REHupa

One artist I wish had painted a cover for a Robert E. Howard book is Carl Hantman.  When I started reading western paperbacks, I often noticed New American Library and Warner paperbacks with distinct cover art. Often the covers were shades of one color, the background was shadowy. The style reminded me of early Jeff Jones but with better human anatomy. Turns out it was Carl Hantman who painted dozens of covers of paperbacks in the 60s and 70s. If you look at the cover for White Apache, it could almost be a barbarian sitting on that horse.

Hantman no longer paints paperback western covers. He has moved on selling his paintings at auctions. His later work is more detailed than those old paperback covers. I still like his old paintings though. In an alternate universe, there are a shelf of Robert E. Howard paperbacks with moody covers painted by Carl Hantman.

 

I notice that the Louis Lamour paperbacks are getting new covers courtesy of Greg Manchess. Manchess’ style reminds me a little of Hantman’s. There is a classic feel to this sort of painting. Who knows– maybe we can get a Carl Hantman illustration of a Robert E. Howard scene yet.