Even if you don’t know the name Drew Struzan, you definitely know his work. He’s responsible for some of the most iconic and memorable movie posters of the 1980s and 90s, and beyond. Franchises like INDIANA JONES, BACK TO THE FUTURE, STAR WARS, POLICE ACADEMY, and HARRY POTTER owe a debt of gratitude to Struzan for his beautiful art that helped sell those films. This year, Struzan was FINALLY inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame… and if you’re like me and many others in the industry, you might be wondering WHAT TOOK SO LONG?!? Either way, it’s a huge and prestigious honor for the man, and our buddy Erik Sharkey (the man behind the excellent documentary DREW: THE MAN BEHIND THE POSTER) and filmmaker Jim Sanders put together a heartwarming video filled with some famous faces who also have a deep love for Drew’s work. Check it out below, there’s some really cool folks in there, including Frank Darabont, Dean DeBlois, Mark Raats, Greg Hildebrandt, Sam Witwer, Floyd Norman, Michael J. Fox and Harrison Ford… and even Drew’s lovely wife, Dylan. You’ll also see some rare footage of Drew working on the posters for the HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON Trilogy. Struzan has always been a big hero to me, and I was lucky enough to interview him and accompany him for the premiere of Erik’s documentary when it first played at San Diego Comic-Con in 2013. Any chance, and I mean ANY chance I can find to celebrate this man and his stellar accomplishments, I will gladly take it. On behalf of Bigfanboy.com and myself, a huge congratulations goes out to Drew on this monumental (and overdue) honor.
If you’re interested in Mr. Struzan’s work, possibly owning an original painting, a concept sketch, or just a nice signed print, please visit my friend Ben Stevens’ Galactic Gallery page right here – they are the official art representative for Drew, and just opened their gallery in Flower Mound, TX. Viewings of Drew’s original work can be arranged by appointment, serious inquiries only, please. Visit their website for more information about the gallery and the work of Drew Struzan.
Also, I want to plug this because I was so pleased with my copy I bought directly from Drew and Dylan last year at MondoCon… A BLOODY BUSINESS was released in 2019, on the 100th anniversary of prohibition, penned by Dylan Struzan and featuring a cover and interior illustrations by Drew Struzan. This is a phenomenal book about the prohibition era and the various real life characters who defined it. The official synopsis is as follows:
“In 1919, the National Prohibition Act was passed, making it illegal across America to produce, distribute, or sell liquor. With this act, the U.S. Congress also created organized crime as we know it. Italian, Jewish, and Irish mobs sprang up to supply the suddenly illegal commodity to the millions of people still eager to drink it. Men like Lucky Luciano and Meyer Lansky, Dutch Schultz and Bugsy Siegel, Al Capone in Chicago and Nucky Johnson in Atlantic City, waged a brutal war for power in the streets and on the waterfronts. But if you think you already know this story…think again, since you’ve never seen it through the eyes of one of the mobsters who lived it.”
A BLOODY BUSINESS is available in hardcover format, paperback and Kindle now at Amazon.com – get yourself a copy, you will not be disappointed. In case you need another reason to be interested, this thing is 640 pages! Seriously, get it now.