Lord Tedric, Black Knight of the Iron Sphere, paperback cover 1981

Ken Kelly made this paperback cover, Lord Tedric, Black Knight of the Iron Sphere, with a very particular eye for what sells. Look at that heavy use of red! It practically vibrates, doesn’t it? And it makes me wonder, what does "good" painting even mean in this context? Well, for one thing, this painting is definitely concerned with capturing a certain kind of heroic ideal. Check out the texture – it’s all about smooth gradients and sharp details, especially on the figures. The paint is applied in a way that's almost photographic, aiming for realism, but it’s a realism dialed up to eleven. The way Kelly uses light is just amazing. See how it catches on the muscles of our hero, or glows ominously in the background? It's like he's sculpting with light, making the scene as dramatic as possible. It reminds me a little of Frank Frazetta, another master of this genre, but with a slightly different twist. It’s all part of this ongoing conversation about how we represent strength, power, and fantasy, and whether that has to do with a red background.