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The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta
Frank Frazetta has reigned as the undisputed lord of fantasy art for 50 years, his fame only growing in the 12 years since his death. With his paintings now breaking auction records (Egyptian Queen sold for $ 5.4 million in 2019) he’s long overdue for this ultimate monograph. Born to a Sicilian immigrant family in Brooklyn, 1928, Frazetta was a minor league athlete, petty criminal and serial seducer with movie star looks and phenomenal talent. He claimed to only make art when there was nothing better to do – he preferred playing baseball - yet began his professional career in comics at age 16. Strip work led him to the infamous EC Comics, then to oils for Tarzan and Conan pulp covers. Both characters were interpreted by many before him, but as he explained in the 1970s, “I’m very physical minded. In Brooklyn, I knew Conan, I knew guys just like him,” and he used this first-hand knowledge of muscle and macho to redefine fantasy heroes as more massive, more menacing, more testosterone-fueled than anything seen before. As counterbalance he created a new breed of women, nude as censorship allowed, with pixie faces and multiparous thick thighed, heavy buttocked, breasts cantilevered out to there, yet still, with their soft bellies and hints of cellulite, believably real. Add in the action, the creatures, the twilit worlds of haunting shadow and Frazetta’s art is addictive as potato chips. This monograph is the biggest and most complete ever produced on the artist, done in collaboration with the Frazetta family and with top collectors.
467 pages, Hardcover
First published January 26, 2023
10 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Dian Hanson
118 books80 followersDian Hanson (born November 2, 1951) began her publishing career as an American pornographic magazine editor, historian, and occasional model, helping found the 1970s hardcore journal Puritan, then moving on to Partner, OUI, Adult Cinema Review, Outlaw Biker and Big Butt, among others. She was most famously the editor of Juggs and Leg Show sexual fetish magazines from 1987–2001.
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March 6, 2024
Phenomenal Fantastic Fantasy by the Fabulous Frank Frazetta !
Unboxing here :
https://youtu.be/ZFjvxF0HMSo
May 5, 2025
A life well lived!
Takes you through the career of relaxed and talented conservative horndog Frank Frazetta with some pleasant anecdotes about both his hard work and his goofin' off.
The anecdote about the painting in the oven is truly the apex example of how I would like to go through life. I bungled it! Oh well, I'll just do it again. I'm too good for there to be consequences!
The small glimpse in the comics industry did not change my general opinion that it is an artist-devouring abyss.
Takes you through the career of relaxed and talented conservative horndog Frank Frazetta with some pleasant anecdotes about both his hard work and his goofin' off.
The anecdote about the painting in the oven is truly the apex example of how I would like to go through life. I bungled it! Oh well, I'll just do it again. I'm too good for there to be consequences!
The small glimpse in the comics industry did not change my general opinion that it is an artist-devouring abyss.
December 23, 2024
Frank Frazetta has had more books published on his work than any other comics-adjacent illustrator, but to be honest … this is the only one you’ll ever need. Taschen produces beautiful art and photography books, most of which are hernia-inducing in weight and size and wallet-busting in price, but occasionally they reprint the books in much smaller, much more affordable formats, and that’s exactly what they did with The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta, reproducing the book in a $30.00 format that’s easy to read. The reproduction is absolutely first-class, the layout classy if understated and the short articles about Frazetta—which are presented in English, French and German—are easy to digest. Edited by Dian Hanson, with biographical and analytical info by Dan Nadel and Zak Smith, the book is divided into periods in the artist’s life, with a concentration on the 1960s and ‘70s, Frazetta’s busiest and most prolific periods. Ignore those high-priced hardbacks that seem to appear multiple times each year and go with this budget-conscious choice which doesn’t stint on quality or quantity of reproductions of this great, ground-breaking artist’s work.
February 16, 2023
Phenomenal large format book the highlights so much of Frazetta's work at a size that I've never had the pleasure of seeing it in. It took me about 2 hours to read in a first sitting and I will spend a lot more time just flipping through and admiring the work. The image quality is fantastic throughout.
