Artist Larry Johnson's works are known for their placid pigments, but every so often, he travels the dark side, if only so that he (and his admirers) may comprehend the strange and forbidden.
For his 9.5" x 7.5" paperback, Black Fantasy, Johnson presents 20 extraordinary images, which employ his popular formations (humanoid figures, horses, trees, leaves, clouds ... circles), while underscoring them with an intoxicating, Night Gallery vibe.
A rush of bodies, silhouetted by an air of otherworldly loss, comprise a substantial part of the set. As with Johnson's Fantasy Sketchbook, some of these examples reference the thematic feel of Star Trek and Logan's Run, but the relegations also probe the peculiar paths of Oz and the woodland terrors of Evil Dead, though again, none are overtly formidable. Their strangeness only teases to invoke understanding, being more instructional in their brooding context than not.
Though Johnson's backdrops are dark (having been rendered on black canvasses, heightened by stencils, paste and glitter), he adds moody-blue splashes with warm sweeps of greenish-grey and ruddy orange, contrasted by strikes of brilliant red and yellow, giving the scenes the promise of cheer.
Each and every example of Black Fantasy would look great on one's wall, but as a book curation, the series creates an evolving trip into the rewarding outskirts: a psychological perspective that one will be drawn to whenever the terrestrial world gets a tad too bland.
For those interested in Johnson's overall collection of wondrous works, please visit
https://sites.google.com/view/larryjohnsoncomics/amazon-books
and please order Black Fantasy at
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DYDDRVKW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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