Frazetta's Headless Horseman

 

The Headless Horseman

Few people know the reason as to why Frank Frazetta painted two versions of the Headless Horseman. In 1995, Frank was commissioned to do his rendition of the famed beheaded night rider during his period of semi-retirement. He was very selective with his choice of work at that point because, to be honest, he preferred enjoying life with his family on his beautiful 67 acre estate in the Pocono Mountains; but this character interested him, so he accepted the job.

As with all of Frazetta commissioned pieces after 1970, he was granted full liberty to create whatever he felt worked best with the subject matter. As with most cases, his masterful imagination took it one step beyond anyone's expectations, which is why he has such a world-wide following to date.

Frank's first rendition of the Headless Horseman was very dark and powerful, showing the more sinister side of the famed character. But unexpectedly, just a few days after submitting the original artwork, he received a phone call from the publisher who expressed his appreciation for Frank’s time and effort, but declined the work. He stated it was too dark for its use in publishing for the targeted audience of younger children. Frank didn’t take it to heart and understood where his client was coming from-- this was not an uncommon thing during his long career. Instead of getting upset about it, he immediately created a new version to appeal to the younger audience upon the publishers request.

Even with numerous stick-ball games between the finalization of the second version of the Headless Horseman, it was completed in just three days and was an entirely new take on the commissioned art. 

The second version was more colorful with a wide variety of delightful tones, most obvious was the change from blue to orange which expressed a more festive side to the seasonal theme. Though many fans bought prints of both versions of the painting, Frank personally stuck to his guns stating the first version was the better of the two.

Source: The Frazetta Art Museum

The Howling of Wolves

 

4th of April, 1945

This is Radio Werwolf calling, radio of the German liberation movement in the areas occupied by the enemy. 

The high command of our enemies has imposed a curfew over the occupied areas. This curfew is not for us Werewolves. On familiar roads we come together, even in the dark.

For four years, our enemies came in the night to sow death from their murder machines over our homes, now their soldiers came to reap their sowings. Bt now we are going out in the night and sow the seeds of freedom, the sowing will sprout. We will harvest the crops in the dawn of the new days. A peaceful revolution brought us National Socialism, now a bloody war is about to take it from us. Now we Werewolves call upon all revolutionary hearts to take back the peace that the war took from us. We break the chains that bind us. Our thoughts are only about one thing, to destroy the enemy, beat him again and again, untill the invaders are driven out and the slaveholders are swept away. Our duty is to the Reich, our lives belong to our people. Where one freedom fighter dies, new ones arise. Traitors, cowards and people with no ethos will fall under our strokes. He who harms the German freedom is our enemy, he who benefits it, is our friend. For five and a half years, we fought for the Reich and our people, with the weapon in hand or at the factories. The enemy has knocked weapon and tools out of our hands in the occupied areas. But we wont stop fighting. All that we onwed, home and house, the terror bombers destroyed and set ablaze. The air murderers destroyed all we love, grandparents and parents, women and children, siblings and friends. But our heart didn't become weaker. Its love for its country has only became bigger and its hatred became stronger. Behind us are rubble and trenches. Before us lies the future, from which our enemies want to exclude us. But we are here. We fight, live and die for the German future.

Death to our enemies, victory to our freedom.

This is Radio Werwolf calling, radio of the German liberation movement in the areas occupied by the enemy. We brought you fight reports of our Werewolves, new and reports in our broadcast.

MYCENAE 2022 - The Birthplace of Hellas

Ζεῦ πάτερ ἢ Αἴαντα λαχεῖν, ἢ Τυδέος υἱόν,ἢ αὐτὸν βασιλῆα πολυχρύσοιο Μυκήνης.

ΙΛΙΑΣ  -  Η , 180

"In the ruins of Mycenae is a fountain called Persea; there are also underground chambers of Atreus and his children, in which were stored their treasures. There is the grave of Atreus, along with the graves of such as returned with Agamemnon from Troy, and were murdered by Aegisthus after he had given them a banquet." 

PAUSANIAS - Mycenae 

Another pilgrimage to the city-center of authentic Hellas. The archaic kingdom of Mycenae.

The Warships of Navarino Bay

The 8th of September marks the date of naval battle of Navarino bay and the crush of the Turkish-Egyptian fleet by the united forces of Great Britain, France and Russia. A historical turning point in the Greek war of independence as Ibrahim had come with huge forces against Hellas.

On the sidenote, lets see which was the names of warships that took place in this historical battle. 

- BRITISH SQUADRON -

Asia

Genoa

Albion

Glasgow

Cambrian

Dartmouth

Talbot

HMS Rose

HMS Brisk

HMS Musquito

HMS Philomel

HMS Hind

(Action at close quarters during the battle. This detail shows Codrington's flagship, HMS Asia (centre, flying Blue Ensign), simultaneously demolishing two Ottoman flagships)

- FRENCH SQUADRON -

Breslaw

Scipion

Trident

Sirene

Armide

Alcyone

Daphne

(the Russian squadron, in line ahead (left-centre, white flags with blue transversal crosses) bombarding the Ottoman fleet (right, with red flags) )

- RUSSIAN SQUADRON -

Gangut

Azov

Iezekiil

Aleksandr Nevskii

Provornyi

Konstantin

Elena

Kastor

The Prophet Friedrich Nietzsche