Fakes!

Is

Is. 1970’s fanzine by Tom Collins. [scheiman]Is fanzine’s got an artist called Cortén which often is misprinted by seller as Corben. No wonder the style is pretty close though not that professional.

Is #6 (1975)

Cover by Cortén. [Pay attention, no Corben!]

Apollo #7 (1975) aka Is #7

Two small picts by Cortén. [Pay attention, no Corben!]

Slow Death #5

Slow Death #5. April 1974. Last Gasp Eco-Funnies. 7″x10″. $.75. 36 pages. Cover: glossy color. Guts: newsprint. [oug]

Several sources keeps mixing this item as Rchard Corben on Cover Art, because of Corbenish theme. Cover Art of Slow Death #5 (1974) is made by Rand Holmes (pay attention on signiture in left bottom corner). Rchard Corben actually did similar pict several years later (bellow left).

If people mix Slow Death Cover Art as Rchard Corben‘s, there is possibility that both picts are based on for example same sketch. But still I do believe, that there is no connection between them (see the other example, ). [id]

CORRECTION/January 29, 2009: Actually cover art IS a collaboration with Richard Corben and Randy Holmes! See Slow Death #5 Inside Front Cover. Thanks, Jamie Horner!

THE TRUTH/October 18, 2015. The art by Rand Holmes, colors by Richard Corben. End of the conversiation. Thanks, John Barrick.

The art has got only one signature “Rand”. Comic Book Data Base claimed it was made by Jaxon, Richard Corben and Rand Holmes. Slow Death #5 (1974) says clearly “Cover R. Corben & Rand Holmes,” but it also lists after that (on next line): “Tom Veitch, Greg Irons, Charles Dallas, Jaxon and Sheridan © 1973”. Did they all do part of the cover? The Official Underground and Newwave Comix Price-Guide (1982) by Jay Kennedy lists only Rand as the cover artist.

• • Hommages
  • Retard

While Richard Corben is doing a typical cliché fantasy art, sometimes his pict has exactly similar composition as somebody else’s. This is expected but not purposeful. Bellow left you can see Richard Corben‘s Front Cover Art of Heavy Metal: The Best of Richard Corben from Creepy & Eerie! (1998) and on right Back Cover Art of Dracula: Annual by Esteban Maroto (Hard Bound book does not have any mention of printing year, just “New English Library, Times Mirror, ISBN 450 01613 7 and 95p in UK only, 240[+8] pgs”). Maroto’s Cover Art is replica of first page (on pg 91) of a magnificent creation of popular flok-lore story of “The Viyi”.

In Richard Corben‘s Cover Art has perfect halo of candle light, monster creeping out of earth, spider web, man in and winged girl (vampiress) on the coffin.
Maroto’s version has halo of moon, candle, monsters in air, spider web, winged man (vampire) in and girl on the coffin! – And still there is no connection between picts; just similar, typical cliché fantasy art elements.