Fantasy and Comic artist Richard Corben has passed away at 80

December 10, 2020 7:40 PM

Best known for his contributions to Heavy Metal magazine, his underground comix work, and that Meatloaf album cover, Corben's style was always immediately recognizable. It was both realistic and outlandishly fantastic. His particular use of exaggerated anatomy and innovative color technique set him apart from other artists in the comic world and imprinted the minds of viewers for decades. More here via Boing Boing.
posted by Liquidwolf (37 comments total)

Corben was so original and he was doing quality work up until the end. Most comic book artists you can look at them and tell who their artistic heroes are. But Corben just seems like he came from another planet or dimension.
posted by marxchivist at 8:21 PM on December 10, 2020 [6 favorites]

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posted by djseafood at 8:36 PM on December 10, 2020

As with much of the comics from Heavy Metal, Corben's work impressed my teenage self by its technical abilities and salaciousness in equal measure.

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posted by gwint at 8:57 PM on December 10, 2020 [7 favorites]

He did the illustrations for a Hellboy mini-series, The Crooked Man, which I highly recommend. An amazing artist.
posted by triage_lazarus at 9:07 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

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posted by Halloween Jack at 9:20 PM on December 10, 2020

btw, Internet Archive hosts a bunch of old Heavy Metal issues. Here's an example of Corben's DEN from 1977 (!), and another one. (NSFW)
posted by gwint at 9:34 PM on December 10, 2020 [5 favorites]

Also the cover of an album that spent ten years in the charts.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 9:48 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

He was excellent. Loved his Heavy Metal work.
posted by Meatbomb at 9:58 PM on December 10, 2020

In 1980, on the school bus one day, a fellow classmate gave me a bunch of Heavy Metal magazines from their earliest years his cool older brother didn't want anymore. Corben was one of a handful of artists who really really stood out. If something could be lewd, garish, and weirdly tasteful at the same time it was Corben. There was nothing quite like his work and my Jr high self, and my current self, thank him for that.

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posted by Phlegmco(tm) at 11:22 PM on December 10, 2020 [1 favorite]

Corbin was one of my high school favorites. I think his later work is much more nuanced and interesting. His Hellblazer run (146-150) is a favorite.

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posted by doctor_negative at 2:09 AM on December 11, 2020 [2 favorites]

ricochet biscuit- thank you for that link! Great deconstruction of the album cover. Loved it.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 2:59 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by Thorzdad at 3:50 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by Faint of Butt at 4:32 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by mfoight at 4:36 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by detachd at 4:43 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by mikelieman at 4:45 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by bouvin at 4:56 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by lordrunningclam at 6:01 AM on December 11, 2020

"You die; She dies . . . Everybody dies." - Den of Earth

*Sigh*

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posted by The Bellman at 6:19 AM on December 11, 2020 [3 favorites]

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posted by valkane at 6:49 AM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

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posted by Splunge at 7:01 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by hanov3r at 7:35 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by Ber at 7:49 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by bonobothegreat at 8:04 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by sourcequench at 8:14 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by doctornemo at 8:38 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by filtergik at 8:50 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by Canageek at 9:24 AM on December 11, 2020

A unique stylist with a most impressive use of color and airbrush technique mixed with cartoony aesthetic.

Quick look shows there's been a Kickstarter to do an animated version of To Meet The Faces You Meet, which I recall to be one of his works I enjoyed most. Not much revealed on the trailer I saw and I'm not sure what they have planned to fill it out to 90 minutes, but I look forward to looking up the story again and seeing if it holds up.
posted by 2N2222 at 9:34 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by JoeXIII007 at 9:34 AM on December 11, 2020

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posted by scaryblackdeath at 10:48 AM on December 11, 2020

Wow. I think I may have had access to Heavy Metal magazine & Richard Corben’s art WAY before I had access to commercially made porn back in the last quarter of the 20th Century and I think I’m realizing things about that fact.

Rest in peace. If there’s a heaven, I bet the drawing sessions with Frank Frazetta are epic.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 11:23 AM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

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My favorite works of his appeared in Slow Death Comix which also showcased the works of quite a number of his contemporaries. Here's an example cover showing off his use of airbrush.
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 12:04 PM on December 11, 2020

Aw.

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posted by hoodrich at 12:12 PM on December 11, 2020

May as well link his website.

And I would have liked to have seen Miyazaki make his Rowlfe.

Den is a classic character.

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posted by 90s_username04 at 1:10 PM on December 11, 2020 [1 favorite]

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posted by evilDoug at 4:02 PM on December 11, 2020

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posted by coppertop at 4:41 PM on December 11, 2020