Emmanuel, fantasy artist RIP

[Fighelm]

Another artist passed away in last few days (think it was announced yesterday by his family), spotted via Oldhammer art fb page today. Steve Jackson has his original 'Githyanki' painting from the cover of the Fiend Folio Supplement. He did the FF Citadel of Chaos original cover, as well as several White Dwarf covers early days...

 

[Eric]

That is a shame. Alas I don't have a Fiend Folio about, but I do have his White Dwarf covers and FF book (apologies for the duplication) which have just said hello to the scanner...

I'm not too familiar with any later work he may have done, did he remain as an artist or did he move into other things?

 

[Fimm McCool]

That Citadel of Chaos cover always perplexed me by being so much more clip art than every other Fighting Fantasy book.

 

[ManicMan]

a nice and simple artist (though not as simple as it looks). I think that was still when WD just brought the rights to use the image on the cover more then commissioned but still good work.

Despite not seeing one... I think to most people my age and probebly older, it is tricky to see his name (or atleast Pseudo name) without thinking of the late Sylvia Kristel.... (I know it's a different spelling but still).

I don't know much about the guy.. or technically even if it IS a guy... I see a comment of comments online saying he was Emmanuel Cordova who did alot of work with Kew Gardens but I'm not sure this is true.. the only death notice I find for the fantasy artist, says he died this month, just short of his 80th Birthday.. yet Cordova's birthday is in December..

Any ideas?

 

[Fighelm]

a nice and simple artist (though not as simple as it looks). I think that was still when WD just brought the rights to use the image on the cover more then commissioned but still good work.

Despite not seeing one... I think to most people my age and probebly older, it is tricky to see his name (or atleast Pseudo name) without thinking of the late Sylvia Kristel.... (I know it's a different spelling but still).

I don't know much about the guy.. or technically even if it IS a guy... I see a comment of comments online saying he was Emmanuel Cordova who did alot of work with Kew Gardens but I'm not sure this is true.. the only death notice I find for the fantasy artist, says he died this month, just short of his 80th Birthday.. yet Cordova's birthday is in December..

Any ideas?

Certainly an enigma, who knows?! Not a lot out there. Just read he was born in Tanganika, East Africa and lived in Ealing later life. Someone put a photo up of him on the oldhammer art fb page comments. Problem is stuff could be AI scraped and/or made up or just assumption...or he was just a very private person. Maybe he's like (a British) David Trampier?

 

[ManicMan]

David Trampier?

 

[Fighelm]

David Trampier?

Famous yank artist did stuff in the D&D rulebooks, fantasy cartoon art strip called wormy, etc etc. Disappeared, presumed dead. Turned up years later in an obscure paper interview. Royally pissed off with the gaming industry, became a recluse, and taxi driver.

 

[ManicMan]

ah, fair enough. Alot of comic book artists and writers (back in the day) weren't social, which is why they picked a job they could do alone.

 

[Fighelm]

ah, fair enough. Alot of comic book artists and writers (back in the day) weren't social, which is why they picked a job they could do alone.

One recognisable pic 'DAT' (Trampier) did, was based on the Street of Knights in Rhodes. Walked up and down there myself, but no fantasy heroics then, just too many ppl...

 

[Fighelm]

That is a shame. Alas I don't have a Fiend Folio about, but I do have his White Dwarf covers and FF book (apologies for the duplication) which have just said hello to the scanner...

I'm not too familiar with any later work he may have done, did he remain as an artist or did he move into other things?

His output was limited I guess, WD14 looks to my eye like a 'rushed' Rodney Matthews style pastiche pic, but then the WD23 cover is something else (well, apart from the mage got a look of David Niven about him) ...definitely an artist enigma.

 

[Fighelm]

That Citadel of Chaos cover always perplexed me by being so much more clip art than every other Fighting Fantasy book.

It is weird.. A bit jarring, thrown together like a (drug induced) collage. But then so many fantasy pics were back then.

 

[Fighelm]

ah, fair enough. Alot of comic book artists and writers (back in the day) weren't social, which is why they picked a job they could do alone.

Yeah. This is the full story here on David A Trampier. He was going to showcase his work in Illinois after being rediscovered (all this about 20yrs ago). Then he tragically died three weeks beforehand . Think our American friends maybe more knowledgeable about him.
He also famously did the AD&D players handbook cover in '78.
http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2025/06/smoke-rings-and-sorcery-ode-to-wormy.html

 

[willlucv]

ah, fair enough. Alot of comic book artists and writers (back in the day) weren't social, which is why they picked a job they could do alone.

It was a pretty stressful way to make a living too, producing art on spec, especially for comics which have tight fixed deadlines. Pay wasn't great either and royalties and reproduction rights were frequently non existent.

I remember reading a piece about the late Ian Gibson (Robo Hunter, Judge Dredd, Ballad of Halo Jones, Star Wars et al) describing drawing inspiration for a piece he did for 2000AD from his soon to be ex wife standing over him screaming at him whilst he was working on it.

I quite liked Emmanuel's work, it is decidedly odd and has a sort of allegorical or symbolic quality to it.

 

[ManicMan]

UK is still a bit backwards when even the iffy USA... See the reason why John Wagner quite 2000AD right after creating Judge Dredd and the problems which ended Kalab Daark.

 

[Fighelm]

Yes, it's always been the same in the British creative industries (& on only to get worse)...

For a clear idea of what a shit show the UK comic industry was like have a read of the great Pat Mills biog, 'Be Pure, Be Vigilant, Behave!' Pat Mills tells it as it is... Warts n'all.
& also his related short book recollection on the artist party and them all turning up, having a stand off with editorial staff, then demanding pay and requistioning goods, and near riot. I think Bisley was involved if I remember.. It's an eye opener! Also his relief finding the French actually look after, set up fair contracts, recognise artist joint copyright and pay their talent handsomely... [#RipoffUK as always]!

 

[ManicMan]

Depending on the company, there are many which are 'better' but... it's very complex. There are also the issues which get.... very VERY complex.

anyway... It seams soo hard to figure out just WHO Emmanuel is/was.. how did people find out he was dead?

 

[Fighelm]

UK is still a bit backwards when even the iffy USA...

See my comments below, read Pat Mills - he toucheson all sorts incl. American comics, the movies, IP issues. Guessing John W will have been well advised, or fingers burnt before, hence reaction re: kaleb d. Also having met both John and also the late great Carlos Ezquerra - both creators of Dredd and countless other famous British comic book entities-
they didn't across as 'rich men', John W did a talk back in 2013 at the inaugural LICAF (and dour as he came across, like he didn't want to be there!), he told it like it was, laid bare the British comic book industry, which is a cut throat industry for both artist and writers!

 

[Space Crusader]

I don't remember the artwork - but it's always sad to hear of the passing of someone who helped (even in a small way) the hobby become what it is.

 

[Brother Meredith]

Depending on the company, there are many which are 'better' but... it's very complex. There are also the issues which get.... very VERY complex.

anyway... It seams soo hard to figure out just WHO Emmanuel is/was.. how did people find out he was dead?

Andy Smith who runs the Warhammer Original Artwork · Original Oldhammer Artwork auctions posted that he was in contact with family members of the artist. Andy seems a genuine guy and has helped facilitate auctions for various artists via the group. His YouTube is interested too: https://www.youtube.com/@OriginalOldhammerArtwork/videos

 

[ManicMan]

okay ^_^
it's just what I see was people just repeating the same thing or pointing to people who were not a source themselves. so.. it was just really confusing. It wasn't that I "doubted" anything, it's just always best to try to find a source which has some form of trust in many things.