I meant to post this on Leigh Brackett’s memorial (death) day. However, there seems to be a fairly major discrepancy regarding that date. Even moreso than the same type of thing concerning the deathdate of Karl Edward Wagner. My post referencing that issue finally settled the question. In this case, the two main antagonists are the Internet Science Fiction Data Base (ISFDB) and the mighty Wikipedia.

I'll admit that I simply couldn't do a post on the 18th, so I happily went with the Wikipedian date this time. I'm fully aware of Wikipedia's multitudinous crimes, sins and errors. However, ISFDB is not, unfortunately, infallible. Feel free to comment below.

I dropped the ball, yet again, last year. 2024 was the semicentenary of the publication of Leigh Brackett's classic novel, The Ginger Star. My intent was to celebrate that golden anniversary and to extensively cover all aspects of Brackett's greatest literary achievement. You heard that right. Despite the pronouncements of many other critics/fans, I do not consider "Sea-Kings of Mars"/The Sword of Rhiannon to be the best thing Brackett ever wrote. On this day, Leigh's entire legacy should be considered. In my opinion, her "Book of Skaith", a trilogy written as a unified whole, is her crowning achievement. The three books which make up that 'Book' are The Ginger Star, The Hounds of Skaith and Reavers of Skaith. Jim Steranko was instrumental in illustrating that trilogy.

All of that started in 1971. Jim contributed the cover illo for the 1971 New York Comic Art Convention's program. According to Steranko--I have heard this from several dependable people who have personally spoken with him--Leigh Brackett saw that cover and exclaimed, "That is Eric John Stark!" She was already working on her 'Skaith' opus and kept it in mind. Lo and behold! When The Ginger Star was published by Ballantine--it should've been DAW Books, but that is another topic--Steranko's classic art was on the cover.

Jim Steranko would go on to provide wraparound covers for The Hounds of Skaith and Reavers of Skaith, all with Leigh's blessing. Let's take a look at that artistic alchemy, shall we?

The cover for The Ginger Star is iconic. While perhaps not quite to the level of Frazetta's Conan the Adventurer/"The Barbarian", it certainly is a case of an artist truly capturing the brooding menace of an utter bad-ass. Eric John Stark--with his scarred face--has obviously been there and done that. EJS also possesses the intense stare of a predatory animal or a born killer. This calls back to Stark's upbringing. After his parents were murdered by scumbags, Eric was raised by the anthropoid denizens of Mercury. Every day was a fight for survival in an utterly hostile environment. Echoes of Tarzan? You bet. In addition, Stark's general facial appearance (and hairdo) wouldn't have looked that out of place in several of the hard-boiled movies that Leigh worked on during the Fifties.

However, The Ginger Star cover depicts Stark holding a (Steranko-trademarked) sword. This harkens back to yet another Brackett inspiration: John Carter of Mars. However, Eric didn't find marriage and upward mobility on Mars (or Venus). Instead, he found low-tech peoples being exploited by high-tech corporations from Earth. Much like Robert E. Howard's El Borak, Stark learned his deadly skill with a blade on the far outskirts of and wilderlands beyond 'civilization'.

Finally, check out the ruined columns in the background behind Stark. You can find nothing like them on Earth. On a dying, decadent planet like Skaith? Most assuredly. So, one can understand why Leigh Brackett reacted in such a visceral fashion when she saw Steranko's painting. She had found a Michelangelo to illustrate her literary Sistine Chapel.

Not long after, The Hounds of Skaith was released with a wraparound Steranko cover. Unlike The Ginger Star, this painting was done specifically for the book. Another classic. Eric has his fingers dug into the fur on Gerd's head. Gerd is a Northhound, a species genetically engineered to kill humans telepathically. Gerd and his pack of inhuman killers serve Stark. EJS is that bad-ass.

Behind Stark, one can see elements of the motley horde he has assembled to cast down the Wandsmen who rule Skaith. He has brought rebellion to Skaith--for his own, personal reasons--and the northern tribes are on the move.

The illo above is from a 1975 issue of Steranko's own Mediascene. I don't know if Ballantine paid for it or if Jim decided to give an extra push to a project he obviously loved. Either way, it's a cool artifact from that period.

Below is one section from the back cover of The Hounds of Skaith. Just that one chunk of the overall painting is so evocative. I always thought it would make a great cover for a sword-and-sorcery anthology.

Which brings us to Reavers of Skaith. As I have written elsewhere, this was the book that made me a fan of Brackett and Eric John Stark. The composition is dynamic and Stark's face is utterly savage. This dude means business. I should also note that Steranko made sure to include the scar on Stark’s left cheek from The Ginger Star. Pretty cool.

The late, great John Maddox Roberts loved this painting. Over on the late, great Official Robert E. Howard Forum, JMR stated something like, “Steranko perfectly captured the savagery and ferocity of Eric John Stark.”

Finally, we come to what may--or may not--be another painting of Eric John Stark. It first appeared as the cover for an issue of Epic Illustrated. I've seen it alleged that it is a depiction of EJS...but I haven’t seen Steranko say that. It certainly could be, and it is definitely a beautiful work of art, so I'm tossing this in with the others.

There you have it. Leigh Brackett hand-picked Steranko to illustrate the final phase of Eric John Stark's career. The results have stood the test of time.