wombat Posted June 3, 2022 Share Posted June 3, 2022 Figured the magazine section deserved its own thread. https://bravewords.com/news/kiss-rainbow-manowar-artist-ken-kelly-dead-at-76 Darkga, Randall Dowling and The Lions Den 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OtherEric Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 (edited) That's horribly depressing news, but thank you for sharing it. A personal favorite of mine, although my box is in storage so I swiped the image online: Edited June 4, 2022 by OtherEric Randall Dowling, JollyComics and oakman29 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lions Den Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Very sad news. May he rest in peace... oakman29 and Randall Dowling 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakman29 Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 (edited) I am extremely grateful for his contributions to the art world. Edited June 4, 2022 by oakman29 Now I will go cry. Randall Dowling and The Lions Den 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 The Lions Den 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post piper Posted June 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2022 OtherEric, oakman29, This is Who We Are and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OtherEric Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 The Lions Den, Randall Dowling and Darkga 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Dowling Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Yeah, this is a bummer. It seems like we're losing these guys on a regular basis now. Ken was a great talent with his own signature style that he worked hard to find. My thoughts and condolences go out to his friends and family tonight. The Lions Den and oakman29 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayman Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Sad news. Great talent, RIP. Two of my favorites… Randall Dowling, The Lions Den, OtherEric and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 Very glad I have this in my collection. Randall Dowling, oakman29 and OtherEric 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoMan Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 On 6/3/2022 at 5:14 PM, OtherEric said: That's horribly depressing news, but thank you for sharing it. A personal favorite of mine, although my box is in storage so I swiped the image online: what year is that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OtherEric Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 On 6/3/2022 at 7:54 PM, NoMan said: what year is that? 2016, I believe. It was a limited set with three figures and new art that came out as an SDCC exclusive from Hasbro, that was never followed up on despite what they said at the time. I found it at a retro store a couple years ago and couldn't resist. NoMan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdandns Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Absolute legend, rest in peace. He had a very early original art sketch card, well before they became common in non-sports trading cards. It was issued as a incentive for purchasers of full cases of Ken Kelly Series II Trading Cards from FPG. The card sets were themselves an outstanding presentation of Ken's work through 1994, when the second one was issued. So much great work over decades, but the pinnacle for me is those two iconic Kiss images from the 70's. I still have the vintage jigsaw puzzle of "Destroyer". K-lassic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post N e r V Posted June 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2022 The covers I could post that I like by him would be large but since I upgraded just this year this copy of which I now own several of I’ll include it with the backstory of the book which works for me as good as any starting point for his work. He completed his four-year term in 1968 and returned home to New York. During the next year, Ken’s life would veer further into the realms of fantasy art. In 1968, he decided to go to the studio of Frank Frazetta and show him some of his own drawings. Frazetta liked what he saw and encouraged Ken to pursue a career in commercial art. At the same time, he also invited Ken to study under him. Ken eagerly accepted Frank’s offer. Under the guidance of Frazetta, Ken was able to fine-tune his skill even further. Frazetta stressed how important it was to put feeling into creating a painting and to let the action on the canvas come from the imagination. Ken took those words to heart and has lived by them ever since. Later that same year, Ken received his first professional assignment. Before he turned the painting in, he took it to Frazetta to get his approval. Well, Frazetta did not think that the woman in the painting had a terrified enough expression on her face, so he painted over her old face, with a new one of his own, which he felt worked better. Now it was ready to be turned in. That painting was done for Warren’s Vampirella Magazine and is titled, “The Lurking Terror”. My strongest memory of his work though is his first Kiss album cover which I bought as a 13 year old (barely) when it was first released. Released after their breakthrough with Alive the previous year this was a stunning departure with a cover worthy of the band at the time… Jayman, OtherEric, Randall Dowling and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpbooks01 Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 OtherEric, Jayman, oakman29 and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Key Largo Comics Posted June 4, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted June 4, 2022 RIP Darkga, This is Who We Are, OtherEric and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkga Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 R.I.P. Ken Kelly, and thank you for this treasured piece in my collection. aardvark88, OtherEric, Jayman and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 On 6/4/2022 at 1:49 AM, N e r V said: He completed his four-year term in 1968 and returned home to New York. During the next year, Ken’s life would veer further into the realms of fantasy art. In 1968, he decided to go to the studio of Frank Frazetta and show him some of his own drawings. Frazetta liked what he saw and encouraged Ken to pursue a career in commercial art. At the same time, he also invited Ken to study under him. Ken eagerly accepted Frank’s offer. Under the guidance of Frazetta, Ken was able to fine-tune his skill even further. Frazetta stressed how important it was to put feeling into creating a painting and to let the action on the canvas come from the imagination. Ken took those words to heart and has lived by them ever since. Later that same year, Ken received his first professional assignment. Before he turned the painting in, he took it to Frazetta to get his approval. Well, Frazetta did not think that the woman in the painting had a terrified enough expression on her face, so he painted over her old face, with a new one of his own, which he felt worked better. Now it was ready to be turned in. That painting was done for Warren’s Vampirella Magazine and is titled, “The Lurking Terror”. Just to add one detail to this story people may not know. Ken was the nephew of Frank's wife Ellie. That was his original connection to Frank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpbooks01 Posted June 4, 2022 Share Posted June 4, 2022 Jayman and OtherEric 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat Posted June 4, 2022 Author Share Posted June 4, 2022 Many years ago at a con in Philly Ken saw me walking past with a Frazetta shirt on and called me over. We talked for several minutes. Really nice guy and he signed these prints for me. Jayman and OtherEric 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
