Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Victor Prezio
Much as once a week I like to take time off to cover warships (Wednesdays), on Sunday, I like to cover military art and the painters, illustrators, sculptors, and the like that produced them.
Combat Gallery Sunday : The Martial Art of Victor Prezio
Born 21 March 1924, Victor Prezio became one of the most prolific and underrated pulp magazine and dime novel cover illustrators of the post WWII era. Active throughout the 50s and 60s, his work for Dell, Gold Key, Warren Publishing and others ranged from sports to sci-fi to western covers.
Write his Name in Gunsmoke– what a great title!
The Stranger cover by VP
The Men in the Jungle by Norman Spinrad. Macfadden Books 1977. Cover artist Victor Prezio. Vic had passed by the time this cover was published
Creepy Magazine, Vol 1.29, 1969. Cover by VP
Cover art to Dorothy Quentin’s What News of Kitty. Published by Pyramid Books (1969)
Boy Catching Ground Ball By Victor Prezio
MIdnight Firefight
Impressive Whale you have there…
Then of course, for the men’s pulp mags such as True Adventures and Real Men, he followed in the footsteps of contemporaries like Norem and Mort K in his portrayal of tough men of action and the dastardly deeds of Nazis. It was these images that occupied the time of servicemen from Korea to Vietnam and West Germany in foxholes and barracks alike.
Women n War cover, Nov. 1959 by Prezio. This will teach you not to bring a Luger to a Tommy Gun fight
Smacking a Nazi around with a good old American right cross…the very embodiment of 1960s pulp covers
They seem to have a problem with their buttons but not their hair color or Spandau machinegun.
I’m not sure the Nazi’s flew Piper Grasshoppers, but hey…
Hiding from Cuban forces…who all seem to be related
True Adventures Feb. 1961 cover by VP. More button issues…
Real Men cover Nov 1958 by VP. You have to dig the signature on the very sharp following edge of the shark
Girl Bait for the Outlaws of Lubang Island by VP. Apparently by this point, why even bother with buttons?
Burden’s Mission cover, 1968
Pulp Covers has a great collection of his work from which many of the above are sourced from.
Victor died December 1976 at just age 52 and sadly, not much is known about him other than his illustrations. So with that in mind, raise a glass to Vic next time you salute.
Thank you for your work, sir.