A BIRTHDAY SALUTE…
Frank Frazetta, circa 1950s
By PETER BOSCH
In past years, we here at 13th Dimension have saluted Frank Frazetta on his birthday (February 9, 1928) with looks at his amazing paintings, his movie poster illustrations and more — but we have inadvertently neglected his astonishing work when he was drawing comic books, especially his totally spellbinding science-fiction covers of the early 1950s.
With that in mind, here is a long overdue 13 COVERS tribute.
Enjoy!
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Buster Crabbe #5 (July 1952, Eastern Color)
Famous Funnies #209 (Dec. 1953, Eastern Color)
Famous Funnies #209 original art
Famous Funnies #210 (Feb. 1954)
Famous Funnies #211 (May 1954)
Famous Funnies #212 (July 1954)
Famous Funnies #213 (Sept. 1954)
Famous Funnies #214 (Nov. 1954)
Famous Funnies #214 original art
Famous Funnies #215 (Jan. 1955)
Famous Funnies #216 (Mar. 1955)
Weird Science-Fantasy #29 (May-June 1955, EC)
Image from Russ Cochran’s 1972 limited print run with new Frazetta coloring for each print. This was originally meant to be another Buck Rogers cover for Famous Funnies but it was rejected for too much violence. The helmet for Rogers was eliminated when it became the cover for Weird Science-Fantasy #29, but was restored for this print.
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MORE
— MORRISON MONDAYS: If FRAZETTA Did FUTURAMA. Click here.
— 13 COVERS: A FRANK FRAZETTA Birthday Celebration — 2025. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is out now. (Buy it here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
