The sale of a series of Frazetta oil paintings, first ‘Death Dealer 6’, for an impressive $1.79 million dollars, followed by ‘Egyptian Queen’ recently selling for a staggering, and world record breaking, 5.4 million dollar price tag (see here and here) – only solidifies externally what a lot of industry insiders have known for a long time: Frank Frazetta’s incredible talent was a rare gift.

Frazetta, to put his accomplishments in perspective, was hands-down one of the most influential and important artists of the second half of the twentieth century. The continuing appreciation for his art bodes well both for his own legacy and for the growing interest in comic related illustration and fantasy art.

Born in Brooklyn, New York on February 9, 1928, as Frank Frazzetta (originally with two ‘z’s), the budding artist was always very much a New Yorker. While young he had a passion, and according to the evidence more than merely passable talent, for Baseball, but he refused to play professionally since it meant he would have to leave the City. Instead Frazetta attended the Brooklyn Academy of Art, studying under Michel Falanga, before setting out on his career as an illustrator.

In a sense, like Alan Davis before him (who went on to be the ‘go to artist’ for mainstream publications like ‘Time Magazine’ and ‘TV Guide’), Frazetta’s work in comics was a platform that led him to another career. In Frazetta’s case, it was movie posters, book covers and the development of his own original art.

Best known for his work in the fantasy and sci-fi genres, the consistent themes of his art, whether for comics or paperback covers, is the portrayal of heroic figures in detailed yet evocative poses. Mainly, his art depicts characters like ‘Conan the Barbarian’ and ‘John Carter of Mars,’ yet Frazetta’s attention to detail and powerful renditions makes them come alive.

Starting out his professional career in comics, from the early 1940s and up until the mid-1950s, Frazetta drew both newspaper comic strips (Al Capp’s “Lil’ Abner”) and popular comic books of the day. Frazetta’s best early work and hints of his full potential can be found in the many covers for Golden Age comics he drew.

Thun'da #1 (November 1951) – First issue of THUN'DA, King of the Congo

We can start with an early effort that’s still sought out. This is Frazetta’s cover for Thun’da #1. All present at this early stage are the hallmark characteristics that would later capture the attention of so many fans. Note the powerful presence given to Thun’da, also notable is the ‘Frazetta woman’ sharing the spotlight with the warrior. Frazetta had a way of drawing women that conveyed, at once, innocence and sensuality - perhaps a legacy of his comic strip days picked up from Al Capp and drawing Daisy Mae in Li'l Abner. The most recent sale of this comic was an eBay purchase of a 4.0 graded copy on 01/09/2019 for $898.00. In 9.6 this comic currently has a FMV of $4, 300.00.

Famous Funnies #214 (December 1953) – Famous Buck Rogers Sci-Fi cover

More standout early comic work, foreshadowing his later achievements, can be found for his many Famous Funnies covers. The Buck Roger’s covers are especially notable. The cover to FF #214, shows Frazetta’s potential for sci-fi. The key to his success here is the close attention to detail marked with a classical sensibility and naturalism that brings conviction to the viewer making the scene so compelling. On 06/08/2019 a 4.0 copy of this comic sold on eBay for $800.00. Highest recorded sale is a 9.0 which sold on ComicLink for $3, 600.00 on 11/28/2018.

Weird Science-Fantasy #29 (May 1955) – Golden Age Sci-fi/fantasy Cover

This cover blends the two genres that are most closely associated with Frazetta: sci-fi and fantasy. This cover demonstrates the dynamic ability that Fazetta had to convey action without losing the sense of detail and classical proportion that characterize his figures. Weird Science-Fantasy #29 sold for in 9.8 grade on ComicConnect on 03/23/2018 for a cool $36, 000.00. Wow!

Eerie #23 (September 1969) – Egyptian Queen Cover

You can’t mention Frazetta’s comic and magazine work without noting his standout covers for titles like Creepy and Eerie. His powerful art can also be seen in what is arguably his most famous work: 'Egyptian Queen'. This art has been reprinted many times and, as mentioned above, the original recently sold for a world-record 5.4 million, making it the most expensive original comic book art ever sold at public auction. It is also considered Frazetta’s masterpiece. On 09/06/2015 a 9.6 copy of Eerie #23 sold on eBay for $1, 275.00. Actually, this is just one of the many great paintings by Frazetta that ended up being used as cover art for fantasy comics, novels and magazines. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Frazetta revolutionized the fantasy art genre. We wouldn’t have artists like Barry Windsor Smith or Frank Cho if it weren't for Frank Frazetta.