A Profile of Fletcher Hanks
Dec15

A Profile of Fletcher Hanks

A Profile of Fletcher Hanks by Joshua LH Burnett The 1940s were a unique time for comics. Superman was only a few years old, while Fredric Wertham and the subsequent Comics Code Authority were still a decade away. In this Golden Age, the very concept of what a superhero was and what superhero stories were about was still forming, nebulous and unpredictable, from chaotic clay. America’s youth had a nigh-insatiable hunger for comics,...

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A Profile of Earl Norem, A Master of 80’s Toy Art
Nov21

A Profile of Earl Norem, A Master of 80’s Toy Art

Earl Norem, A Master of 80’s Toy Art by Joshua LH Burnett A mighty barbarian swings his sword at a giant serpent while a scantily-clad princess watches in horror. A gun-toting, square-jawed American bursts in on a Nazi officer surrounded by ill-gotten gold and barely-dressed women. A different barbarian warrior clashes with a skull-faced sorcerer at the gates of a skull-faced castle. A group of evil robots fights a brightly-colored...

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A Profile of Legendary Illustrator Alex Raymond
Oct15

A Profile of Legendary Illustrator Alex Raymond

A Profile of Alex Raymond by Joshua LH Burnett Few people have influenced American comics as much as Alex Raymond. While “Jungle Jim” and “Rip Carson” may not be household names, Raymond’s most famous creation, Flash Gordon, is so ingrained into American pop culture that simply his name can be used as shorthand for a specific type of heroic, romantic science fiction. Alex Raymond’s career was short, and his death came far too soon,...

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Ghosts, Ghouls, and Little Green Men: EC Comics and Appendix N
Sep29

Ghosts, Ghouls, and Little Green Men: EC Comics and Appendix N

Our Appendix N Archeology and Adventures in Fiction series are meant to take a look at the writers and creators behind the genre(s) that helped to forge not only our favorite hobby but our lives. We invite you to explore the entirety of the series on our Adventures In Fiction home page. Ghosts, Ghouls, and Little Green Men: EC Comics and Appendix N by Mark Bishop “Drag over a casket kiddies and place your...

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Artists of Appendix N: Hal Foster
Sep16

Artists of Appendix N: Hal Foster

A Profile of Hal Foster by Joshua LH Burnett When discussing Appendix N and its influence on role-playing adventure games, comic strips are rarely brought up. But comics like Buck Rogers, Terry and the Pirates, and the adaptation of Edgar Rice Burrough’s Tarzan are foundational works of the American science fiction and adventure genres. Hal Foster is one of the fathers of the modern adventure comic, and if you don’t know his name,...

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Nihilism in Detail: The Dark Visionary Artwork of Philippe Druillet
Jun28

Nihilism in Detail: The Dark Visionary Artwork of Philippe Druillet

June 28th is the birthday of Philippe Druillet, and to celebrate his accomplishments we present this article on his life and work. And for more on classic fantasy and science fiction art and artists be sure to check out The Artists of Appendix N. Nihilism in Detail: The Dark Visionary Artwork of Philippe Druillet by Brad McDevitt Yraegeal, aka Druillet’s Elric,  inspects the fleet preparing to destroy his...

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In Memory of Richard Corben
Mar08

In Memory of Richard Corben

In Memory of Richard Corben by Stefan Poag In December 2020, Richard Corben, one of the fantasy illustration greats, died after complications from surgery. With everything else going on in the world at that time, his passing was only briefly noted in the press. But Corben is an artist whose work I have admired for years. Among comic book artists and illustrators, his work, both in terms of subject matter and execution, deserves a top...

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The Lost Art of Scratchboard – Returning At Goodman Games
Feb03

The Lost Art of Scratchboard – Returning At Goodman Games

Scratching My Way Back to the Pulp Era, Or, How to Do State-of-the Art Illustration…Circa 1933 By Bradley K McDevitt, Editorial Assistance by Carol Karbowiak Gilbert Goodman Games prides itself on publishing works that harken back to a golden age of gaming. In many ways that golden age of gaming is closely connected with the golden age of pulp magazines, since most of Appendix N was originally published in pulp format. Those...

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Real Life Adventures: Doug and Wayne Visit the Frazetta Museum
Nov09

Real Life Adventures: Doug and Wayne Visit the Frazetta Museum

It can be argued that the single most influential artist of the 20th century was Frank Frazetta. He is one of the most famous illustrators of the 20th century, with works that ranged from comics and advertising, to book covers and film designs and storyboards. For many, he is thought of as an iconic illustrator of Conan. Even in the realm of the classic fantasy genre most commonly associated him with, his career went much further. He...

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