We’ve been busily working on the third issue of the Spectrum magazine: yes, I know it’s way late and, no, we’re not finished yet. We’ll get there.
Anyway, one of the features in #3 will be a longish article I’ve written about the late great Bernie Wrightson (shown above), who passed away in 2017 after battling brain cancer. If you’re familiar with the magazine I think it will be a nice companion to the Frazetta and Jones pieces in the first and second issues. I knew Bernie, not as well as I would’ve liked and certainly not as well as the many friends we had in common, but we got along well whenever our paths would cross. He truly was a nice guy. I had interviewed Bernie very briefly several times over the years with a project in mind that, unfortunately, never came to fruition, but I enjoyed our talks nevertheless and learned quite a bit. Even so, there’s so much I didn’t know about him, about his comics and film and illustration work, and I found myself doing a helluva lot of research while working on the essay in an attempt to be as accurate as possible. In a few months you’ll all find out whether I succeeded or fell on my face.
But in the process of doing my research I ran across several videos of Bernie being interviewed—and another of him talking while he sketches at a convention—and thought they were too interesting not to share with everyone. Enjoy!
Bernie was always so humble and sweet. If he hit his peak with his Frankenstein pen and ink, then what a peak it was. I would say that all of hus horror comic work and associated illustrations are absolutely stunning. His Toccata and Fugue in D Minor is awe inspiring.
Agreed! Bernie was not only a nice guy, but he also had a great sense of humor. And when it comes to Frankenstein, I think his is definitive, but I’m hardly alone believing that.