Frazetta is inspiring me!

[philreed]

You may also enjoy Justin Sweet's work.

http://fantasygallery.net/sweet/

 

[The_Gneech]

If you need any inspiration for great adventures with something of a Frazetta feel...

Actually, what I need is a great DM with something of a Frazetta feel.

-The Gneech

 

[barsoomcore]

Hi, I'm barsoomcore, and I'm a DM with something of a Frazetta feel.

Nice ta meetcha.

 

[Sir Elton]

Edit: Whoops! I forgot. If you need any inspiration for great adventures with something of a Frazetta feel, may I suggest checking out barsoomcore's story hour (Barsoom Tales, linked in the signature of his post above) in the Story Hour Forum (he's got several in there, and they're all good, but Barsoom Tales is a great place to start). His world isn't exactly the Barsoom from the novels (though there are similarities), but it's awesome, and his writing is great. There's more than one or two things with a hint of Frazetta in them. Or, anther way to think about the story is, its easy to imagine Frazetta illustrations accompanying his story hour.

My business partner in the d20 company I've started, and I, have been discussing a campaign setting that is inspired by Frazetta. He wants to do something pulpy, I wanted to do something pulpy, so we are going to do something "pulpy." Frazetta's art work has been in my mind ever since I was first exposed to it. If OD&D was illustrated by Frazetta, then D&D would be played differently today. "1st Edition Feel" or "OD&D Feel" would almost certainly include a Frazettan atmosphere.

 

[The_Gneech]

Hi, I'm barsoomcore, and I'm a DM with something of a Frazetta feel.

Nice ta meetcha.

That's as may be, but you're not in northern VA, if I remember correctly. Or if you are, are you looking for a Saturday night game?

-The Gneech

 

[Patman21967]

Aww...c'mon guys....I'm here in Delaware...I'll host y'all for a weekend of good gaming....hahaha....Seriously, these sound like great ideas...Elton...keep me in mind when and if you do this. Our group has been gaming together with the same 4 people and a few others here and there for 20+ years....Would volunteer to playtest for you

 

[Warrior Poet]

One thing I really like about Frazetta is his woman . . . She's not a freakish starvation queen with an inflatable chest. She's a little heavy through the hips. She's got a bit of a belly. She's round. She looks strong . . . She looks like she can command banths and compel great warriors to her will.

Hard to imagine any modern actress doing her justice . . . It's too bad, cause I think Frazetta's image is healthier and sexier and stronger.

Agreed! Well said!

Several years ago (10+ or so, I guess), a series of books was put out under the Tor Fantasy imprint, I believe, written by James Silke. Frazetta's name appears on the cover as well, and the covers are all Frazetta illustrations. I don't know if Frank contributed to the writing at all, but it's great inspiration for a Frazetta-style game full of beautiful women, treacherous danger, overwhelming wilderness, dreadful magic, and so on. Very, VERY pulp. The books are based on a painting Frazetta did called The Death Dealer, which you may have seen: shadowy figure wearing a horned helmet and holding a massive single-bladed axe astride a black charger.

The four books (Prisoner of the Horned Helmet, Lords of Destruction, Tooth and Claw, and A Plague of Knives) follow the adventures of Gath of Baal, the prisoner of the horned helmet, who becomes the Death Dealer. He's a massive, almost sub-human brute who lives like an animal in the forest and hews his foes down like a thresher going through wheat. There's an old conniving rogue who helps him out, and a beautiful red-headed maiden, and perils and villains at every turn.

The writing isn't good. But, it's so over-the-top and emminently entertaining pulp, with nothing but blood and lust, page after page. If anyone's looking for inspiration, they may still be out there. Again, the writing isn't going to win any awards, but the stories are classic 30s style fun, in the vein of Conan.

Incidentally, one of the characters is exactly what barsoomcore mentioned: her name's Cobra and she is, quite literally, queen of the serpents. She's not as young as the read-headed maiden, and her magic has its price, and you're never quite sure who's side she's on, but she's still voluptuous, sensuous, charming, dangerous, and a power to be reckoned with.

Check 'em out! Read with tongue planted firmly in cheek!

Warrior Poet

 

[CarlZog]

My brother and I became huge Frazetta fans when we were about 12-15 years old. Go figure!

That was in late-1970s, when he was particularly popular and productive. We had his books, posters, jigsaw puzzles, the works. As I recall, my mom didn't seem to mind our fascination with Frazetta's women, though in retrospect, I suppose some parents would have.

Anyway, by that time, I was already a huge Burroughs fan, and my visions of Barsoom had been totally shaped by Gino D'Achille's paperback cover art!

Carl

 

[Desdichado]

I've read at least the first novel of that Death Dealer series. I remember thinking they were pretty forgettable, and since that's about the only thing I can remember, I guess they were. I'm still of half a mind to go search them down again, though.

Michael Whelan has probably the cover art that most resembles the descriptions on the books for the Barsoom. But I'm still a huge fan of the Frazetta stuff, even if I think of him more for the Conan type of stuff. Of course, I remember Frazetta pieces on all kinds of Pellucidar and Venus books by Burroughs as well, and I've never seen those with any other covers, for that matter.

And I'm a huge fan of the Neil Adams (if I'm remembering his name correctly; if not I should go downstairs and check) covers for the Tarzan novels too.

 

[JVisgaitis]

You should probably add a "not appropriate to open at work" disclaimer!

Come on, its Frazetta for crying out loud and fantasy art to boot. You expecting a well clothed female?

You may also enjoy Justin Sweet's work.

Justin Sweet rocks! Whatever happened to his official website? Seems like http://www.justinsweet.com is no longer available.

You also might want to give Vebjorn Strommen a look. This guy's art is awesome! http://home.broadpark.no/~vstromm/index.htm

Oh, and you can all be jealous of me. Frazetta's museum is approximately an hour and a half from my front door. I go there at least once a year because he always rotates his paintings. If you think his work is impressive, you haven't seen nothing till you see it in person. He's also a really nice guy.