“An illustrator, whether science fiction or otherwise, is essentially a storyteller who can’t type…Actually, being an artist is a bit like being a pioneer. Your real goal, like his, is freedom.”- Kelly Freas

 

Kelly Freas, a prolific artist for over thirty years and considered the “Dean of Science Fiction Artists,” has remained a fan favorite whose quality of work matched its quantity. Along the way, he created some of science fiction’s most iconic images and illustrated for noted authors such as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Clifford Simak, among others.

 

Freas successfully submitted a painting to Weird Tales magazine in 1950. In 1952 decided to give up his lucrative career as an advertising artist to move to New York to work full-time on science fiction illustration. Freas created covers for countless science fiction magazines well into the 1980s. His works are known for their focus on people (and aliens!) – their character, emotions, and expressions – all presented with a touch of humor.

 

Freas also created works for Mad magazine from 1957 to 1962 and depicted the magazine’s “What, me worry?” mascot Alfred E. Neuman on many of its covers. He also designed the shoulder patch for Skylab I astronauts and six posters for NASA. The band Queen used his 1953 robot cover for Astounding Science Fiction magazine for their 1977 album cover for “News of the World,” in which band members were added to the image. A werewolf drawing by Freas is featured in a classroom scene in the 2004 movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.