Tuesday, May 11, 2010

National Day of Mourning for Groovy Van Drivers

Noted fantasy artist and unapologetic ass-man Frank Frazetta died yesterday, leaving behind legions of horny teenaged fans, and a legacy of reproductions airbrushed on the sides of vans with shag-carpeted interiors. In the mid-fifties to the early sixties, one of Frank's gigs was drawing for Al Capp's Li'l Abner, which provided him a ample opportunities for displaying his penchant for drawing well-nigh ridiculously voluptuous women.

In 1966, his cover for a Lancer Books reissue of some early pulp tales (packaged with some dodgy later pastiches) about a Cimmerian adventurer catapulted both Frazetta and said Cimmerian into the pop culture stratosphere. Oh, and did we mention he was an unapologetic ass man?

I'd say, "Rest in peace", but I think Frank's version of heaven would be a jungle world populated by ravenous dinosaurs, savage beastmen, and, of course, well-nigh ridiculously voluptuous women.

And to all of those who never had a chance to commission a Frazetta masterpiece to grace the side of your van, there's always Boris Vallejo.

Author's Note: One of my college roommates and I would periodically stage mock arguments about the relative merits of Frazetta vs. Vallejo. We'd also stage mock "Coot or Grebe" arguments in the vicinity of non-Anseriform waterfowl.

3 comments:

ifthethunderdontgetya™³²®© said...

The Governator thanks you all!
~

Substance McGravitas said...

Also the Obamanator.

Vonnie said...

RIP to the person who was the sole reason my mother would not let me date "any man that drives a van", as there was likely to be a "mural" and some shag carpeting involved.