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

@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?

@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