Fridays at the Mathom-House: Frank Frazetta

Oh yes . . . it's that time of week again! You've managed to drag yourself through Monday and Tuesday. You survived the 4th of July. Thursday is gone. That means only one thing: it's FRIDAY! And that, good reader, is reason to celebrate. So here's some awesome Hobbit-ish art from the renowned artist Frank Frazetta!

The picture above is from Frazetta's limited edition portfolio of LOTR and TH illustrations. Now, I was a little confused at first because apparently this image is the title page for LOTR, but I'm pretty sure all those dwarves indicate that this picture is (or should be) a scene from the Hobbit. I got started on fantasy via the Hobbit when I was a tender eight years old, right around the end of the "Golden Age" of Swords and Sorcery Fantasy . . . you know, Conan and all that stuff. So this type of illustration is really nostalgic for me. Gandalf looks awesome!

Read on after the break for even more great illustrations!

Gotta admit, this is my favorite illustration of hobbits. Ever. This is almost exactly how I imagined them as a kid when I first read the Hobbit. They're short, like they should be, and a little bit on the 'hefty' side, unlike these hobbits. And yet at the same time they don't look overly comical like this guy; or like they were clubbed in the face, like this hobbit. In short, they're pretty much amazing.

Gollum, looking evil and creepy

Bilbo and (I assume) a Warg. Great stuff

Half naked orcs. I guess it was summertime in the Misty Mountains or something.