Tarzan Design Chart: the DeZuniga Clade

I’m afraid that Big Ugly Conan-style Tarzan designs are perhaps more accurate to the ERBU canon than one might realise, which is why people prefer handsomer and yet more realistic Tarzan designs. Heck, it’s such a good warning when even what Robert E. Howard might’ve imagined of his own Conan the Barbarian is less frightening in hindsight than what ERB himself would imagine of his own ERBU canon Tarzan. This is a perennial mind screw to behold! 

John and Sal Buscema’s Tarzan design portfolio was primarily inspired by artists Ruben Moreira, Jack Kirby, Dan and Sy Barry, Steve Ditko, Burne Hogarth, Rex Maxon, Ernie Chan, Bill Montes, Ernie Bache, Jack Kirby, Bob Lubbers, Jesse Marsh, Hal Foster and (more likely) Gray Morrow. Also influencing the design were Lance Henriksen, Charles Bronson, Peter Cullen and fellow action stars Calvin Lockhart and Steve Bond, the artist and his brother themselves, actors Steve Hawkes and Richard Yesteran, actor-producers Tony Goldwyn and Harrison Ford, and footballers turned actors Miles O’Keeffe and Mike Henry. Jane Musky and John’s La of Opar design portfolio is inspired by Rachel Ticotin and Jane Musky. John and Sal’s Korak design portfolio is influenced by actors Peter Reckell, Tony Goldwyn and Charles Bronson, whereas Sal’s Jeanne Meriem Jacot design was influenced by model Kristen McMenamy and actresses Virginia Huston and Dorothy Hart. The older Buscema’s John Clayton Senior design was based on John Hurt, while Dorothy Hart once again inspired his Alice Clayton design. 

Tony DeZuniga’s rather too manly Tarzan design portfolio is inspired by Osamu Dezaki, Nestor Redondo, Jesse Marsh, Chiaki Fuji, Burne Hogarth and Paul Reinman. Also inspiring the design are idol Bobby Sherman, Steve Bond, Peter Cullen, Miles O’Keeffe, Johnny Weissmuller, Peter Reckell, Mike Henry, and former actor Wolf Larson. Christie Brinkley, Joanna Barnes, Eve Brent, Sofia Loren and Bo Derek made a splash on Tony DeZuniga’s Jane Porter design portfolio, whereas Bollywood heartthrob Zeenat Aman and filmmaker Jane Musky inspired his iconic La of Opar design portfolio.

Bob McLeod’s kinda unattractive Tarzan design portfolio is inspired by Frank Frazetta, Neal Adams and the Buscema brothers. Peter Cullen, Johnny Weissmuller and Miles O’Keeffe impacted his Tarzan design, while Jane Musky, Rosanna DeSoto and Kristen McMenamy influenced his La of Opar design portfolio.  

Joe Jusko’s Tarzan design portfolio is influenced by Morihiko Ishikawa, Dave Cockrum, Jeff Jones, Frank Frazetta, Chiaki Fuji, Joe Kubert, Bo Hampton, Russ Manning, Gray Morrow, Shotaro Ishinomori, Gil Kane, Peter Chung and the Buscema Brothers. Sportsmen turned actors Mike Henry, Miles O’Keeffe, Johnny Weissmuller and Richard Yesteran, plus Matt Cedeño, Tony Goldwyn, Steve Hawkes and sports icon Tony Hawk, have all made an impact on it. Voice Actress Rebecca Shoichet, Actresses Cynthia Leake, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Olivia D’Abo, supermodel Christie Brinkley and filmmaker Jane Musky have influenced his Jane Porter design portfolio, while Zeenat Aman, Pam Grier and Taylor Dayne influenced his La of Opar design. Sports icon Tony Hawk, plus teen idols Robby Benson and Peter Reckell, have all inspired his Korak design portfolio, while Susan Dey and Lena Horne were live action influences for his Jeanne Meriem Jacot design portfolio. 

Tom Grindberg’s Tarzan design portfolio is inspired by artists Dave Cockrum, Tony DeZuniga, Frank Frazetta, the brothers John and Sal Buscema, Russ Manning, Joe Kubert, Boris Vallejo, Peter Chung and Rick Leonardi. 

Benito Gallego’s rough and somber Tarzan design portfolio is partly inspired by artists Ruben Moreira and Frank Frazetta, Sergio Cariello, Thomas Yeates, Hideko Mizuno, Eric Battle, Morihiko Ishikawa, Joe Kubert, Gray Morrow, Bo Hampton, Russ Manning, Jack Kirby, Shotaro Ishinomori, Joe Jusko, Chiaki Fuji and the Buscema brothers, plus animator Peter Chung. Along with Charles Bronson, Steve Bond, Harrison Chad, Alex D. Linz, Brandon Routh, Matt Cedeño, Adam Driver, Casper Van Dien and Tony Goldwyn, Tokala Clifford, Jesse Williams, Miles O’Keeffe, Mike Henry, Steve Hawkes and Richard Yesteran were used as indirect live action influences once again on a design related distantly to Eric Battle’s and Roberto Castro’s own. Also influencing his Jane Porter design portfolio are Margot Robbie, Rebecca Shoichet, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Zinaida Gromozdina and Cynthia Cranz. 

Stevan Subic’s Tarzan design portfolio is heavily inspired by Roberto Castro, Glen Keane, Tony DeZuniga, Erno Zorad, John Ripa, Alex Niño, Eric Battle and the Buscema brothers John and Sal themselves. Alexander Skarsgard, Tony Goldwyn, Matt Cedeño, Miles O’Keeffe, Christopher Lambert, Tokala Clifford, Jesse Williams, Steve Hawkes and Richard Yesteran are amongst the live action influences on this design portfolio. His Jane Porter design is influenced by Olivia D’Abo, Margot Robbie, Spencer Locke, Rebecca Shoichet, Sophie Simnett, Dita Von Teese and Christie Brinkley. 

Roy Allan Martinez’s Tarzan design portfolio is inspired by Tony DeZuniga, Joe Kubert, Frank Cho, Hideko Mizuno, Russ Manning, Glen Keane, Shotaro Ishinomori, John Ripa, Greg Guler, Morihiko Ishikawa, Chiaki Fuji, Dan Haskett, Osamu Dezaki, Roberto Castro and Peter Chung. James Marsters, Christopher Lambert, Giles Panton, Tony Goldwyn and Adrian Greensmith have an impact on it. Also influencing his Jane Porter design are Sophie Simnett, Spencer Locke, Dita Von Teese, Rebecca Shoichet, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ava Marilyn. 


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