Frank Frazetta’s Best Cover? 1 1

[OtherEric]

On 10/9/2022 at 12:18 AM, fifties said:

I've read that WSF 29 was considered the greatest SF comic cover ever, but that's not my opinion. 

Here's my dilapidated copy.  The cover date of June, 1955, was the last non-CCA stamped comic book, as all other publishers except Dell  seemed to acquiesce starting with the March, 1955 issues.

Dilapidated WSF 29 owners of the world unite!

This certainly had a rep for a long time as one of the all time great comic covers.  It still does, but I don't think it's at the top of the list for lots of people the way it used to be.

[Jayman]

Probably not his best, but one of my favorite Frazetta covers.

[Cat-Man_America]

Well, since we're all over the map on what constitutes a comic cover, here's the best cover I think Frazetta did specifically for EC material (mid-60's Ballantine paperback)...

After seeing this SF cover, even if you'd never seen an EC comic, you would buy it ...then immediately start hunting for the old back issues!  

[The Black Hand ®]

All his covers are the best.

[Silver]

My favorite 😀

[fifties]

Well if we are going to include Cowboys, Indians, and The Congo I won't be shy to offer my (dilapidated - hey, I bought what I could afford, as readers) copy of Beware #10. 

[LDarkseid1]

On 10/9/2022 at 9:44 PM, The Black Hand ® said:

All his covers are the best.

You sir, win the award for most diplomatic reply of the thread 😄

[LDarkseid1]

On 10/9/2022 at 9:46 PM, fifties said:

Well if we are going to include Cowboys, Indians, and The Congo I won't be shy to offer my (dilapidated - hey, I bought what I could afford, as readers) copy of Beware #10. 

That’s super cool. Feel like I don’t see much horror art by him. Usually fantasy or sci-fi. I sold my Beware #11 recently, but no Frazetta art with that one.

[Point Five]

Completely subjective, but I'd go with Famous Funnies #214 as his best. The unique sense of scale, the detail and the color pop of the planet are breathtaking. I never get tired of looking at it.

As a general comment, and maybe this makes me an outlier, I really prefer Frazetta's comic covers to his paintings. I love the crisp, dynamic inking of his best comic covers, and the painted magazine and book covers on average look much more muddy to me (though admittedly, part of that could be the reproduction quality).

I like the WSF #29 cover (and am even in the market for a copy), and the WSF contents are super cool, but in terms of personal love for the cover itself I'd still place it below most of the eight-issue FF cover run.

 

[WolverineX]

Might as well delve into books as well since we have done mags.

[LDarkseid1]

There's someone selling an original pen/ink drawing from Frazetta on Ebay. Do you guys think it's legit? He doesn't provide any provenance. Also I found a bunch of similar style pieces of art from Frazetta sold on Heritage, and all the hair is usually colored in. Here it isn't, so wasn't sure if that makes it a little shady. And the little #21 on the bottom right. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to denote like what numbered drawing it was. If it was that though, don't they usually write, 21/250 to describe he did 250 of this version?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125438701037?hash=item1d34baaded:g:KDkAAOSwrKli5Ccs&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoFdHpp7NLo1cXBg%2B6ED851cBv5KHIlzSBnGrVBoO3Hy1r2kMEoG9uNVfcnpFUmbudEkL03FkpFVwWFzrFTwpYS7OOyeG2RGlW3TSVZUNm3OneEzLxevJ1L5CTK9hfe2INLsgav6fkIt2teqlpGWFoW6f2yD%2ByBO1KgupCuDCaP6f2BWtl10a%2FHEm%2Fp1WmE7X%2FMUpLBKKaGlw%2BSBK51q0G8Y%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_yblaz4YA

Edited October 10, 2022 by LDarkseid1

[OtherEric]

On 10/9/2022 at 8:40 PM, Cat-Man_America said:

Well, since we're all over the map on what constitutes a comic cover, here's the best cover I think Frazetta did specifically for EC material (mid-60's Ballantine paperback)...

After seeing this SF cover, even if you'd never seen an EC comic, you would buy it ...then immediately start hunting for the old back issues!  

A couple more of his "EC paperback" covers.

