The Art of Stephen Fabian

Stephen Fabian (b. 1930) is an American artist. Fabian specializes in science fiction and fantasy illustration and cover art for books and magazines. He was self-taught, two of his primary influences being Virgil Finlay and Hannes Bok. Fabian was a recipient of the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2006. He has also been a two-time nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist (1970 and 1971), and a seven-time nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist (1975-1981). Collections of his work include Ladies & Legends (1993) and Stephen E. Fabian’s Women & Wonders (1995).

Fabian was published in various zines and whatnot in the late ’60s and early ’70s, but his first hardcover was nothing other than The Vultures from Fictioneer Books in 1973. This came even before he lost his job at Simmonds Precision in 1974 and decided to turn pro. Thus began Fabian’s reign as the go-to guy for Howardian art in the small presses of the ’70s and ’80s.

One of Fabian’s most reliable clients early on was publisher George T. Hamilton. Hamilton had him illustrate various previously-unpublished REH yarns. This gave a solid jumpstart to Fabian’s present position as the man who’s depicted more Howardian protagonists, characters and scenes from REH yarns than any other artist, past or present.

Source: Centipede Press and DMR Books.

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