Frank Kelly Freas, famed science fiction and Mad artist/illustrator, died at 82 in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Freas was well known for being an integral part of the early days of Mad Magazine, starting in February of 1957 and becoming the regular cover painter from July, 1958 until October of 1962.
Over the years, Freas won eleven Hugo awards from the World Science Fiction Society, prompting The New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction to name him 'the most popular illustrator in the history of science fiction.'
His fifty years of published artwork began in 1950 with the satyr cover of the November Weird Tales. He went on to be published in over 300 magazines and books, illustrating stories by writers such as Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert A. Heinlein.
One of his most famous pieces was a giant robot holding a dead body in its hand, which later was modified and used by Queen as the cover of its News of the World album, which contained the international monster hit, We Will Rock You.
Freas also created the shoulder patch for Skylab 1 Astronauts and has six posters he created for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration collected and in the Smithsonian Institute.
He also wrote and illustrated several books, including Frank Kelly Freas: The Art of Science Fiction, along with painting voluptuous women on the noses of World War II bombers.
Freas left his mark on the world. His creativity will be missed.
