Michael Whelan

JOHN CARTER OF MARS (1979)
Acrylic - 22” x 28”

I’ve had a special fondness for The Martian Tales by Edgar Rice Burroughs even since I first read them in my early teens. This was the last of 11 covers, so it seemed fitting to have John Carter and Dejah Thoris ride off into the sunset. 1/3

#sciencefiction #illustration #edgarriceburroughs #johncarter #barsoom #delreybooks

Mar 2 at 2:22pmWeb
Show threadMichael WhelanMar 2
All kidding aside, I wanted to wrap up the series with a painting that evoked the romantic notion of the deathless hero and the woman of his dreams winging off to further adventures against the backdrop of the full majesty of their planet. 2/3
Show threadMichael WhelanMar 2

Cover illustration for the book by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Del Rey)

https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/john-carter-of-mars/

Show threadSarah McKenzieMar 2
@MichaelWhelan The monster looks so interesting! I love the shading and highlights on the beak as well. 💯
Show thread60sRefugeeMar 3
@MichaelWhelan It also allowed you to fudge on whether Deja Thoris is clad only in "jewels" as described by the novel. 😈
BTW: interesting discussion of a forum I participate in: Are the Barsoom novels science fiction or are they really to all intents and purposes fantasy? What say ye?
Show threadMichael WhelanMar 8

@60sRefugee Thanks for your question. It prompted a long response in this week's newsletter:

https://theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/barsoom-fantasy-or-science-fiction

Barsoom: Fantasy or Science Fiction?

Exploring Genre with Michael Whelan

The Art of Michael Whelan