BREAKING NEWS, 10 May 2010:
As reported this hour by Mike Gold…
Another site, The Beat, has confirmed, via Frazetta’s agent, Rob Pistella, that the cause of death was a stroke.
Pocono Record: Artist Frank Frazetta dead of stroke — funeral arrangements to be announced.
New York Times > “Arts Beat”: Frank Frazetta, Fantasy Illustrator, Dies at 82
Here’s a short notice, distributed through the Associated Press, that so far has appeared, under slightly different headlines, in both the Chicago Tribune (“Manager: Fantasy artist Frank Frazetta dies in Fla. hospital at 82 after suffering stroke”) and the Los Angeles Times (“Frank Frazetta, renowned for sci-fi and fantasy art, dies at 82”):
(AP) — Pioneering fantasy artist Frank Frazetta has died in a Fort Myers, Fla., hospital. He was 82.
Manager Rob Pistella says Frazetta died Monday morning, a day after suffering a stroke. He says Frazetta had been out to dinner with his daughters Sunday before falling ill.
Frazetta is renowned for his sci-fi and fantasy art. He created covers and illustrations for more than 150 books and comic books, including Conan the Barbarian and Tarzan.
Daughter Heidi Frazetta Grabin says she is hopeful that a dispute among siblings over their father’s artwork has been resolved through recent negotiations.
Son Frank Frazetta was charged in December with using a backhoe to break into the artist’s museum in the Poconos and trying to remove dozens of paintings.
FORMAL OBITUARIES:
The Comics Reporter: Frank Frazetta, 1928-2010 by Tom Spurgeon
Los Angeles Times: Frank Frazetta dies at 82; renowned fantasy illustrator by Geoff Boucher
Los Angeles Times: Guillermo del Toro on Frank Frazetta: “He gave the world a new pantheon of heroes” by Geoff Boucher — “Guillermo del Toro, Neal Adams and John Milius remember Frank Frazetta in this longer version of the obituary I [Geoff Boucher] wrote for Tuesday’s edition of the Los Angeles Times.”
New York Times: Frank Frazetta, Illustrator, Dies at 82; Helped Define Comic Book Heroes by Bruce Weber and Dave Itzkoff
Pocono Record: Frank Frazetta, master of fantasy art, dead at 82 by Howard Frank
The Washington Post: A sorcerer’s farewell: RIP, Frank Frazetta, master of fantasy illustration by Michael Cavna
INTERVIEW:
The Comics Journal: Frank Frazetta Interview — posted by Gary Groth on May 10th, 2010 at 5:57 PM, this lengthy 1994 interview was originally conducted for The Comics Journal #174 and was later reprinted in The Comics Journal Library: Classic Comics Illustrators.
MEMORIAL GALLERIES:
The Comic Book Catacombs: Frank Frazetta Tribute: Thun’da in “When the Earth Shook” (ME;1952), posted by Chuck Wells
Comic Book Resources: Frazetta Tribute – His Warren Covers and a Shining Knight Story, posted by Brian Cronin
Easily Mused: Frank Frazetta’s “Dan Brand and Tipi”, posted by John Glenn Taylor
The Fabulous Fifties: Ace’s Trump, posted by Ger Apeldoorn — a selection of Frazetta’s Johnny Comet and Ace McCoy strips from 1952.
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, February 9, 1928 ~ May 10, 2010, The Buck Rogers ~ Famous Funnies cover illustrations, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, February 9, 1928 ~ May 10, 2010, The Conan Paintings, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: Burroughs Artist Frank Frazetta Portfolio, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: The Ace Edgar Rice Burroughs Paintings, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta, 1928 ~ 2010: Some of the finest art to ever be printed in the comic books!, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson: a handful of their collaborations, posted by Mr. Door Tree
HoustonPress: Eight Memorable Frank Frazetta Album Covers, posted by Jef With One F
The Magic Whistle: My Frazetta Preference, posted by Sam Henderson
The Pictorial Arts: The Passing of Frazetta, Frazetta Treasure, Savage Pellucidar, posted by Thomas Haller Buchanan
Rip Jagger’s Dojo: Frank Frazetta RIP by Rip Jagger — includes scans of Frazetta’s Conan paperback covers for Lancer.
Rip Jagger’s Dojo: Frazetta’s Ghost Rider, posted by Rip Jagger — a gallery of Frazetta’s Ghost Rider covers.
Some Came Running: Frazetta, posted by Glenn Kenny — selected movie posters.
