Early 1980s RockOn Poster Catalog

These posters will be recognizable to mall denizens of the early 1980s. There's a selection of posters of rock and roll stars, plus posters by Bernie Wrightson, Jeff Jones, Michael Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith and other fantasy and science fiction artists of the era.

 

Unpublished Barry Smith Conan Cover

Here's a scan of the unpublished art by Barry Windsor Smith for the cover of Conan the Barbarian #9. Below that is an image of the published comic. I'm guessing the editors wanted the title hero featured more prominently.

Conan the Barbarian #9, Sept. 1971.

Dr. Strange

Dr. Strange began his own title picking up with issue 169 of what was Strange Tales. It continued (complete with an ill-advised costume change) through issue 183, cover dated November 1969. He would later get his title again, beginning this time with issue #1 in June 1974. Here's a few of the more interesting cover from his first run.

Dr. Strange #173, October 1968. Cover by Dan Adkins.

Dr. Strange #178, March 1969. Cover by Gene Colan.

Dr. Strange #179, April 1969. Cover by Barry Windsor Smith.

Dr. Strange #180, May 1969. Cover by Gene Colan.

Dr. Strange #181, July 1969. Cover by Gene Colan.

Barry Windsor-Smith Horror Art

Of The Studio artists, of course Bernie Wrightson was the horror artist, but Barry Windsor-Smith could draw some really creepy stuff.

Whithering, 1975.



The Witch.

Thoth Amon, 1975.

Barry in the back. Front row, l-r: Bernie Wrightson, Michael Kaluta, Jeff Jones. 1977.

The Conan Saga

Barry Smith's covers for the Conan Saga #1 - 9. This reprint series was first published in 1987, it started out reprinting Smith's classic run on the Conan the Barbarian title.

Marvel 100's

The Amazing Spiderman #100, September 1971. Cover by John Romita and Frank Giacoia.




X-Men #100, August 1976. Cover by Dave Cockrum.




The Invincible Iron Man #100, July 1977. Cover by Jim Starlin.




The Fantastic Four #100, July 1970. Cover by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott.




The Defenders #100, October 1981. Cover by Al Milgrom.




The Avengers #100, June 1972. Cover by Barry Windsor-Smith.




Marvel Team-Up #100, December 1980. Cover by Frank Miller and Klaus Janson.

Barry Windsor Smith: Pandora

A Couple by Barry Windsor-Smith

Sorceress





Medusa

The Studio Artists at the 1978 NY Comc Con

In 1978 the four artists from The Studio (Jeff Jones, Michael Kaluta, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Berni Wrightson) were guests of honor at the 1978 New York Comic Con. The program that year featured profiles on each of the artists. Looking at these today, the write-ups seem a little pretentious: "The Composer," "The Poet." However, at the time these guys were trying to make the leap from comic books to paintings and art for art's sake. All four of them produced stunning illustrations, prints, and easel paintings. With the exception of Jeff Jones, all of them eventually returned to comic books on a regular basis at one time or another.

To help balance out the "high art" tone of the profiles, at the bottom of this post is a Bernie Wrightson drawing of an axe murderer with a bag full of heads.

Poetry, by Barry Windsor-Smith

Poetry, a new print by Barry Windsor-Smith, published by Glimmer Graphics.

The Conan Saga

Here's some nice drawings of Conan by Barry Windsor-Smith. They were done for covers of the reprint series The Conan Saga, published in 1987-1988.

Glimmer Graphics Prints

Glimmer Graphics has been producing fine art fantasy prints since 1989. The company now has a web presence. Once exciting upcoming project is print of the cover to the Studio book, signed by all four studio artists. Click on the image for more information:




Below are some more of Glimmer Graphics' offerings. Click on the images for ordering information:




The Last Atlantean, by Barry Windsor-Smith, 1990.




Marionettes, by Michael Kaluta, 1991 (Graphitti)




Age of Innocence, by Jeffrey Jones, 1992.




Tapestry, by Brian Froud, 1995.




Jerry Lee Lewis Tried to Kill Me, by Phil Hale, 1995.