A number of modern illustrators have delivered wondrous visions of the Edgar Rice Burroughs realms. But Whelan set the bar pretty high when he painted his set of Barsoomian covers for the Del Ray version of the John Carter series.
This wrap-around cover of A Princess of Mars is among my favorites of all time, if nothing more than for the sheer heroic posturing—but of course Deja Thoris might have something to do with it.
Above, the painting beautifully unencumbered with type elements.
Above, the painting beautifully encumbered with type elements.
Above, the gorgeous preliminary drawing.
Above, some preliminary designs.
Above, some character workups.