Frank Frazetta made me a fan.
Oh, it was other covers that drew me into those aisles in Dalton’s and Walden’s thirty-odd years ago – I remember one in particular. It was the cover to Andre Norton’s Daybreak – 2250. It was one of the first books I bought and kept in what has become my collection. I still don’t know who the artist is, but the picture of the man rafting through a half-submerged city, sword strapped to his hip, very large Siamese-looking cat by his foot . . . it was like nothing I had ever encountered before . . . until I first saw the terrors of Pellucidar. Frazetta made me stay.
I couldn’t believe the monstrous beasts that dwelt in the world at the earth's core (according to Frank Frazetta’s covers anyway), or the absolutely gorgeous women. Those covers made me read my first Edgar Rice Burroughs book. Frazetta covers made me pick up Conan. That was the power of Frazetta. His covers filled me with a sense of mystery, awe, and fear. It was like the haunted house ride when you were a kid. It was dark and scary, but you wanted to be in there. And I never left.
You could probably argue that Frazetta covers helped create and popularize the paperback science fiction and fantasy market. That’s why I was devastated when I read about the feud broiling between the Frazetta children. Frazetta’s health is declining. His wife passed recently. The museum has been closed. And apparently Frank, Jr., tried to break into the museum to still hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of paintings. All the facts are not out, so I don't know the whole story - I don't know if I want to know. So, I’m not even going to try to explain what's being said.
I've been following the story online since it broke in December. There was a good article in the recent Locus about it, too. You probably will want to check out these links for the bigger story:
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091212/NEWS/912120332
http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091210/NEWS/912109991