Death Dealer (painting)
Encyclopedia
Death Dealer is an iconic
1973 fantasy
painting by Frank Frazetta
. It depicts a menacing armor-clad warrior with a horned helmet, whose facial features are obscured by shadow, atop a horse, holding a bloody axe and shield. The image eventually led to spin-offs
of varying merchandise, including subsequent paintings of the warrior, novel
s, statues, and most recently, a comic book
, published by Image Comics
, and related D&D adventures, published by Goodman Games
.
Frazetta later painted several other Death Dealer paintings, including ones to be used as covers for the comic book series (see below).
's first album
in 1978.
Prisoner of the Horned Helmet, in which we are introduced to the protagonist, he is given the name Gath of Baal. In the book he is a tribeless barbarian in a large forest that, according to the description on the back will one day become the mediterranean sea. A large Mongol-esque invasion force by the name of the Kizzaks try to invade the forest, and one of Gath's love interests, who is given the name Cobra decides to help him by giving him a helmet which was possessed by the god of death. The helmet gives him godlike power, but at the same time also tortures Gath. With the help of various people found within the forest he manages to control the helmet, and fights against the Kizzak horde, eventually winning.
Lords of Destruction,
Tooth and Claw,
Plague of Knives,
and "Rise of the Death Dealer".
produced the first statues based upon the character. Dark Horse Comics
published several statues of the character, both full-size and miniature. Diamond Distributors published a series of Frank Frazetta action figures in the form of statues. Among the works were the original Death Dealer and one of the future renditions. Filmswords.com has created a helmet based upon that of the Dealer.
. The 4-issue series was written by musician Glenn Danzig
and illustrated by Simon Bisley
(issue 1), Liam Sharp
(issues 2 and 3), and by Arthur Suydam
(issue 4). Frazetta provided covers for the books as well.
In 2007, Image Comics
/Frazetta Comics published the highly acclaimed "Death Dealer: Shadows of Mirahan" 6 issue miniseries
featuring Death Dealer in the first story fully approved by Frank Frazetta
. The book's creators are Nat Jones
, Jay Fotos, and Joshua Ortega
. The story was written by Jones, Fotos and Ortega, with pencils and inks by Jones, and colors by Fotos. The story tells of an ancient land, and two warring nations fighting in an epic war. The Death Dealer appears on the field of battle and slaughters both sides. When the two kingdoms forged an alliance, the Dealer disappears for years but returns years later. Image's Death Dealer comic inspired a series of Dungeons & Dragons
adventures published by Goodman Games
.
The image of the Death Dealer also appears on the gas tank of a Jesse James motorcycle.
has the Death Dealer as their mascot.
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
1973 fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
painting by Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for work in comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers and other media...
. It depicts a menacing armor-clad warrior with a horned helmet, whose facial features are obscured by shadow, atop a horse, holding a bloody axe and shield. The image eventually led to spin-offs
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of varying merchandise, including subsequent paintings of the warrior, novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s, statues, and most recently, a comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
, published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
, and related D&D adventures, published by Goodman Games
Goodman Games
Goodman Games is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Goodman Games is best known as the publisher of the Dungeon Crawl Classics series of adventure modules, as well as the Dragonmech and the award-winning Etherscope role-playing games, and has...
.
Frazetta later painted several other Death Dealer paintings, including ones to be used as covers for the comic book series (see below).
Album cover
The painting was used as the cover on Molly HatchetMolly Hatchet
Molly Hatchet is an American southern rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1975. They are widely known for their hit song "Flirtin' with Disaster" from the album of the same title. The band, founded by Dave Hlubek and Steve Holland, took its name from a prostitute who allegedly mutilated...
's first album
Molly Hatchet (album)
Molly Hatchet is the self-titled debut album by American southern rock band Molly Hatchet, released in 1978 . The cover is a painting by Frank Frazetta entitled "The Death Dealer"...
in 1978.
Novels
The various pieces of art of Death Dealer spawned a short lasting novel franchise, written by author James Silke. Five novels were published, in order:Prisoner of the Horned Helmet, in which we are introduced to the protagonist, he is given the name Gath of Baal. In the book he is a tribeless barbarian in a large forest that, according to the description on the back will one day become the mediterranean sea. A large Mongol-esque invasion force by the name of the Kizzaks try to invade the forest, and one of Gath's love interests, who is given the name Cobra decides to help him by giving him a helmet which was possessed by the god of death. The helmet gives him godlike power, but at the same time also tortures Gath. With the help of various people found within the forest he manages to control the helmet, and fights against the Kizzak horde, eventually winning.
