Caza - The Bird of Dust ( Heavy Metal 1977)

another entry from Caza (French 1941-  ).  Caza's style here is very different from "The Fall of the Towers."  This focuses purely on his stunning figure work, tightly controlled compositions, and masterful inks.  jaw dropping work.

Moebius - "Arzach" (Metal Hurlant 1975)

Jean "Moebius" Giraud (French 1938-2012) is one of the great visionaries in art history, not limited to the world of comics.  few others have ever been able to plunge as far into their creative subconscious and translate their visions so successfully through their hand onto paper.  he produced thousands of pieces of art throughout his career, and each and every one of them stand as a humbling lesson from a great master.

in 1975, Moebius helped found the legendary French alternative comic magazine Metal Hurlant ("Screaming Metal," later published in America as Heavy Metal), ushering in a new era of international creativity in comics.  the surreal science fiction "Arzach" debuted in 1975, and became one of Moebius' most famous creations.

 he produced four 8-page full color wordless stories, a black and white silent 2-pager, and later, 1n 1987, an 8-page full color story with accompanying narration and dialogue.  collectively, these are all known as "Arzach," even though Moebius curiously messed with the spelling for each individual sequence.

ARZACH

HARZAK

ARZAK

HARZAKC

HARZACKC

LEGEND OF ARZACH

Richard Corben - In Deep (1976 Heavy Metal)

here's a classic Richard Corben short from Creepy #83 (october 1976), written by Jan Strnad.  Corben (1940 American) is peerless, possessing one of the most electrifying art styles in the history of comics.  his balance of photorealism with a warped cartooniness is totally unique, and his color sense is impeccable. this is considered one of his best works from his Heavy Metal days.  originally there was a black and white prologue, but i cannot find it anywhere, so any help would be appreciated.  and i'm not sure if i've ever figured out why the epilogue is monochromatic red.

for more info on corben, here is his website.