1970's - Page 2

"When I painted "Death Dealer" and " Silver Warrior" back to back, I had been sitting on my laurels, just going through the motions. I could turn in a half-finished painting to an art director and they'd sing my praises; I didn't feel challenged. Then I became aware of a rumor going around that disturbed me – that I was washed up, that I hadn't done anything in years. My success was a fluke, just a matter of timing. These people who had been fawning all over me were suddenly chopping me up for dinner! In print! And I wanted to show them they didn't know anything, to let them see the old spirit. I think I needed that shot in the arm. I sat down and painted "Death Dealer,'" then "Silver Warrior" – bang! As good or better than anything I'd ever done. All of a sudden my critics got pretty quite.

 How Atlantis was almost lost:
A memoir told by Frank Frazetta Jr.
Frank Frazetta Jr. was about 15 years old at the time. "I remember walking in to Dad's studio and was thrown in to disbelief. " There was this Atlantis painting being painted over with white Jesso! "Pop, what are you doing!" Frank Jr. gasped. " I didn't leave enough room for the reflection on the water." Frank replied.

He didn't have any more canvas to paint on so I insisted I would run to the store and purchase him a half dozen sheets. "Dad, just start taking the wet white paint off and I'll be right back. I returned an hour later with his new canvas and proudly walked away with, as of today, my most cherished and sentimental item in my personal collection - the original Atlantis painting. As time went on I had taken the painting to a New York City comic convention. We had a small table with some posters and Pen & Inks for sale. I was asking $3,500 for the Atlantis piece but had no one interested in it. The following year I had taken it back and increased the price to $7,500 because I had become attached to it. I had a gentleman who was interested in purchasing it, but his wife abruptly put and end to that. Over the course of the next few years I grew more attached to the piece. One day, I walked into Dad's studio with my prized possession and made an offer he couldn't refuse. I bought him a nice 35mm camera for no apparent reason. But there was a motive. Cameras had a way to my father's heart. I remember saying "Hey Pop", as I placed the Atlantis painting on his easel, " could you put an hour or so of your time into this to refine a couple of areas that aren't quite finished, and maybe put a little more detail into the warrior." He looked back at me and said, "what are you a wise guy?" "Common Pop", I pleaded, " look at this camera - I worked three weeks to buy for you." He agreed. In 1984 I was offered $75,000 for the original and refused the offer. It now hangs proudly on my living room wall.

"Cat Girl" Personal work, circa 1975. Oil on academy board

Certainly one of the most popular of Frank's paintings, "Cat Girl" was extensively revised from its initial incarnation. " I thought it had potential, but it was originally done for Warren and I had to be concerned with what they could show on the newsstand. She was blonde and was wearing a leopard skin; you know the typical comic book jungle goddess. But it was an interesting composition and I thought, "Hey, I bet I could turn this into something really special!" This version has really become a lot of people's favorite of all the work I've done. I think it really represents something of my inner being"'

The Defender (unfinished painting)

Final artwork for Atlantis Rising by Brad Steiger, Dell Books [New York, 1973]

The original version of "Cat Girl," first published as the cover of Creepy for Warren Publishing Co.

FRANK FRAZETTA BIOGRAPHY
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