The negatives of the book. The early pages cover some comic work and I thought they wasted space by showing a comic and on several occasions dedicating a full page to a blown up version of a very small panel. It is a multilingual book so if you're looking for a lot of text this is clearly limiting. The text that is there is good and it was kind of interesting to see the progression of the different art examples through three languages.
If you want some of the images at a larger size and a lot more comic work this is a great collection.
The negatives of the book. The early pages cover some comic work and I thought they wasted space by showing a comic and on several occasions dedicating a full page to a blown up version of a very small panel. It is a multilingual book so if you're looking for a lot of text this is clearly limiting. The text that is there is good and it was kind of interesting to see the progression of the different art examples through three languages.
If you want some of the images at a larger size and a lot more comic work this is a great collection.
August 5, 2024
I wish reviewers would be more objective when writing about a book, specially an art book.
I get it, if you're buying an artist's book, you'll love the images.
But when the design is flawed, that's when a book's rating should show it.
This book is terrible. If you think you'll be able to enjoy 500 pages of huge quality prints, YOU'RE WRONG!
The worst is the print quality. Some are blurry, the whole book (even the black margins and pages) are FULL of white dots, and as you pass the pages, you'll notice that the pages were sticky from the ink. One of my favourite FF works, "Sacrifice" is abysmally shown here, full of stains and the colour (I'll get there) it's an aberration, comparing it with the ICON book makes me want cry.
The colour in ALL the prints is WRONG: it's been "cooled" making it bluish and super contrasted, losing lots of detail and changing the artist's intention in terms of design and mood. UNACCEPTABLE.
The paper is thick, but it gets marks as soon as you touch it, even the dust cover gets finger prints, it's a porous kind of paper! Never seen such a mistake before, and in such a huge, heavy book, which you'll have to handle with both hands, you'll soon get it all stained.
The worst aspect (together with the wrong colour and blurry prints) is the layout. I has happened with the HORRIBLE "Fantastic Paintings of FF" by David Spurlock. It's hard to understand what is their criteria when they print (waste a page with) a sketch-like piece, or in the case of this book I'm reviewing now, full-two-page prints of tiny, undetailed vignettes of old comic strips which weren't even intended to be printed so large, so the artist didn't put any detail in them. They might look cool as a poster, if you like the kind of pop art decoration in your house, but for the purpose of someone appreciating the art, the detail of the piece or the technique used this is an ABSOLUTE WASTE of space that could be used for better, detailed pieces, and we're not talking about someone that doesn't have enough to show!!
In the other hand, these "designers" print outstanding pieces tiny, as a side note, balanced against some filler text or even just blank space, leaving you with a massive heavy book in your hands, struggling to see an image printed like if it was a trading card. Baffling.
The final scam feeling, is looking a 47x33 cm page with a printed piece framed by 15x10 cm (ish) black edge, making the actual print even smaller than the 28x22 cm standard book sizes ins some cases, I've actually compared them side to side. So WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS BOOK??!!!
At the end, there are LOTS of pages with minuscule prints of book covers in their original release layouts. Instead, these could have been printed as sides in the many empty pages (usually just black) and spaces throughout the book and make the book either less heavy or use the pages for bigger prints of amazing works that have been printed small, sharing page with other works.
Overall, this book is criminally designed and printed, the quality is atrocious, don't let yourself be fooled by the size of it, because the content will SURELLY disappoint you, if you also own ICON or any of the Ballantine's books, you'll notice the way inferior quality of these prints. I'd think newer books would use better quality printing technologies, but this (the second disappointment I have with newly edited books) proves that wrong.
I'm returning this book, I definitely prefer buying older books now, specially after this and Spurlock's fiasco books.
I get it, if you're buying an artist's book, you'll love the images.
But when the design is flawed, that's when a book's rating should show it.
This book is terrible. If you think you'll be able to enjoy 500 pages of huge quality prints, YOU'RE WRONG!
The worst is the print quality. Some are blurry, the whole book (even the black margins and pages) are FULL of white dots, and as you pass the pages, you'll notice that the pages were sticky from the ink. One of my favourite FF works, "Sacrifice" is abysmally shown here, full of stains and the colour (I'll get there) it's an aberration, comparing it with the ICON book makes me want cry.
