Book Description

Born in 1884, Frank R Paul was slated to study for the priesthood; instead, he studied art and architectural and mechanical drafting. The impact of these studies are evident in his brilliant and original science-fiction artwork. In 1914 Paul met Hugo Gernsback and began illustrating for Gernsback's Electrical Experimenter & Science & Invention. By 1926 when Gernsback's Amazing Stories was born Paul was ready: a talented calligrapher, Paul not only created the magazine's famed comet logo, but also the front cover painting and all of the interior black and white illustrations. Subsequently, over the span of his career, Paul was to paint over 200 published sci-fi covers and in excess of 1,000 black-and-white interiors. To say that Frank R Paul is the father of science-fiction illustration art is an understatement: his fertile imagination, amply demonstrated by the paintings and drawings in this book, speak for themselves and his legacy continues to influence the field today. Here, in this giant compendium, is the very first collection ever published showcasing many of Paul's full-colour science-fiction artwork along with appreciations and critical essays by Sir Arthur C Clarke and by Stephen Korshak; Jerry Weist and Roger Hill; Sam Moskowitz; Gerry de la Ree; Forrest J Ackerman and Frank Wu. Here is a volume to be enjoyed and cherished.