art was established in 1993 with the intent of providing creators with a regular showcase for the best fantasy, science fiction, horror, and imaginative artwork created each year.

A “Call For Entries” was mailed to the arts community and the response was overwhelmingly positive. A blue-ribbon jury convened to make selections from the work submitted and the results appeared in the first full color book, Spectrum 1, published by Underwood Books in 1994. Quickly becoming a visual who’s-who for the fantastic art field, a new installment in the Spectrum series has appeared every year since. Spectrum 17 will be available in bookstores in November, 2010.

For additional information about Spectrum, please visit the official website: http://www.spectrumfantasticart.com/

Recent Flesk Publications Related Book Reviews, Blogs, Articles and Promotion, September 2010!

We’ve had a nice batch of positive news coming out about Flesk books.

ImagineFX Magazine #60 features a five-page article on William Stout. Sample art and promotion for Hallucinations, Inspirations, and New Dinosaurs A-Z, plus more are included. There’s also a six-page article written by James Gurney titled, “The Science Behind Visual Perception” and an article on the 2010 Illustration Master Class organized by Rebecca Guay, plus lots more. Information on Imagine FX #60 can be found here, and the main website is here.

Charley Parker at Lines and Colors has, once again, written a positive book review of Al Williamson Archives Vol. 1. In regards to the quality of the art reproduction he writes, “It’s as if you were lovingly picking them up out of Williamson’s flat file drawer, discovering one long lost treasure after another.” His full article can be read here. While you are at it, be sure to check out Lines and Colors every day for a new posting.

James Gurney has been kind enough to plug our new book, Al Williamson Archives, on his daily blog Gurney Journey. You can read it here. Also, be sure to visit Gurney Journey often for interesting information on art, artists, techniques, shows and more.

The new issue of Hogan’s Alley came out last month. This issue, #17, includes a full-page Flesk Publications advertisement. There’s also a terrific oral history on Spongebob Squarepants, and an article on Jack Cole. You can pick up an issue wherever comics are sold. More information can be found on their website here. I’ve been a devoted reader of Hogan’s Alley since issue #4. I’m proud to have any add in this enjoyable magazine.

Thanks to everyone for helping to spread the word about our books!

Best,

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

The Legend of Steel Bashaw by Petar Meseldžija! New Book From Flesk Publications!

On the edge of a forest as old as the mountains, they still tell a tale deep into the night…

Flesk Publications is proud to announce the availability of The Legend of Steel Bashaw by Petar Meseldžija, a contemporary retelling of this classic Serbian folk tale. Includes over 60 illustrations in a 9 x 12” 64-page softbound edition for $19.95. ISBN: 978-1-933865-30-0. Visit the Flesk website for full details with sample pages and art by clicking here.

Excerpted from his interview on the Flesk website, Petar explains, “The Legend of Steel Bashaw is a tale about the wonders of life, the joys and pains of living; it’s about love, responsibility, dedication and compassion. It is a story which does not promote the sharp division line between good and bad, but rather sees these opposites as the indissoluble parts of the whole.” The full interview discussing the book, Petar’s painting techniques and more about himself can be read by clicking here.

The Legend of Steel Bashaw is Petar Meseldžija’s adaption of Baš Čelik. A folktale he first heard as a boy, it was given nightly life by Serbian storytellers illuminated by fireplaces and burning lamps. Built from the same impossible truths that the ancients used to craft all myths, this tale concerns itself with a kidnapped princess, the deeds of a heroic prince, battles lost or won, death and redemption. As with all the best stories, it also traverses lands real and imagined, ranging from the primeval forests of the Balkans to the kingdoms of the dragons and beyond.

But unlike most tellers of legends, Meseldžija knows there is a truth underlying this oft-told tale. He grew up with it and once held crumbling proof of that truth in his hands. It’s that experience which provided him with the main inspiration for this book, and it’s that same certain knowledge which informs every word and image in The Legend of Steel Bashaw.

Meseldžija has crafted a tale as vital as Beowulf, Homer’s Odyssey and the other great stories. His paintings bring his characters and their worlds to vivid life. The Legend of Steel Bashaw is his gift to the world, and it is a masterpiece.

Praise for Petar Meseldžija:

“Petar’s paintings show a love of gnarled trees, silken dresses, and living, breathing creatures. Each picture is a fresh surprise, winning us over so that we see the world around us in terms of his imagination.”
—James Gurney

“Whenever I’ve been lucky enough to stand in front of an original oil painting by Petar Meseldžija, I easily lose myself in the landscape of brilliant brushwork. An absolute master of pigment, Petar’s work can weaken the knees of a professional and drop him right into that imaginative world by a mere stroke. He’s just that good.”
—Gregory Manchess

Sample Page From the Bonus Sketchbook Section. Artwork © 2010 Petar Meseldžija
Sample Page From the Bonus Sketchbook Section. Artwork © 2010 Petar Meseldžija

To order The Legend of Steel Bashaw visit our Flesk Shop to order online by clicking here. The Legend of Steel Bashaw is distributed to the book trade by SCB Distribitutors.

Petar Meseldžija is available for interviews. Those interested can contact John Fleskes.

Full details on all of Flesk Publications titles and the most recent news can be found on our website, and my blog. Thank you for your support. Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Best,

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications
P.O. Box 3174
Santa Cruz, CA 95063
info@fleskpublications.com
www.fleskpublications.com
(408) 206-2346
Monday through Friday
11:00AM to 6:00PM PST

Stuart Ng Books Featured on MSNBC “Your Business” Profile! Flesk Books and Booth at Comic-Con Shown!