Lords of Destruction,
Tooth and Claw,
Plague of Knives,
and "Rise of the Death Dealer".
Statues and action figures
Sculptor Randy BowenRandy Bowen
Randy Bowen is an American pop culture sculptor and the founder of Bowen Designs.Originator and pioneer in the field of limited edition sculptures based on pop-culture icons. Primarily noted for the innovation of the mini-busts and statues of characters from films as well as characters from comic...
produced the first statues based upon the character. Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent American comic book and manga publisher.Dark Horse Comics was founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson in Milwaukie, Oregon, with the concept of establishing an ideal atmosphere for creative professionals. Richardson started out by opening his first comic book...
published several statues of the character, both full-size and miniature. Diamond Distributors published a series of Frank Frazetta action figures in the form of statues. Among the works were the original Death Dealer and one of the future renditions. Filmswords.com has created a helmet based upon that of the Dealer.
Comic books
The first Death Dealer comic book series was published in 1995 by the company VerotikVerotik
Verotik is a mature-themed comic book company founded in the early 90's by heavy metal/punk musician Glenn Danzig . The comics are aimed toward adult readers as they often contain imagery of a sexual and/or violent nature...
. The 4-issue series was written by musician Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
and illustrated by Simon Bisley
Simon Bisley
Simon Bisley is a British comics artist best known for his 1990s work on ABC Warriors, Lobo and Sláine. His style, reliant on paints, acrylics, inks and multiple-mediums, is strongly influenced by Frank Frazetta, Bill Sienkiewicz, Gustav Klimt, Salvador Dalí, Egon Schiele, and Richard Corben...
(issue 1), Liam Sharp
Liam Sharp
Liam Roger Sharp is a British comic book artist, writer and publisher.-Early life:Liam Sharp was born in Derby at St. Mary's Hospital to parents Roger and Linda Sharp. He has a younger sister, Kerry, and younger brother, Rien. He went to School at Brackensdale Junior then infants school, before...
(issues 2 and 3), and by Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam is an American comic book artist and musician. He has done artwork for magazines including Heavy Metal, Epic Illustrated and National Lampoon, while his comic book work includes Batman, Conan, Tarzan, Predator, Aliens, Death Dealer, and Marvel Zombies.-Illustration:Suydam has...
(issue 4). Frazetta provided covers for the books as well.
In 2007, Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
/Frazetta Comics published the highly acclaimed "Death Dealer: Shadows of Mirahan" 6 issue miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
featuring Death Dealer in the first story fully approved by Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for work in comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers and other media...
. The book's creators are Nat Jones
Nat Jones
Nat Jones is an American artist working primarily in comic books and film. Jones is best known for his work on Frank Frazetta's Death Dealer.-Penciller:*Crypt of Dawn *The Crow / Razor: Kill the Pain...
, Jay Fotos, and Joshua Ortega
Joshua Ortega
Joshua Ortega is an author and journalist best known for his novel , as well as his comic book and graphic novel work on entertainment properties such as Star Wars, Spider-Man, Batman, Star Trek, The Escapist, and The Necromancer.-Journalism and poetry:Joshua Ortega began his writing career at the...
. The story was written by Jones, Fotos and Ortega, with pencils and inks by Jones, and colors by Fotos. The story tells of an ancient land, and two warring nations fighting in an epic war. The Death Dealer appears on the field of battle and slaughters both sides. When the two kingdoms forged an alliance, the Dealer disappears for years but returns years later. Image's Death Dealer comic inspired a series of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
adventures published by Goodman Games
Goodman Games
Goodman Games is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. Goodman Games is best known as the publisher of the Dungeon Crawl Classics series of adventure modules, as well as the Dragonmech and the award-winning Etherscope role-playing games, and has...
.
The image of the Death Dealer also appears on the gas tank of a Jesse James motorcycle.
Military
Since 1985, the Death Dealer has been used as the mascot of III Corps (United States). A life-size metal statue of the Death Dealer stands outside the III Corps headquarters building in Fort Hood, Texas. The statue was unveiled in September 2009. Also, the United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron HMMT-164HMMT-164
Marine Medium Helicopter Training Squadron 164 , is a United States Marine Corps Fleet Replacement Squadron that is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton...
has the Death Dealer as their mascot.