[WolverineX]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:41 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

There's someone selling an original pen/ink drawing from Frazetta on Ebay. Do you guys think it's legit? He doesn't provide any provenance. Also I found a bunch of similar style pieces of art from Frazetta sold on Heritage, and all the hair is usually colored in. Here it isn't, so wasn't sure if that makes it a little shady. And the little #21 on the bottom right. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to denote like what numbered drawing it was. If it was that though, don't they usually write, 21/250 to describe he did 250 of this version?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125438701037?hash=item1d34baaded:g:KDkAAOSwrKli5Ccs&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoFdHpp7NLo1cXBg%2B6ED851cBv5KHIlzSBnGrVBoO3Hy1r2kMEoG9uNVfcnpFUmbudEkL03FkpFVwWFzrFTwpYS7OOyeG2RGlW3TSVZUNm3OneEzLxevJ1L5CTK9hfe2INLsgav6fkIt2teqlpGWFoW6f2yD%2ByBO1KgupCuDCaP6f2BWtl10a%2FHEm%2Fp1WmE7X%2FMUpLBKKaGlw%2BSBK51q0G8Y%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_yblaz4YA

. Provenance is everything.  

 

Looks great but who knows....

[LDarkseid1]

On 10/10/2022 at 10:28 AM, WolverineX said:

. Provenance is everything.  

 

Looks great but who knows....

Yeah I agree, would be tough without more details on the original purchase of it. Definitely looks cool though!

[Professor K]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:41 PM, LDarkseid1 said:

There's someone selling an original pen/ink drawing from Frazetta on Ebay. Do you guys think it's legit? He doesn't provide any provenance. Also I found a bunch of similar style pieces of art from Frazetta sold on Heritage, and all the hair is usually colored in. Here it isn't, so wasn't sure if that makes it a little shady. And the little #21 on the bottom right. I wasn't sure if that was supposed to denote like what numbered drawing it was. If it was that though, don't they usually write, 21/250 to describe he did 250 of this version?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/125438701037?hash=item1d34baaded:g:KDkAAOSwrKli5Ccs&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAoFdHpp7NLo1cXBg%2B6ED851cBv5KHIlzSBnGrVBoO3Hy1r2kMEoG9uNVfcnpFUmbudEkL03FkpFVwWFzrFTwpYS7OOyeG2RGlW3TSVZUNm3OneEzLxevJ1L5CTK9hfe2INLsgav6fkIt2teqlpGWFoW6f2yD%2ByBO1KgupCuDCaP6f2BWtl10a%2FHEm%2Fp1WmE7X%2FMUpLBKKaGlw%2BSBK51q0G8Y%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_yblaz4YA

It's probably legit. The seller says he bought it from the Frazetta family, but he doesn't give any time frame as to when. He should have gotten some kind of signed documentation when he bought it. Problem is as I know you know is you're not sure and neither would anyone else be pretty much. 

Best stick with HA for this stuff as the sale can be traced. From what I see you can get similar sketches on HA for about the same as this piece. I wouldn't mind having one.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Professor K
spelling correction

[Robot Man]

That sketch appears legimate to me. But no legitimate paperwork is a problem. I remember them selling off a few sketches at the museum as well. But just saying that is something anyone could say. Buying that, at that price, from a total stranger on eBay with a “no returns” policy is real chancy. Cool piece if authentic. 

[darkstar]

On 10/9/2022 at 1:48 PM, Professor K said:

His GA stuff is cool but to me I don't think they really demonstrate his full talent. The Warren mags from the mid 60's are sweet. Some of the best sold examples from recent years. Things are cheap and almost all have less than 100 in the census. 

 

None of those are close to the current prices these magazines are fetching or would fetch if they came up for sale. 

[LDarkseid1]

On 10/10/2022 at 11:13 AM, Professor K said:

It's probably legit. The seller says he bought it from the Frazetta family, but he doesn't give any time frame as to when. He should have gotten some kind of signed documentation when he bought it. Problem is as I know you know is you're not sure and neither would anyone else be pretty much. 

Best stick with HA for this stuff as the sale can be traced. From what I see you can get similar sketches on HA for about the same as this piece. I wouldn't mind having one.

Yeah I agree, at legit auction seems to be the safest path for that. I was honestly kinda interested in it, which is why I wanted some opinions lol.

[Cat-Man_America]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:14 PM, OtherEric said:

A couple more of his "EC paperback" covers.

Oddly enough, neither of those covers grabbed me at all back then, but I was immediately drawn to the Tales of the Incredible cover and the choice stories therein. Frazetta knocked that SF cover outta the park.  This ...like the early Mad Readers... probably helped keep the EC legend alive by opening up a new market for those older stories. These B&W pb reprints may have been many collectors first exposure to EC comics fandom.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Cat-Man_America

[sfcityduck]

On 10/9/2022 at 7:49 AM, Inaflash said:

These are my two favorite Frazetta covers.

 

 

A really beautiful FF 214, because of its colors, just blows the WSF 29 away (it was supposed to have been a FF cover, right?). To nitpick the WSF 29, I always wondered why the hero's arms were out of proportion and he has a lot more hair on his forearms than the Neanderthals.  Once seen its hard to un-see.