The colour in ALL the prints is WRONG: it's been "cooled" making it bluish and super contrasted, losing lots of detail and changing the artist's intention in terms of design and mood. UNACCEPTABLE.
The paper is thick, but it gets marks as soon as you touch it, even the dust cover gets finger prints, it's a porous kind of paper! Never seen such a mistake before, and in such a huge, heavy book, which you'll have to handle with both hands, you'll soon get it all stained.
The worst aspect (together with the wrong colour and blurry prints) is the layout. I has happened with the HORRIBLE "Fantastic Paintings of FF" by David Spurlock. It's hard to understand what is their criteria when they print (waste a page with) a sketch-like piece, or in the case of this book I'm reviewing now, full-two-page prints of tiny, undetailed vignettes of old comic strips which weren't even intended to be printed so large, so the artist didn't put any detail in them. They might look cool as a poster, if you like the kind of pop art decoration in your house, but for the purpose of someone appreciating the art, the detail of the piece or the technique used this is an ABSOLUTE WASTE of space that could be used for better, detailed pieces, and we're not talking about someone that doesn't have enough to show!!
In the other hand, these "designers" print outstanding pieces tiny, as a side note, balanced against some filler text or even just blank space, leaving you with a massive heavy book in your hands, struggling to see an image printed like if it was a trading card. Baffling.
The final scam feeling, is looking a 47x33 cm page with a printed piece framed by 15x10 cm (ish) black edge, making the actual print even smaller than the 28x22 cm standard book sizes ins some cases, I've actually compared them side to side. So WHAT'S THE POINT OF THIS BOOK??!!!
At the end, there are LOTS of pages with minuscule prints of book covers in their original release layouts. Instead, these could have been printed as sides in the many empty pages (usually just black) and spaces throughout the book and make the book either less heavy or use the pages for bigger prints of amazing works that have been printed small, sharing page with other works.
Overall, this book is criminally designed and printed, the quality is atrocious, don't let yourself be fooled by the size of it, because the content will SURELLY disappoint you, if you also own ICON or any of the Ballantine's books, you'll notice the way inferior quality of these prints. I'd think newer books would use better quality printing technologies, but this (the second disappointment I have with newly edited books) proves that wrong.
I'm returning this book, I definitely prefer buying older books now, specially after this and Spurlock's fiasco books.
January 2, 2025
Like many other comic book and fantasy fans, Frank Frazetta is a name that looms large in our psyche even if many of us are too young to have been around when he was making his biggest mark on the fantasy genre. This collection by Taschen is everything I have been wanting in a collection by this once in a generation artist. and no - I do not say that lightly - he is one of a kind and only comes around once in every 50 years.
First - I bought the cheaper $40 CND version because I didn't want to shell out $250+ on the larger collection, which I assume is the same but larger. If you have the money - obviously go for the larger collection. But for me the smaller version was perfect. The reproductions of the art were sill amazing, the size was great for reading, and I didn't want to invest $250 in one book. I love his art but I am not "the biggest fan ever". So, good news for casual fans like me - the $40 book is so very, very worth it.
Second - there is text with it and it is both good and weird. The good is that it isn't overly long (I didn't really want a biography of his life - his life was nice and all but I love his art) so there is more room for his art. But it still gives you a perfect overview of his life without getting into any of his interpersonal drama. The snippets it does give you, focus more on his development as an artist. The weird is that is repeats the same text three times in three different languages. All the captions (for the art pages) are still in English but you also get German and French ( I think). I have never seen this done before. Maybe Taschen (the publisher) does it so it cuts down on printing costs but is also fills up some pages with useless text (obviously if you are reading in one language you don't need the other two). Luckily - there isn't that much text so not that many pages are wasted but still...it was very weird to see this.
Third - this book delivers in its main goal. Delivering as much Frazetta art as possible in 400+ pages. The reproductions are so beautiful. The breadth of the art over the years is so remarkable. I am not a true fan so I can't tell you how much is missing but I can tell you - what is there is numerous and jaw dropping, only adding to my appreciation of Frank's art and how he changes the playing field.