Stuart Ng Books has had a business profile shown on MSNBC. The segment covers how a small business can compete against bigger chains. Stuart explains how he not only competes, but succeeds with sustained growth. Congratulations to Stuart for being featured! The clip can be seen online by clicking here. You can also find the clip on the “Your Business Video Archive” found beneath the most recent show. You can search using the title “American Business: Super Niche” or date, Aug 27, 2010.

Stuart Ng Books carries a wide assortment of animation, illustration and comic related titles, including our books. You can see their inventory by visiting their website here.

There are brief shots of my Flesk Publications booth at Comic-Con International in San Diego, along with book cover shots of William Stout Prehistoric Life Murals (ISBN: 978-1-933865-10-2), New Dinosaur Discoveries A-Z (ISBN 978-1-933865-23-2), and Gianni’s Twenty-Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (ISBN: 978-1-933865-08-9).

There is also a good interview with Adam Hughes.

Enjoy,

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

Xenozoic by Mark Schultz Coming In November 2010 From Flesk! Will There Be A Hardcover? What’s Inside?

A few people have written me asking if there will be a hardcover edition to the new Xenozoic book by Mark Schultz. No, there is no hardcover edition planned. I will always list all editions of a new title on the product information page on my website when the book is first announced.

Mark Schultz Xenozoic Chapter Header © 2010 Schultz
Mark Schultz "Xenozoic" Chapter Header © 2010 Schultz

As far as the interiors go, this book features all of the stories written and drawn by Mark Schultz to date. These twenty stories are each accompanied by new title page illustrations. There are also a handful of new spot illustrations to decorate the first and final pages. I wrote a blog previously about the new cover art and Schultz’s coloring process that can be read here.

With the exception of two stories, “Green Air” (11-pages) and “The Rules of the Game” (10-pages), all of the artwork has been reproduced from the originals. These other two stories were scanned from original proofs. I should mention that if anyone owning original art pages for either “Green Air” or “The Rules of the Game” would be willing to scan the pages for us for future editions, both Mark Schultz and myself would greatly appreciate your time and help. You will be listed in the acknowledgments section and receive a free copy of the future edition. The “Green Air” story was sold through Heritage Auctions in November 2006. Unfortunately we were unable to get scans of sufficient resolution for reproduction prior to the sale of the individual pages. Those willing to help can contact me here.

I’m very excited about this Xenozoic book and having all of Mark Schultz’s material to date all in one big 352-page volume. I have approved the proofs and the book is currently being printed and bound. It is on schedule for its early November 2010 release date.

For more details on the book, please visit our website here.

Best,

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications

Sanjulian, Donato Giancola and Spectrum 17! New Books Coming This Fall 2010 From Arnie and Cathy Fenner!

There are three new books coming from Arnie and Cathy Fenner this fall. Each title is published by Underwood Books. Each can be ordered through Bud’s Art Books.

Sword’s Edge: Paintings Inspired by the Works of Robert E. Howard is out now. This 48-page hardcover collects over 35 images created by Sanjulian. The illustrations are accompanied by the Howard text they were inspired by. A biography on Robert E. Howard and Sanjulian is included. The book is edited by Arnie and Cathy Fenner, and Manuel Auad. There is plenty of good reading and artwork at a terrific price of only $19.95. The partial book description reads:

Countless artists have painted Robert E. Howard’s characters through the years, but none have done so more brilliantly than legendary Spanish painter Manuel Pérez Clemente Sanjulián. With the impact of a battle axe, Sword’s Edge collects an action-filled brace of paintings that brings Howard’s classic stories to vivid life for a new generation of enthusiasts.

Middle-Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth by Donato Giancola. Anybody else excited about a book finally collecting the paintings of Donato? It’s about time! The book is an 88-page $24.95 hardcover collection with a J.R.R. Tolkien theme. The book is scheduled for October and a description follows:

From the brush of Donato Giancola, one of the world’s most recognized and lauded fantasy artists, comes a book filled with new illustrations that apply his legendary Renaissance craftsmanship to J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantastic Middle-Earth. Dramatic lighting and deft draftsmanship reminiscent of master painters like Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer explain Donato’s popularity with millions of fans, as well as the numerous Hugo and Chesley Awards he has received.

Spectrum 17: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art is the yearly worldwide book event celebrating the best fantastic artists working today. Categories feature artwork in advertising, books, comics, institutional, film, video games and an impressive unpublished section. At 264 pages and hundreds of art showcased, both a softbound and hardbound edition will be available in early November. For now you can view sample pages at the Spectrum Fantastic Art website by clicking here. The book description promotes Spectrum as:

Challenging, controversial, educational, and irreverent, the 17th anniversary edition to the award-winning Spectrum series reinforces both the importance and prevalence of fantastic art in today’s culture. With exceptional images by extraordinary creators, this elegant full-color collection showcases an international cadre of creators working in every style and medium, both traditional and digital. The best artists from the United States, Europe, China, Australia, South America, and beyond have gathered into the only annual devoted exclusively to works of fantasy, horror, science fiction, and the surreal, making Spectrum 17 one of the year’s most highly anticipated books.

Enjoy!

John

John Fleskes
Flesk Publications