C.O.U.S.: Reflections from Rick's Collection #3

While "researching" the latest Nexus Graphica, I had reason to look through my collection of Comics Of Unusual Size. This set of the big and small and odd of comicdom contains many gems. Deciding that I really should share some of these largely forgotten and sometime rare pieces, I'm taking you through a tour of the more interesting selections.

Today I'm showcasing one of my favorite artist's earliest published works. I believe that Book of Dreams (Peripheral Press 1993) featured World Fantasy Award-winning and Hugo-nominated illustrator John Picacio's first cover.

The 30 page chapbook contained writings by David Somoza, a four page comic book short story by Fernando Ramirez, and Picacio's first published sequential story "When The Angels Fall."

From "When The Angels Fall" by John Picacio

Picacio and Fernandez would produce stories for two issues of their own standard-sized graphic anthology Words & Pictures. Picacio generated the covers for both.

Words & Pictures #1 Fall '94

Words & Pictures #2 Spring '95

Picacio created his last published sequential story (Chet Williamson's "Chip of Fools") for Weird Business (Mojo Press, 1995).

Since then he's become a popular, award-winning cover artist and book illustrator.

On a more personal note, Brandy and I were blessed with an original John Picacio piece for our wedding invitation.

Whitten-Klaw Wedding Invitation April 1, 2001

Elric in the New York Times

In the Sunday, July 20 New York Times, Dave Itzkoff latest Across the Universe column features Michael Moorcock's seminal creation Elric and the recent repackaging Elric: The Stealer of Souls (Chronicles of the Last Emperor of Melniboné, Volume I).

What is stranger still is that the world Elric was born into did not necessarily need him. Moorcock was 21 years old when he introduced the character in the June 1961 issue of a British periodical called Science Fantasy. Ray guns and rocket ships were rapidly overtaking swords and sorcery as the preferred pulp subjects of the day, and many of Moorcock’s lasting science fiction accomplishments — including his novella “Behold the Man”; his radical, satirical Jerry Cornelius novels; and his immensely influential editorship of the sci-fi magazine New Worlds — were several years away.

Three things leaped out at me from the piece.

1) Itzkoff clearly has done some reading about Moorcock and of his work. Knowing that, it's very shocking that he writes "also C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien — titans of fantasy who seemed to be obvious influences on him." Moorcock was influenced by the works that originally influenced the two authors as well as the writings of Mervyn Peake and Robert E. Howard.

2) What the hell is that hideous image in the article?



Why would any one choose that objectively inferior piece over John Picacio's beautiful cover or incredible interior art? (Picacio is NOT mentioned in the article.)



3) The overall poor quality of Dave Itzkoff's writing in this piece.


I probably should stop there as both Michael Moorcock and Elric both deserve the attention and respect.


(Elric: The Stealer of Souls is the Dark Forces Book for September.)

Win a Stealer of Souls

RevolutionSF is giving away three (3) autographed copies of Elric: Stealer of Souls. You can pry a copy of your very own from our steely grasp. Here's how you do so.

Send your name and your address to RevolutionSF's webmaster. And then you're done.

We will select three names from that batch, and then you will have the classic heroic fantasy delivered right to your house. You don't even have to talk to another human. (Elric would prefer it that way.)

Visit RevolutionSF for more details.

This collection reprints the ORIGINAL Elric stories as they first appeared (sans later edits and modifications) in the order in which they were published. The book also offers several interesting Elric tidbits such as magazine covers to some of the first appearances, an early map of Melnibone, the first lengthy review of Stormbringer, and a bunch more.

As if that weren't enough, the collection is lavishly illustrated by World Fantasy Award winning artist John Picacio (cover artist to Geek Confidential. Perhaps not his best known work, but I had to get a plug in somewhere).

If you'd rather not take your chances at RevolutionSF, Moorcock and Picacio will be signing Elric: Stealer of Souls at Austin Books (in Austin, TX *natch*) on Saturday, February 23, 4-7 PM.