Before I go - I am not an artist so I am ill equipped to explain why Frank's art stood out so much from other artists. Other artists did hyper realistic oil paintings. For me it was the same impact that Jack Kirby had on comic art. He took what was there - and slightly exaggerated it. Frank had the knack to bring dynamics to a static picture. It captures a moment that made your imagination try to fill in the rest "how did these characters end up in this pose?" Frank was an amazing artist that could capture realism but then he used his love of motion and heroism to augment that reality into the timeless paintings we will be admiring for decades to come. At least - that is my take on what makes him so unique. I am sure others could explain it better.
Overall - this was the Frank Frazetta collection I had been waiting for. Affordable, beautiful reproductions, with as many examples of his art crammed together as humanly possible :).
First - I bought the cheaper $40 CND version because I didn't want to shell out $250+ on the larger collection, which I assume is the same but larger. If you have the money - obviously go for the larger collection. But for me the smaller version was perfect. The reproductions of the art were sill amazing, the size was great for reading, and I didn't want to invest $250 in one book. I love his art but I am not "the biggest fan ever". So, good news for casual fans like me - the $40 book is so very, very worth it.
Second - there is text with it and it is both good and weird. The good is that it isn't overly long (I didn't really want a biography of his life - his life was nice and all but I love his art) so there is more room for his art. But it still gives you a perfect overview of his life without getting into any of his interpersonal drama. The snippets it does give you, focus more on his development as an artist. The weird is that is repeats the same text three times in three different languages. All the captions (for the art pages) are still in English but you also get German and French ( I think). I have never seen this done before. Maybe Taschen (the publisher) does it so it cuts down on printing costs but is also fills up some pages with useless text (obviously if you are reading in one language you don't need the other two). Luckily - there isn't that much text so not that many pages are wasted but still...it was very weird to see this.
Third - this book delivers in its main goal. Delivering as much Frazetta art as possible in 400+ pages. The reproductions are so beautiful. The breadth of the art over the years is so remarkable. I am not a true fan so I can't tell you how much is missing but I can tell you - what is there is numerous and jaw dropping, only adding to my appreciation of Frank's art and how he changes the playing field.
Before I go - I am not an artist so I am ill equipped to explain why Frank's art stood out so much from other artists. Other artists did hyper realistic oil paintings. For me it was the same impact that Jack Kirby had on comic art. He took what was there - and slightly exaggerated it. Frank had the knack to bring dynamics to a static picture. It captures a moment that made your imagination try to fill in the rest "how did these characters end up in this pose?" Frank was an amazing artist that could capture realism but then he used his love of motion and heroism to augment that reality into the timeless paintings we will be admiring for decades to come. At least - that is my take on what makes him so unique. I am sure others could explain it better.
Overall - this was the Frank Frazetta collection I had been waiting for. Affordable, beautiful reproductions, with as many examples of his art crammed together as humanly possible :).
January 6, 2025
Lots of mixed feelings on this one.
1) I have always seen and been drawn to Frazetta’s illustrations, something about his compositions and colors is absolutely mesmerizing. I really appreciated the wide range of works printed in this book.
2) It was finally nice to read about Frazetta and his start with comic illustration (primarily ink and graphite) before moving into the oil paintings he is most known for.
3) His imagery and the books that his covers grace are wrought with misogyny and racism. Half-clad or completely naked women are depicted as subservient or in the process of being saved by a man, subject to the sexual desires of men. Villains illustrated allude to racist sterotypes and the racialization of villains such as apes and “otherworldly creatures.”
Is Frazetta simply just a man of his time? Is his technical expertise and large influence more important than the implications of his work?
I don’t have an answer…
This world is not binary and contrary ideas can coexist. I appreciate how art and literature challenge me in this way but it can be kind of mind-boggling at times.
I would really like to read an article/essay/book that looks at Frazetta’s subject matter more critically.
Overall good writing on behalf of the author, though definitely informed from a fan perspective of Frazetta’s work.
1) I have always seen and been drawn to Frazetta’s illustrations, something about his compositions and colors is absolutely mesmerizing. I really appreciated the wide range of works printed in this book.
