You’re not the only one! Unfortunately rights were part of the commission so we’ve never offered a print.

Those were preliminary sketches for the cover (age ~28).

There was one piece published by 15 yo Michael Whelan in Eerie #17. It was fan art he sent in. I’ll have to scan it out of my copy sometime (and see if I can slip it by him. 😉)

It was always a popular image. I’ll be glad to mention it the next time we discuss prints.

No, the painting sold years ago. Brandon has loaned it out for exhibitions and I recommend if you ever get a chance to go see it in person.

The simple answer is that Michael was never asked.

For a more nuanced take, look to economic factors in publishing during the pandemic.

DAW was an indie publisher distributed by Penguin Random House (who IIRC controlled their marketing budget), then later acquired by Astra Publishing in 2022.

Admittedly I read the books 30 years ago but I did ask Michael about the covers back then because I was a big Melanie Rawn fan.

Also the title of the paintings are THE DRAGON’S SWORD and DRAGON LORD.

Chay is Rohan’s Battle Commander, right? His colors are what? Ruby = red scarf.

Pol is the High Prince. The flame covering his arm is an indication of his powers.

Why does Pol looks so young on the cover of Skybowl? We know that’s him because of Azhdeen.

If that’s him on Dragon Token, he’s 30 years too old in the previous book.

The scene from DT is the flight into the desert. We know it’s Sioned because of the grief on her face and the steadying hand.

I'm surprised so many think that's Pol on Dragon Token. The scene is a grieving Sioned being secreted away during the Vellant'im invasion. The man is too old to be her son. I've always assumed it's Chay.

Pol was definitively on the cover of Skybowl

Michael never remembers characters from that long ago but I’m fairly certain it as Andry

On the newsstand, it was important to identify a book was new (esp in a long running series) and not a reprint or repackaged.

I’m not sure when publishers realized numbering was important to readers and helped sell books. Probably the 80s?

We sold out the entire limited edition including artist proofs. We could offer a new edition at some point but don't have any plans currently. There is demand because it was such a small edition.

It was also collected in SOMETHING IN MY EYE, a poster book of Michael's horror art. Smaller size but better paper quality. 2/2

I don't believe Glass Onion ever released a print but it was licensed as a poster (along with Lovecraft's Nightmare) that saw mass release. I think the vendor was Black Ball. I still see them on eBay. 1/2

Tip of the cap to Joe Scheuer for sharing photos of these never-before-featured prelims for TGAT. I'm posting a little later than usual because it took me 4+ hours to compose, photo edit, and write alt-text. In retrospect, I really should have saved this for a weekend newsletter. 🥴😭😂