Warhammer Artist John Blanche Set to Release Bio
Publisher Wombat Wargames will launch the biography of John Blanche on December 1, 2023, in time for Christmas. The Warhammer artist is renowned for shaping the storyline of the last 50 years of the franchise.
A new biography of Warhammer artist John Blanche will be released on December 1 by Wombat Wargames. The book chronicles his life and career, including his “unprecedented forty-year collaboration with Games Workshop”. The biography is entitled Blanche: The Rise of Grimdark.
According to the book, Games Workshop worked with John Blanche on many notable projects, including the first editions of Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000. His illustrations, particularly those of the Emperor of Mankind and Golden Throne, are still regularly reprinted.
During his forty-year tenure at Games Workshop, Blanche wore many hats and guided the lore of Warhammer in its early stages. His roles included illustrator, miniature concept artist, and even head of the design studio for many years. He retired on May 31 this year (2023).
Notably, the publisher has taken care to trace the history of Blanche’s work using visual illustration as well as prose. There are 218 pages of full color, including reproductions of Blanche’s paintings, some of which have never been published previously. It also showcases pictures of his models and a collection of his personal photographs documenting both John and his family.
A limited edition is currently available to pre-order from the publisher and costs $50 / £39.99. A previous limited edition sold out “within hours”. The pre-order page notes that the book is proving very popular. This is not surprising as Blanche has become synonymous with Warhammer, raising thousands of fans during his employ.
Although the Wombat Wargames is making every effort to begin shipping on December 1, 2023, it cannot guarantee deliveries before the Christmas holidays. This is due to the large workload that tarries the postal system during the festive season.
