Crom the Barbarian - Variant Cover Art - Ken Landgraf (2024)

As an artist, I’ve always admired Ken Landgraf’s unapologetic commitment to raw, muscular storytelling, and this 2024 Crom the Barbarian variant cover is a masterclass in texture.

Ken’s use of Zip-a-Tone (or hand-rendered screentone effects) adds that classic 1970s indie/fanzine grit that is so rare in the digital age. The cross-hatching on Crom’s musculature creates incredible volume, and the "spot blacks" in the cave background provide a perfect frame for the action. Note the chaotic, aggressive line work on the reptilian beast—it creates a fantastic tactile contrast against the smoother rendering of the figures in the foreground. A visceral, punchy composition that feels like it was ripped straight out of a vintage treasury edition.