"Frazetta's Death Dealer statue at Fort Hood" Topic

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This is probably old news to most here… but I just read about it… so new to me. (there is also a nasty bit of legal whatnot concerning how it came to be).

It's a nice statue, a bit big for gaming though.

I didn't see that but it is pretty cool. Thanks for posting.

(there is also a nasty bit of legal whatnot concerning how it came to be).

Go on…

Do tell, but I love Frazettas stuff, so this is way cool!

Go on…

I shouldn't have mentioned it… but here are some details link

A gazillion years ago, Ral Partha did a 25mm Death Dealer mini. It was my first.

I've got one. Mini, that is.

. . . created "The Death Dealer" to illustrate the cover of southern rock band Molly Hatchett's 1978 debut album . . .

Um, no, considering that I had a poster of "The Death Dealer" on my bedroom wall in '74. Someone needs to tell that dude that Wikipedia is only a click away, and it's pretty accurate, as long as you steer away from controversial topics.

24th Transportation Battalion at FT Eustis also uses the Death Dealer as their emblem with Frazetta's permission.

I was there beta testing a trainer I developed when I saw a GIANT mural in their HQ. I was getting my picture in front of it when the LTC came by. He laughed and invited me into his office to show me the replica Death Dealer helmet they were given. So I have a pic of me holding it, too. :)

I want one…

That image is SO iconic. I recently drove through that area and, hand I known of the statue, would have arranged a trip to see it.

Nice…

Who paid for that?

I know III Corps was the 'Phantom Corps' back in the early 90's and used the Death Dealer image on all kinds of stuff while I was at Hood.

Bandit86---news article in original link says it was commissioned by Frazetta Family Foundation---assume they paid for it?? I doubt FAR would allow government to pay for something like that.

I'm sure there's an early Bryan Ansell-era, Citadel model of it. In fact, I think I've got one somewhere….

Doug

My college friend's husband was involve in it's construction. Pretty Rad!

So there is a "Death dealer" statuette, which looks like some sadistic psychopath from a budget movie and it is to represent a US army unit.

Frank Frazetta Jr. is the epitome of the moron family member who did none of the work, but is unfortunately part of the "estate", and has a say about the "intellectual property.
Local boys…

Much the same mentality lead the Margaret Mitchell "estate" to commission a "sequel" or two to Gone with the Wind, despite the express wishes of the author herself.

Context this.

As to the Ral Partha fig. I had one back in the day ( I believe I bought it when Gen-Con was still in Lake Geneva) but the ex pitched it along with some other stuff during a move.
But I still have my Ral Partha "Tim the Enchanter" fig.

There were actually two figures both mounted and dismounted versions.

I've got a few minis that seem to pay homage to the original painting but nothing very precise. I'm thinking I do not have the Ral Partha one.

So a back on topic query… Is there a 28mm Death Dealeresque mini available on the market today? I had the 25mm lad back in the day and he no longer seems as threatening as he used to when surrounding by the my the newer, beefier lads. I would love one for my 28mm Conan game.

Lost Pict

PS – Death Dealer reminds me of Orwell's musing: "We sleep safe in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm" Death Dealer and his USA counterparts look up to the job.

Frank Sr held against his will? what? Craziness!

I was once a Death Dealer. I was in Assassin Company:

LostPict…Thanks for that quote. Have you tried Reaper minis? I was in III Corps not long after they started using this guy. It was so cool because I had the RP mini (still do), and I thought the image really represented the fast moving, hard hitting reputation of III Corps. Death Dealers, hooah!

Hooah!

Lost Pict

To answer your last question, yes, military units will and have always posed with symbols that connect with the human psychology first. This has been the way of it since recorded time and probably before.If I look mean, sound mean and smell mean, maybe I am mean, and you shouldn't want to mess with me. Hence the use of elaborate head pieces,hats or helmets, large or grand looking weapons and bright colored uniforms. This also works on the psychology. The use of yells and chants, en mass. The human skull has been, is now and probably will be a sign or symbols to reflect the business side of defense, for most, if not all nations at one time or another.

Where I'm going with this is, if your symbol tells of another's fate and demise after entangling with you, or the possibility of entangling with you and it deters them from doing such, would you not show it as a deterrent?

So, this unit wears the Death Dealer on a patch, on their uniform. They display a statue of of a leery dark figure on a warhorse. A symbol of who they may be required to become to defend what is theirs.There are about 135 counties on the planet currently and all of them display, in some form or fashion, a symbol that to them means fear me should you mess with me.If they don't today, it's just about guaranteed they have in the past. It is probable they will in the future.

