Frank Frazetta’s Lord of the Rings illustrations brought barbarian armor to Middle Earth
Frank Frazetta’s bare-legged babes and barbarian fashions might seem an odd fit for JRR Tolkien’s asexual, Anglon-Saxon epic, but in 1975, Frazetta did indeed collect a portfolio of Lord of the Rings illustrations, putting his own dark fantasy spin on characters like Gollum, Eowyn, and the Witch-King.
Only 1000 signed and numbered portfolios were ever printed; if you have $425 lying around,you can snag one on eBay. There are some deviations from the text, however. Eowyn doesn’t appear to be dressed as a man, unless she’s dressed as an orc-man, as the orcs seem to share her affinity for scale-mail bikini bottoms with no pants. He does pretty classic turns with Gandalf and the hobbits, but his interpretation of the Witch-king is a perfect 70s update. More undead supervillains should done bone necklaces and skull belt buckles.
[Skeletronix via ComicsAlliance]
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