F.M. :: TERAN FRANK

Aliens Special cover by Frank Teran

Artist: Frank Teran (Penciller)

2 Comments - 1,641 Views - 1 Like

Aliens Special cover by Frank Teran Comic Art

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Published cover

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What If? 87 page 18 feat Sabretooth by Frank Teran

Artwork Details

Title:	Aliens Special cover by Frank Teran
Artist:	Frank Teran (Penciller)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Cover
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	1,641
Likes on CAF:	1 2
Comments:	2
Added to Site:	2/13/2018
Comic Art Archive:

Description

A very cool Aliens cover by Frank Teran.

I may be wrong but I think it was one of the very first Aliens one shots published by Dark Horse back during the 90s when they produced a lot of great miniseries and one shots on their movies licensed characters.

This cover had a huge impact on my younger self. I don't know why. I love Aliens as much as anyone else and the creature is really well drawn here but I think the amusing weirdness of it all, seeing a Xenomorph in a tuxedo adjusting his bow tie in a very dignified and elegant manner was also a huge part of its appeal. Not to be overlooked is also the fact that the published version with a very bright red background (see the published cover below) played a lot into my appeal for it. Striking colour design.

That is why this book was constantly on display on my geek room back when. I'm sure I was not alone but I had several plastic bags tapped to the visible side of one of my faithful bookcases in which I slipped some of my fav' comics whose cover were good enough in my view to make the cut. Nothing fancy, just a way to look at them more often and appreciate them. This Aliens Special was one of the selected few.

Now about the piece itself, what is there left for me to say?

The viciousness or violence of Fran Teran's art immediately appealed to me when he appeared on the scene which he sadly too quickly left to work in other industries. I think he shared a lot of similarities with Bisley's art (and the later G.Dell'Otto). But where Bisley's art is more in your face and bombastic, I found more finesse in Teran's art.

This Alien's �ber creepiness is counter-balanced by the fact that he nearly seems smiling. The reader is not quite sure if he is or if it is simply the way his (first) mouth opens. Another obvious element of that counter balance is the tuxedo and bow tie. I find that the way Frank decided to have him readjust his bow tie in such a refined manner, with his opposed fingers lifted, is quite amusing and makes him look almost civilised. And then we are once again caught back by the creepiness of its pointy deadly tail and his back spike which make for a great overall composition. Without those, the piece would have been more quiet I would say with just the head and hands to showcase we are looking at an Alien Xenomorph.

The technique is great also. Great inks, lots of tiny cross hatching lines and aptly used whiteout here and there.

Quite pleased with this acquisition as you can read, quite the Proust's Madeleine for me. Difficult to think it has been more than 20 years since its publication.

This is part 6 of my 2018 CAF B-Day party.

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	F M Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	May 2005
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	BELGIUM
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Comments on this Artwork

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Andrew Baita
Member Since 2016

Posted on 2/14/2018

Congraulations on such an amazing piece.

Nick-le-Fou !!
Member Since 2016

Posted on 2/19/2018

Nice, hadn't seen that cover for many years and I remember feeling the exact same attraction to it as you did when I first saw it.

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