2) It was finally nice to read about Frazetta and his start with comic illustration (primarily ink and graphite) before moving into the oil paintings he is most known for.
3) His imagery and the books that his covers grace are wrought with misogyny and racism. Half-clad or completely naked women are depicted as subservient or in the process of being saved by a man, subject to the sexual desires of men. Villains illustrated allude to racist sterotypes and the racialization of villains such as apes and “otherworldly creatures.”
Is Frazetta simply just a man of his time? Is his technical expertise and large influence more important than the implications of his work?
I don’t have an answer…
This world is not binary and contrary ideas can coexist. I appreciate how art and literature challenge me in this way but it can be kind of mind-boggling at times.
I would really like to read an article/essay/book that looks at Frazetta’s subject matter more critically.
Overall good writing on behalf of the author, though definitely informed from a fan perspective of Frazetta’s work.
April 7, 2024
I splurged and bought this one for myself a few months ago, and it has been well worth it. I've spent the time gradually drinking in the lush, amazing works of Frazetta on these massive, high-quality pages. While I don't think this is a 100% exhaustive collection of all the man's many, many works, it has a wonderful depth and variety from his entire, long life that gives you a real sense of the development of his style.
There is also some text that covers a bit of Frazetta's personal biography, but it focuses more on his general professional ascension from relative unknown to struggling pulp artist to fantasy art legend. These sections are quick reads that cover the basics, but don't expect a detailed account of Frazetta's personal life.
Any fan of Frazetta's work, especially if it goes beyond the handful of immensely famous works (like the Conan pieces and Death Dealer), will greatly appreciate this collection. Even if you don't pay the price for your own copy, if you come across it by other means, you should crack it open and take some time to marvel at what the man was able to do with human form, fantasy set composition, colors, and shadows. He truly was one of a kind and is in the pantheon of fantasy artists.
There is also some text that covers a bit of Frazetta's personal biography, but it focuses more on his general professional ascension from relative unknown to struggling pulp artist to fantasy art legend. These sections are quick reads that cover the basics, but don't expect a detailed account of Frazetta's personal life.
Any fan of Frazetta's work, especially if it goes beyond the handful of immensely famous works (like the Conan pieces and Death Dealer), will greatly appreciate this collection. Even if you don't pay the price for your own copy, if you come across it by other means, you should crack it open and take some time to marvel at what the man was able to do with human form, fantasy set composition, colors, and shadows. He truly was one of a kind and is in the pantheon of fantasy artists.
October 27, 2025
Dan Nadel’s The Fantastic Worlds of Frank Frazetta is a breathtaking tribute to one of the most iconic and influential fantasy artists of all time. This expansive monograph doesn’t just showcase Frazetta’s extraordinary paintings it captures the myth, mystery, and raw magnetism that defined his creative spirit. Through richly detailed reproductions and informed commentary, Nadel presents Frazetta not simply as an illustrator, but as a revolutionary force who reshaped the visual language of fantasy art and pop culture.
From Conan’s primal strength to the sultry allure of Frazetta’s heroines, every page celebrates a master whose work blurred the boundaries between fine art and pulp imagination. The book’s depth both visual and biographical offers insight into Frazetta’s bold personality, his Brooklyn grit, and the sensual, muscular energy that continues to influence generations of artists and storytellers. It’s not just a visual feast; it’s a study of artistic rebellion, cultural impact, and the seductive power of myth.
A definitive must have for art lovers, collectors, and anyone fascinated by the worlds where beauty and brutality meet.
From Conan’s primal strength to the sultry allure of Frazetta’s heroines, every page celebrates a master whose work blurred the boundaries between fine art and pulp imagination. The book’s depth both visual and biographical offers insight into Frazetta’s bold personality, his Brooklyn grit, and the sensual, muscular energy that continues to influence generations of artists and storytellers. It’s not just a visual feast; it’s a study of artistic rebellion, cultural impact, and the seductive power of myth.
A definitive must have for art lovers, collectors, and anyone fascinated by the worlds where beauty and brutality meet.
August 13, 2025
This is easily the best book on Frazetta I've ever seen. It's just overflowing with work, much of which I'd never seen (and I pride myself on having seen an awful lot of Frazetta's work).
