by Dave Lifton
Published: December 10, 2020
Comic book artist Richard Corben, who created the cover for Meat Loaf's landmark Bat Out of Hell album, has died at the age of 80.
His widow, Dona, shared the news on his studio's Facebook page, noting that Corben died last week.
"It is with great sorrow and loss that I must share the sad news that Richard Corben died Dec. 2, 2020, following heart surgery," she wrote.
"He will be missed tremendously by his family, his friends, and his fans. Richard was very appreciative of the love for his art that was shown by you, his fans. Your support over the decades meant a great deal to him. He tried to repay your support by working diligently on each piece of art going out to you. Although Richard has left us, his work will live on and his memory will live always in our hearts."
According to the bio on his website, Corben, a native of Sunflower, Kan., began drawing at a very early age. One of his earliest works was a series about his dog. After art college, he settled in Kansas City, working as an animator for an industrial film company. After almost 10 years, he began drawing underground comics on the side. He was eventually hired by Warren Publishing and was soon able to make it his full-time job.
By the mid-'70s his work was published in a French magazine called Metal Hurlant, which became known in North America as Heavy Metal. It was around this time that he was hired to illustrate the cover of Meat Loaf's 1977 debut album.
“Corben was the perfect choice for this cover,” comics expert Jan Wiacek told Q. “His very stylized, airbrushed, exaggerated style was ideal. His linework has always been more like a graphic artist than a cartoonist, the opposite to the flat photographic style of your run-of-the-mill superhero comics.”
The artist also drew the artwork for 1981's Bad for Good, the album composer Jim Steinman released under his own name after Meat Loaf's vocal problems prevented him from recording a follow-up. That same year, Heavy Metal put out a self-titled animated film based on the works on several of their artists. Corben's Den character, which he premiered in 1973, received his own segment, with John Candy providing his voice. Corben also created the movie's poster.
He remained an active artist in the comics world, working for both Marvel and DC on projects. A movie based on his Fever Dreams is currently in pre-production.
.
Interesting typography, light, shadow, shapes ...
Those are all really dope. 😎 I think I remember all of that ... totally remember that Hot Stuff one.
Used to look at Den as well, in the comic-book shop, in Sevy's, but not sure if I ever had any copies that I bought or if it was given to me.
Used to have a subscription to Heavy Metal Magazine when I was a teenager.
In junior high, a friend of mine showed up to class wearing that Bat Out Of Hell LP cover on a tee and I was drawn in to all that red, those clouds and that winged being.
Had forgotten there was no follow-up album. Liked his whole opera-singer vibe he was working. Got us ready, IMO, for Pavarotti to cross over outside of opera, into U2, Eno and all, as an almost pop statement.
I think that cover art did much toward moving product. ⚡️