MeatPilot

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/49497778

This week’s psychohistorical analysis has just dropped. The Machine remains deeply concerned.

Oldie I drew in 2018, but I rediscover on my phone.

Ian Miller (born 1946, London) is a British illustrator renowned for his dense, gothic, and surreal pen-and-ink style. Emerging in the early 1970s, he became a defining visual voice in fantasy and science fiction publishing, illustrating works by Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft, and J.R.R.Tolkien, and contributing to Heavy Metal and early Warhammer concept art.

The artwork used as the thumbnail for this post was created for the book cover "R is for Rocket" written by Ray Bradbury a titan among 20th-century American writers, a titan among 20th-century American writers. This piece was one of Ian Miller’s early commissions at the start of his career. He went on to illustrate additional covers for Bradbury and Lovecraft around this period.

Here, I’m focusing on his early works and later reworks of the same books to highlight his stylistic evolution during the 1970s.

1972 "R is for Rocket" published by Pan Books.

1972 "S is for Space" published by Pan Books.

These covers were later redesigned by Ian Miller for Bantam Books.

1978 "R is for Rocket" published by Bantam Books.

1978 "S is for Space" published by Bantam Books

It’s fascinating to see Miller’s evolution between these editions! From his early surrealism into the darker, more intricate gothic geometry that would become his trademark.

Below are more examples of his art, but I highly encourage exploring his portfolio further and watch his interview. Miller’s work has left a lasting mark on the visual language of science fiction, horror, and fantasy alike. Share your favorites!

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/49093521

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/49005282

Next Stop the Stars
Author Robert Silverberg

First edition cover art by Ed Valigursky and Ed Emshwiller.

Next Stop the Stars
Author Robert Silverberg

First edition cover art by Ed Valigursky and Ed Emshwiller.

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/48917334

This artwork by Norm Saunders was created for the 1962 Mars Attacks trading card series from Topps. Based on sketches by Wally Wood and Bob Powell, Saunders painted the final image in oil for Card #17, “Beast And The Beauty”.

An earlier version featured a man in bed, but the published card replaced him with a woman, a common pulp convention of the time to heighten drama and appeal. The series, conceived by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, became infamous for its lurid sci-fi violence and was briefly pulled from stores before gaining cult status.

1962 Mars Attacks series cards

This artwork by Norm Saunders was created for the 1962 Mars Attacks trading card series from Topps. Based on sketches by Wally Wood and Bob Powell, Saunders painted the final image in oil for Card #17, “Beast And The Beauty”.

An earlier version featured a man in bed, but the published card replaced him with a woman, a common pulp convention of the time to heighten drama and appeal. The series, conceived by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, became infamous for its lurid sci-fi violence and was briefly pulled from stores before gaining cult status.

1962 Mars Attacks series cards

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/48877355

There's a joke here for the observant.

Cover Artist Virgil Finlay

From Fantastic Universe Science Fiction June 1957

Contents

• "World in the Balance" novelette by Harry Harrison
• "Holiday" novelette by Marcia Kamien
• "Ape's Eye View" short story by Robert F. Young
• "Day of Reckoning" short story by Morton Klass
• "Commuter's Problem" short story by Harlan Ellison
• "First Landing" short story by Roger Dee
• "Terror Over Hollywood" novelette by Robert Bloch
• "God of the Mist" short story by Evelyn Goldstein
• "Versus" short story by Edward D. Hoch
• "Snakes Alive" short story by Henry D. Billings
• "Rock and Roll on Pluto" short story by Hans Stefan Santesson [as by Stephen Bond]
• "My Martian Cousin" short story by Mark Reinsberg

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