There are only two downsides: first, is its squat size. I'd really have preferred the art to be presented much larger. But that does mean it's crammed to the gills with art, and if that's the tradeoff, I'll take it.
The other isn't quite as bad, but it just points to Frazetta's fractured estate. This book was made in partnership with the Frazetta Girls organization, which is only half of the collection. There are some notable pieces missing here. The half owned by Frank Jr's side of the family is not represented here at all (fortunately a lot of it is on display at the Frazetta Museum). It would have been nice for the book to cross that divide, but apparently not.
But again, it's an amazing book. Highly, highly recommended.
There are only two downsides: first, is its squat size. I'd really have preferred the art to be presented much larger. But that does mean it's crammed to the gills with art, and if that's the tradeoff, I'll take it.
The other isn't quite as bad, but it just points to Frazetta's fractured estate. This book was made in partnership with the Frazetta Girls organization, which is only half of the collection. There are some notable pieces missing here. The half owned by Frank Jr's side of the family is not represented here at all (fortunately a lot of it is on display at the Frazetta Museum). It would have been nice for the book to cross that divide, but apparently not.
But again, it's an amazing book. Highly, highly recommended.
November 11, 2024
I got the cheaper and smaller sized "taschen 40th" version of this but even then the info/overview of Frank Frazetta's art and career and the art itself was more the worth the price of admission! If this is your first time getting a art book of the fantasy paintings of Frazetta you could likely do much worse then this!
That being said man I love Frazetta's artwork so much and pretty much everything he ever painted speaks to me on a deep emotional level that I can't really articulate properly in words!
That being said man I love Frazetta's artwork so much and pretty much everything he ever painted speaks to me on a deep emotional level that I can't really articulate properly in words!
June 16, 2025
A masterpiece.
Yes, some art could have been reproduced a bit sharper --- but, considering the that source material was not always the original, that is but a minor quibble. This is the best Frazetta book produced to date, and likely will remain the champion forever.
The large format book is stunning, but the 40th anniversary small edition is also excellent. (Yes, I own both. Don't ask. :-) The smaller one is definitely more portable. And affordable; a bargain, actually.)
Not to be missed.
Yes, some art could have been reproduced a bit sharper --- but, considering the that source material was not always the original, that is but a minor quibble. This is the best Frazetta book produced to date, and likely will remain the champion forever.
The large format book is stunning, but the 40th anniversary small edition is also excellent. (Yes, I own both. Don't ask. :-) The smaller one is definitely more portable. And affordable; a bargain, actually.)
Not to be missed.
October 12, 2025
Frank Frazetta, Fantasy Fanatic, Fried Friend, Fancy Feast, Foreign Fornication, Fuckin Fantastic Four Feasts First, FORTNITE FOES. remember that. this guys art is insane tho peep it
January 25, 2023
An absolutely wonderful collection! This huge book presents Frazetta’s work with stunning colour and engaging layout. The articles serve to guide perusing although I did note that the other language versions of the articles were surrounded by art of tertiary significance which made me wonder how well they would function in place of those I read. My only real complaint, though, is that Time War and Woman with Spear were not included. (Although there were many paintings included which I now like just as much.) I am glad I read through this book as it will now serve as a fantastic tome for inspiration, perusal, and reference.
July 31, 2023
Spent a lot of my childhood in the 70's endlessly staring at Frank's exceptional artwork on the covers of books, albums and magazines and was always disappointed to open them up and find nothing but words and nary another painting to be found inside.
Finally - the opposite - a beautiful collection of what I have to assume are all his paintings / drawings/ sketches / comics delivering page after page after page after page of adolescent male glory :)
If you like your heroes muscular and shirtless with a side of beautiful women, weird alien planets and an imminent monstrous threat to be attended to - this is your book.
Finally - the opposite - a beautiful collection of what I have to assume are all his paintings / drawings/ sketches / comics delivering page after page after page after page of adolescent male glory :)
If you like your heroes muscular and shirtless with a side of beautiful women, weird alien planets and an imminent monstrous threat to be attended to - this is your book.
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