Frank Frazetta has died. An artist of immense talent, he came to prominence on the basis of illustrations done for the Robert E. Howard Conan the Barbarian novels and other scifi and fantasy work.
Frank Frazetta's artistry never failed to inspire me. He had a truly unique voice. His work spoke of worlds that existed on the edges of our universe. He perfectly captured the look and gritty feel of the stories contained in the books he illustrated and yet he said he never read those books. Rather he found his stunning style from somewhere within himself.
Frazetta was always drawing it seemed. At the age of eight his parents enrolled him in the Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts. His teachers recognized his talent to such an extent that one wanted to send him to Europe to further his studies using his own money. But the teacher died, the school closed and Frazetta was forced to find work to earn a living.
At 16, Frazetta started drawing for comic books. Hollywood soon tapped him to do
several "one-sheets" the posters that they use to advertise films including Woody Allen's first film, "What's New Pussycat?
His Conan covers began to garner him a lot of notice as he redefined what a fantasy book cover should look like; he was also assigned to do some Edgar Rice Burroughs books as well. These and the Conan covers became the calling card of a man whose work could be defined as original and genre-bending even then.
Among his book covers and comic books, he did an animated movie for Ralph Bakshi ("Fire and Ice") and also several album covers including for rockers Molly Hatchet and Nazareth.
Frazetta's work has inspired entire generations of illustrators including Boris Vallejo and Yusuke Nakano, a lead artist for Nintendo's "Legend of Zelda" series.
Zack Snyder recently mimicked Frazetta's work to help him create a unique look for the movie "300."
Fantasy director Guillermo del Toro said "He gave the world a new pantheon of heroes. He took the mantle from J. Allen St. John and Joseph Clement Coll and added blood, sweat and sexual power to their legacy.... He somehow created a second narrative layer for every book he ever illustrated."
Exactly.
To give you a sense of how important an artist Frazetta is, a recent original oil of his Conan work sold at auction for a million dollars - while he was still alive.
I have always been a Frazetta fan. I couldn't help but to be transported when I looked into the rich tapestries he drew. Worlds of fire and dragons and men with muscles that buldged and women whose breasts nearly broke their bodices and rough leather clothing. Vallejo, another fav of mine, lost me when he changed his style two decades ago but Frazetta never did - I can look at his early work and latter work and still get the same viceral thrill.
No visual artist has affected me and my writing more than Frank Frazetta. Just as 
certain music and movies can take me to places I've never been, the creatures, worlds and characters that Frazetta created had a lasting impact on me and directed my work when I started writing and that influence continues strongly to this day.
When I write what my inner eye sees, most of the time that inner eye is reflecting something Frazetta created.
I have copies of his artwork everywhere and when I need inspiration, to go to another world, another dimension, I pick one up and I am gone to those worlds fighting dragons and demons with massive broadswords and making love to buxomy women who would just as soon kill you as kiss you.
Frank, may you always ride two-headed dragons, embrace doe-eyed women with sharp knives and pouty mouths, and fight the good fight against impossible foes.
You will be sorely missed.