Super I.T.C.H.: Frazetta’s Hucky Duck, D. J. David B. Spins Comics-Tunes: Frank Frazetta
OTHER NOTICES AND TRIBUTES:
The American Culture: Frank Frazetta, 1928-2010 by fantasy novelist Lars Walker
The Beat: The Frazetta Legacy by Heidi “The Beat” MacDonald
Booksteve’s Library: RIP — Frank Frazetta by Steven “Booksteve” Thompson
Comic Book Brain: Frank Frazetta, 1928 – 2010: An Appreciation by Erik Weems
The Comic Book Catacombs: In Memoriam: Frank Frazetta by Chuck Wells
The Comics Journal: Fantasy’s Michelangelo: An Appreciation by Kenneth Smith — this article was originally published in The Comics Journal #174 (1994).
Dispatches: How I Didn’t Team Up with Frank Frazetta by James Vance
Eddit: Dear Frazetta by Eddie Wilson
The Fies Files: Frank Frazetta by Brian Fies
Illustration Art: A Few Thoughts on an Empty Studio by David Apatoff (also posted at Tor.com)
Lines and Colors: Frank Frazetta by Charley Parker
Los Angeles Times: Frank Frazetta painted with fire on a timeless canvas by Lance Laspina, producer and director of the 2003 documentary Frazetta: Painting with Fire
Newsarama: Comic Book Artists Remember FRANK FRAZETTA by various
The Online World of Timothy Bradstreet: Painting Has Lost Its Flame — Frazetta R.I.P. by Timothy Bradstreet
Paladin Freelance: The Grey God Passes… by Dominic
Pocono Record: Frazetta’s place in fantasy art history secure by Adam McNaughton
The Return to Innocence: Goodbye, Frank Frazetta by rosefox8, who writes, “Confession time. It was the work of Frank Frazetta that made me realize that gaining healthy weight after anorexia was a beautiful and strong thing.”
Shadow Muse: Goodbye, Frank by Naamah Darling
Spectrum Fantastic Art: FRANK FRAZETTA (1928-2010) by Arnie Fenner, who writes:
Despite the numerous myths surrounding Frazetta (some perpetuated by zealous fans, some that were created by Frank and Ellie as marketing conceits), Frank was not a god. Everything did not come easily. Everything wasn’t a success. Not everything he said was Gospel and anyone who believed otherwise… didn’t know Frank.
He struggled. He had self-doubts. He had more than his share of disappointments in his life and every decision he made wasn’t the right one (and a few blew up in his face). By his own admission he was lazy and played more than he painted: contrast his body of work with that of his peers and his contention would seem to be true. Frazetta’s virtues were contrasted by his failings, his generosity sometimes blunted by his callousness. He masked his sensitivity with macho bravado, but when he hurt, the pain cut deep. As he said once, “When I’m down, Jesus, it’s hell.”
Toronto Star: Love letters: Frank Frazetta by Geoff Pevere
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Frank Frazetta, R.I.P. by Rich Dannys
The Worlds of William Stout: Frank Frazetta 1928–2010 by William Stout, who writes:
Frank was a scrapper who grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn. His talent revealed itself at an early age. Frank was like an artistic sponge with a photographic memory. Fortunately, he had Roy Krenkel and Al Williamson as friends in his formative teens and early 20’s. They gave Frank an incredible art education, using their vast collections to expose him to the finest art and illustration of the 19th and 20th centuries. Frazetta soaked up everything he was shown. Somehow he managed to absorb and filter all of this great art and have it subsequently come out through Frank’s brushes as pure Frazetta. I know it was hard work, but Frank made it look so damn natural and easy.
A Burning Designer: Six Part Series on Frazetta — Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 — by Mark Astrella
BONUS LINKS:
American Art Archives: Frank Frazetta (1928 – 2010) — a gallery of comic covers and movie posters.
The Art History Archive: Frank Frazetta, Fantasy Legend by Charles Moffat — includes links to a large number of images stored on the Art History Archiver server.
Frank Frazetta — a large selection of famous images.
Booksteve’s Library: Frazetta PSAs — 1950’s — “Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree 1955” and “We Can Stop the Enemies of Youth,” posted by Steven “Booksteve” Thompson
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: The 2 Canaveral Press Burroughs editions, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Golden Age Comic Book Stories: Frank Frazetta: Western art for Magazine Enterprises, Early 1950’s, posted by Mr. Door Tree
Museum Syndicate: Frank Frazetta, American Painter — online gallery of 114 works, which can be sorted by title or by date.
Pappy’s Golden Age Comics Blogzine: “Snowman,” Tally-Ho Comics #1, posted by Pappy — Frazetta’s professional debut?
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Another Fritz “Funny Animal” Rarity… by Rich Dannys
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Deconstructing the Frazetta Female by Rich Dannys
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: A Few More Frazetta Gems… by Rich Dannys
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: Frazetta’s 79th Birthday!! by Rich Dannys
Wang-Dang-Doodles!: I LOVES Me Dem “Funny Animals”! by Rich Dannys
Rest in Peace: Eleanor “Ellie” Frazetta
Ragged Claws Network 