WWI Aviation books cover art

[Jos]

Hello,

Here is a book from the serie Airfields and Airmen I think Dan didn't post: Somme



Painting: Colin Ashford



Painting: Keith Woocock


This one is not a painting, but I like the cover anyway.



Design: Peter Bennett


Jos

[Jos]

Sorry, I just noticed I made a typo.

The cover of Fokker: The Creative Years is painted by Keith Woodcock.

Jos

[Jos]

Here is a cover a Biggles comic. It's not an adventure of Biggles, but he tells the story about Roland Garros.

The cover is made by Marcel Uderzo.





Jos

[Gregvan]

Hi,

Jos, thanks for posting all of those 'Biggles' covers - especially the last one. I'm impressed that the artist carefully depicted the correct type of Morane Saulnier for Garros!

As long as we've once again drifted into popular culture, I thought I'd offer some more comics covers. Here's one of Joe Kubert's first covers devoted to Hans von Hammer. This is the first "Enemy Ace" comic I ever owned (note its battered and much-read condition), and I still love the dynamic layout of this cover; these comics had a huge influence on me.


Here is a Gold Key comic from 1965, which featured a "Believe it or Not!" story on Richthofen. The interior art was poor, but it's a fun cover:


Here's issue no. 2 of "Air War Stories" from Dell Comics, 1965. I've only recently discovered these on ebay. Each issue contained three or four full stories, all illustrated by the incomparable Sam J. Glanzman (himself a navy combat veteran of WW II, and still working today - I think). While most of the stories were WW II or Korean War themed, each issue featured one fictional WW I story - rather unusual for 'war comics' of the era. Glanzman wasn't always the best when it came to WWI aircraft details, but I love his messy and gritty art. I don't know who the cover artist is here; his unusually-proportioned Dr.I seems to morph into a D.VII at the nose. The American fighter he's attacking seems to be a "SpadE5a" or something...


Here's the next issue of "Air War Stories", which also featured a beautifully painted cover of WWI aircraft. Rather then the usual Fokker vs. Spad theme, the artist (very uniquely) chose to show an FE2b (with French cockades, no less) on a balloon bust! Even more interesting, it had no tie-in to the WWI story in the same issue.

[Gregvan]

Here's two covers from the Golden Age of EC Comics by the late, GREAT George Evans. First, the Cover of Two Fisted Tales No. 40, Dec. '54/Jan. '55. The associated story within the issue was also drawn and written by George, and was entitled "Flaming Coffins," about an American DH-4 crew. The cover is by George, but the three figures on the left border are by the superb John Severin:


Later in 1955, as part of its "New Direction" line of comics, EC initiated the now-classic Aces High, largely supervised and edited by George. The first four issues were devoted SOLELY to WWI flying stories. Each issue featured one story (out of four), and cover, by George Evans. Each one is a classic. I'm sorry to say that the other artists didn't come up to George's high standards when it came to WWI accuracy. Here is issue Nr. 2:


Actually, these are both recent reprints, which accounts for the vivid coloration and good condition!

[FliegerJG1]

What some cover art may lack in accuracy, it more than makes up for that in drama. The Biggles In France illustration has a unique and effecitve (at least for me) perspective of looking up at a man falling from a destroyed balloon. "Air War Stories" in Greg's post features another exciting view of a burning balloon. Their subject matter and colorful dramatic impact seem to make them stand out to me. There was a lot of action in the skies and it really captures the imagination when an artist can offer some different perspective to draw the viewer in.

And even more red triplanes.....if only Richthofen and Fokker could see what they have created!

Nice choices guys! Keep posting! It's great to see everyone sharing from their collections as there's so much we'd never see otherwise!



FliegerJG1

[karrart]

Originally Posted by Gregvan

As long as we've once again drifted into popular culture, I thought I'd offer some more comics covers. Here's one of Joe Kubert's first covers devoted to Hans von Hammer. This is the first "Enemy Ace" comic I ever owned (note its battered and much-read condition), and I still love the dynamic layout of this cover; these comics had a huge influence on me.

That's the only one I still have- and also in the same much-beloved "battered and much-read condition"!
Robert Karr
OLD BIRDS STAYING ALIVE - THE AVIATION ART OF ROBERT KARR

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour Greg!

Yes most surprising to see an "FE2b on a balloon bust" ... est c'est Français ... bizarre!

I certainly have been taken back in time by some of those covers Greg.

Merci!
Kirk

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour tous!

Greg is correct to state that no other artist employed by E.C. was able to produce aviation art to the calibre of George Evans, actually, I do not think that there has ever been a comic book artist who has produced aircraft illustration comparable.

There are others who did superb work though and even with E.C. Two-Fisted Tales No.34 featured the tale Guynemer! which, of course, was illustrated by the master ...



however, the cover for the issue was a portrait of Guynemer in action by George Davis, a artist renown for horror illustration, but, in this instance the combination of reasonable accuracy and remarkable composition results in a classic!



Salut!
Kirk

[Jos]

Yes, I like this thread very much. It is wonderful to see all those covers.

This one is from 1960.


.


Don't know who made the coverpainting. Maybe Edward A. Knapp. Cover photo's by Bill Haman.

This one is from a childrens book.



Cover: painting: ???


The last one is the cover of a book I like very much. It has a lot of photo's and gives an impression of how artists saw aviation in the first part of the century.



Cover: An Antoinette caresses the clouds by André Devambes


Jos