Flex Mentallo

Love 'em!

Benulis had a very distinctive style. Here are a couple of IW's which feature Benulis's work - reprints of late Planet Comics:

I think we should start discussing Astoundings. Well, hmmm, yes, I'm willing but to do that too but I'm afraid we will need BZ and Co to post another few dozen covers at least...maybe more...

That stunning cover took my breath away. Now where can I get me one of those?

That's weird. I had a dream that I mysteriously acquired a beautiful set of Actions and Supermans. Then the awful sound of the alarm clock ruined it...

That is a stunner! Actually, for the life of me when I first looked at that picture, I was trying to figure out what she was doing with a phaser. Definitely awesome work. 'tis poison i' the cup!

I'm glad you all liked them! Got me out of "the sleazy corner" anyway!

That is a stunner!

The Minotaur was the son of King Minos' wife, Pasiphae, who was raped by Zeus who came up in the form of a white bull rising from the sea . The monster was sealed away in a labyrinth, and fed live sacrifices in the form of tribute from the shores of Mycenaean Greece. Theseus was the son of Aegeus, King of Mycenae, He was brought to the labyrinth in a black-sailed ship as a sacrifice. But Ariadne, the daughter of Minos, fell in love with Theseus, and gave him two gifts: a sword with which to slay the Minotaur, and a length of golden thread as a means to find his way out of the labyrinth. In return for saving him, Theseus promised to take Ariadne back to Mycenae with him. But having duly despatched the monster Theseus fled without her. But in his haste, he forgot to take down the black sails, and spying these from the headland Aegeus assumed the mourning sails meant that his son was indeed dead, and in his grief he caste himself into the sea and drowned. Thus Theseus was punished - for he in his falsehood had become the monster. I love myths such as these, for they have so many connotations. There is indeed a labyrinth in the ruins of the Minoan capital, and for a time the Minoan Civilisation dominated the Mediterranean. And the Minoans worshipped the bull as a deity. So myth invariably has a basis in historical fact. But there is also both a moral and a psychological underpinning as well. The psychoanalyst C.K.G.Jung argued that each of us has the potential to be the hero of our own lives - and in order to do so we must be courageous. But the risk is that instead of transcending our limitations, we become the monster. For those who are interested in comparative mythology, and how the active principle of Myth shapes our understanding of the world, I recommend the works of Joseph Campbell, especially The Masks of God and The Hero with a Thousand Faces. linky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell

and finally... JEAN DE BOSSCHERE 'An immense dragon lying by the waterside.' Illustration to The Reward of the World from Beasts and Men, Folk Tales Collected in Flanders (Heinemann, 1920) linky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Bossch%C3%A8re

E. J. DETMOLD 'The Rukh which fed its young on elephants' Illustration to The Second Voyage of Sinbad the Sailor from The Arabian Nights (Hodder & Stoughton, 1924) linky: http://www.bpib.com/illustra2/detmold.htm

HARRY CLARKE 'For the love of God, Montresor, Yes, I said, "For the love of God." ' Illustration to The Cask of Amontillado from Tales of Mystery & Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe (Harrap, 1919)

HARRY CLARKE 'And the dead robed in red and sea-lilies overhead away when the long winds blow.' Illustration to The Dying Patriot by James Elroy Flecker from The Year's at the Spring, an anthology of poems compiled by Lettice D'O. Walters (Harrap, 1920)

HARRY CLARKE 'I am born of a thousand storms, and grey with rushing rains.' Illustration to All is Spirit and Part of Me by L. D'O. Walters from The Year's at the Spring, an anthology of poems compiled by Lettice D'O. Walters (Harrap, 1920)

HARRY CLARKE 'Methinks a million fools in choir/ Are raving and will never tire.' From Faust by J. W. von Goethe, translated by John Anster (Harrap, 1921)

HARRY CLARKE 'Is there anything in my poor power to serve you?' From Faust by J. W. von Goethe, translated by John Anster (Harrap, 1921) linky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Clarke

VERNON HILL On passing to an open space we came. Where flared a raging fire, and one within Burned, and in flickering flame writhed too and fro, Around him spirits danced in furious glee. Illustration to Canto viii, The New Inferno by Stephen Phillips (John Lane, 1911) linky: http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2008/12/01/december-and-vernon-hill/

KAY NIELSEN 'This good fairy placed her own baby in the cradle of roses and gave command to the zephyrs to carry him to the tower.' Illustration to Felicia from In Powder and Crinoline, Old Fairy Tales, retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch (Hodder & Stoughton, 1913)

KAY NIELSEN ' " Your soul - ! My soul - !" they kept saying in hollow tones, according as they won or lost.' Illustration to John and the Ghosts from In Powder and Crinoline, Old Fairy Tales, retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch (Hodder & Stoughton, 1913)

KAY NIELSEN 'And this time she whisked off the wig, and there lay the lad, so lovely, and white and red, just as the Princess had seen him in the morning sun' Illustration for The Widow's Son from East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Old Tales of the North by P.C. Asbjornsen and J.I. Moe (Hodder & Stoughton, 1914) linky: http://nielsen.artpassions.net/

EDMUND DULAC 'The cup of wine which she gives him each night contains a sleeping draft' Original illustration to The Story of the King of the Ebony Isles from Stories from the Arabian Nights, retold by Lawrence Housman ( Hodder & Stoughton, 1913)

EDMUND DULAC 'The Princess burns the Elfrite to death', original for illustration to The Story of the Three Calendars from Sinbad the Sailor and other stories from the Arabian Nights (Hodder & Stoughton, 1914)

EDMUND DULAC Original watercolour for frontispiece illustration to Princess Badoura, A tale from the Arabian Nights, retold by Lawrence Housman ( Hodder & Stoughton, 1913)

Thanks for posting. These are great! (thumbs u Thanks - it's just a gesture of appreciation to the posters in this thread.

EDMUND DULAC ' "It is gold, it is gold" they cried' Original watercolour for The Snow Queen in Stories from Hans Anderson (Hodder & Stoughton, 1911) wonderful linky: http://dulac.artpassions.net/