I Sea Monsters

Special Edition: Sea Monsters (1976)

The Seventies was truly the age of cryptozoology, of  UFO encounters, of demons and cults. With old certainties being questioned, old uncertainties began to gain more credence - or credulity. Mike, who always had an interest in the sea and ichthyology anyway (Jaws was already big at the time and the mystery and fear of the sea particularly potent) bought this very intriguing mag that was of deep interest to us all. It was full of classical illustrations from mythology and legend as well as the latest photos of globsters and suspicious-looking decayed corpses that recalled the classical forms of plesiosaurs. It was here that I was introduced to the compelling art of Theodor Kittelsen. I still have our much-wrinkled copy safe in the Archives.

Also, from the June 1977 edition of National Geographic (also in the Archives) there was this speculative recreation of the Loch Ness Monster, largely based on reported sightings and the famous 1972 "flipper" photo. This 'realistic' portrayal strongly captured my young imagination, and I drew it again and again. Here is an example from my old "Green Mill" Earth Tones 3x5 inch notebook, filled up by 1978 -1979, if my notes are correct.