In your country, where ever you are, if you look around you will see the same thing. Some unit, in some branch, in defense of your borders or property displays a symbol or has a motto that is meant to deter an aggressor.
Just look around or do some research.

When you find it, and you will, you'll have to ask yourself, ?

As for a miniature, I'd love to have one. I would probably paint it up as a bronze statue.

Maybe this is the reason Space Marines have all those damn skulls all over the place. Maybe a letter writing campaign would convince Games Workshop to limit the skull iconagraphy to a small patch on one of the shoulder pads.

That's just wicked cool. BZ to them for a great statue.

I never had a 25mm one, but I did win a painting competition at Jacksonville's "Ground Zero" convention in 1976 with a 54mm version. I believe it was an I/R miniature, but might have been Squadron. I can't quite remember who made it.

Fisherking, I like the idea.

IIRC the skulls on the 40K Imperial troops are symbols of the Emperor… that old corpse-thing sitting on a throne somewhere. I swear I read that somewhere…

Cool statue!

I've been having fun modelling Frazetta posters with 15mm figure conversions for Hordes of the Things: TMP link

Skulls are cool. BUT, if your military uses them, it is fair to start wondering if that makes you the 'baddies':
YouTube link

As has been documented by the Woody Allen film Sleeper, all that's left of the emperor is his nose. GW has some serious retooling to do. Can't say it's going to make their miniatures look any sillier though.

Bronze age mini's at one time did a couple Not death dealers on foot . ( more like the book series covers)
the 54 mm one I think was a Valiant one
Swede Creations did a licensed one ( 1/6th or 1/18 scale) limited edition .

I think Squadron made a 54mm metal Death Dealer in the late seventies as well as the original Conan complete with large corpse and gore covered base and hot damsel hugging his thigh.
No that was not the Death Dealer on Molly Hatchet's album

The original Ral Partha miniature was c. 1978 and it stunk, imho. It was a one-piece casting, with an enormous, malformed horse and puny rider, also malformed; the detail was quite good, as that was Ral Partha's hallmark. I dimly recall a replacement for the Death Dealer that was better and not a one-piece casting. McEwan Miniatures did a version inspired by the Death Dealer, and I have one, mounted and dismounted. It is a true 25, though, so looks rather small by today's standards….

Editorial note: hwarang has decided to leave TMP, and I have decided to Lock his account after him.

Is it a doghouse offense to raise a toast at this time?

on topic: The statue looked awesome in person.

III Corps loves that statue. It went to Iraq and was in the palace at Victory Base. It sits in the West Atrium of the Corps Headquarters now where I see it every time I head to the office.

Yeah, you'd have to make a pretty big horse to make that work in modern 28mm (excuse me, 1/56)…

Horse would need to be 33mm to the shoulders, and the rider would need to be 36mm tall, boots to head. Whole mini would be ~54 or 55mm tall.

I'm going to guess that some of these folks haven't seen the photo of the marines sitting around the Scout Sniper flag or some of the tattoos on those guys.

On topic, the best Death Dealer mini I've seen was from Cell. Unfortunately, it was never released (towards the bottom):

link

My Dad was in III Corps as part of the testing directorate TCATA. Way before this time. I will have to send him a link to the article.

Interesting how they bring up the shooting. Those of us in the know realize that Ft. Hood is huge. III Corps is on West Ft. Hood, or at least the elements my Dad belonged to. Almost as remote as a separate base since it is divided by a highway and separate gates/fencing. If my Dad had been stationed on Ft. Hood, his drive would have been about 20 minutes more. Fort Hood is huge!

Where I'm going with this is, if your symbol tells of another's fate and demise after entangling with you, or the possibility of entangling with you and it deters them from doing such, would you not show it as a deterrent?

Possibly, in times gone by, but in the 21st century? In a time when you can kill your enemy remotely from thousands of miles away will they even know, let alone care, that back at your base you've got a statue of a man with an axe on a horse?

If there's any psychology in this at all it's probably in the other direction. The unit with the 'fearful' image on their uniforms or vehicles may have increased 'esprit de corps' because of it. I certainly can't imagine an enemy being afraid of the 24th Transportation Battalion (no disrespect intended) because they have a Death Dealer emblem (if indeed they do, because an internet search shows it to be otherwise).