Tanino Liberatore
Encyclopedia
Gaetano Liberatore better known as Tanino Liberatore, is an Italian comics
author and illustrator. His best known fictional character
is RanXerox
.
(province of Chieti
), Liberatore went to high school in Pescara
where he met comics artist Andrea Pazienza
. He later finished his architectural studies at the University of Rome. From 1974 to 1978, he designed record covers for RCA
. In 1978 he met Stefano Tamburini
and published his first work in Tamburini's comics magazine Cannibale. In 1978 Rank Xerox was born, a cyborg-punk, ultra strong creature created by Tamburini. Several stand alone hardcover albums ensued, translated in several languages.
Liberatore's work has been republished in several international comics magazines (Transfert, Métal Hurlant
, A Suivre
, L'Écho des savanes
, Chic). The cover of Frank Zappa
's The Man From Utopia
album features an illustration by Tanino Liberatore, showing Zappa as RanXerox. In 1984 he drew the album cover for the New York City based ska band, The Toasters
, first 7 inch release, Beat Up
. During this time he also created a few 'one of a kind' pieces of art work for Toasters frontman Robert "Bucket" Hingley.
He has also done the art direction for films.
Italian comics
Italian comics are comics made in Italy. They are locally known as fumetto – plural form fumetti – although this latter term is often used in English to describe a specific comic genre . The most popular Italian comics have been translated into many languages...
author and illustrator. His best known fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
is RanXerox
RanXerox
Ranxerox is a science fiction graphic novel series by Stefano Tamburini and Tanino Liberatore, two Italian artists who had worked on such magazines as Cannibale and Frigidaire...
.
Life and work
Born in QuadriQuadri
Quadri is a comune and town in the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy....
(province of Chieti
Province of Chieti
The Province of Chieti is a province in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Chieti.It has an area of 2,588 km², and a total population of 381,993...
), Liberatore went to high school in Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
where he met comics artist Andrea Pazienza
Andrea Pazienza
Andrea Pazienza , was an Italian comics artist and painter.- Life :Pazienza was born in San Benedetto del Tronto, province of Ascoli Piceno , in 1956....
. He later finished his architectural studies at the University of Rome. From 1974 to 1978, he designed record covers for RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
. In 1978 he met Stefano Tamburini
Stefano Tamburini
Stefano Tamburini was an Italian graphic artist, author and publisher.Born in Rome, he founded the magazines Combinazioni , Cannibale and Frigidaire...
and published his first work in Tamburini's comics magazine Cannibale. In 1978 Rank Xerox was born, a cyborg-punk, ultra strong creature created by Tamburini. Several stand alone hardcover albums ensued, translated in several languages.
Liberatore's work has been republished in several international comics magazines (Transfert, Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant
Métal Hurlant is a French comics anthology of science fiction and horror comics stories, created in December 1974 by comics artists Jean Giraud and Philippe Druillet together with journalist-writer Jean-Pierre Dionnet and financial director Bernard Farkas.The four were collectively known as "Les...
, A Suivre
À Suivre
or was a Franco-Belgian comics magazine published from February 1978 to December 1997 by the Casterman publishing house....
, L'Écho des savanes
L'Écho des savanes
L’Écho des Savanes is a French comics magazine founded in May 1972 by Claire Bretécher, Marcel Gotlib and Nikita Mandryka. It featured the work of French and international authors and graphic artists in mature-oriented comics over the course of 34 years, but temporarily ended publication in...
, Chic). The cover of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
's The Man From Utopia
The Man from Utopia
The Man from Utopia is a 1983 album by Frank Zappa. It is a more song-driven, and less conceptual work than many others in Zappa's oeuvre. The album is named after a 1950s song, written by Donald and Doris Woods, which Zappa covers as part of "The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou".The sleeve art...
album features an illustration by Tanino Liberatore, showing Zappa as RanXerox. In 1984 he drew the album cover for the New York City based ska band, The Toasters
The Toasters
The Toasters was one of the first American bands in the third wave of ska, and is one of the longest active third wave ska bands.They have released nine studio albums, most of them on Moon Ska Records. The Toasters experienced a small degree of commercial success in the late 1990s due to the...
, first 7 inch release, Beat Up
Beat Up
Beat Up was The Toasters first officially released effort, released in 1984. Up until this point only a few home-made demo tapes had been made and passed around. This album was released long before they became the power house ska band with the huge horn section that they have since been associated...
. During this time he also created a few 'one of a kind' pieces of art work for Toasters frontman Robert "Bucket" Hingley.
He has also done the art direction for films.
Comics
- RanXerox: Ranx in New York
- RanXerox: Happy Birthday Lubna
- RanXerox: Amen!
- Liberatore: Video Clips
- Savage Sword of Conan #97 [cover] (1974)
- Twisted Tales #7 (1982)
- Hustler Magazine: Honey Hooker comic (March 1984)
- Heavy Metal: Sax Blues + Cover (March 1985)
- Batman: Black and White #3 (1996)
- Heavy Metal: The Full Monty (Fall 1999)
- Lucy L'Espoir (2007) Story of the prehistoric humanoid species Australopithecus Afarensis found by Yves Coppens and named Lucy.
Art Books
- Portrait De La Bete En Rock Star (Forward by Frank Zappa, with fictional exploits written by Geof Darrow)
- The Universe of Liberatore
- Women of Liberatore
- Liberatore B&W
Movies
- 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman (2002) Production Designer
- Asterix and Obelix Meet Cleopatra (2002) Costume Designer
- RRRrrrr!!! (2004) Art Department
Album Covers
- Frank Zappa - The Man From Utopia (1983)
- The Toasters - Beat up (1984)
- Marsico - Funk Sumatra (1985)
- Gold - Laissez-Nous Chanter (1986)
- Destroy Man & JhonyGo - Egoiste (1987)
- Bijou - Lola (1988)
- Dick Rivers - Linda Lu Baker (1989)