This portrait of the god Melkart, founder of the city of Tyre and syncretically identified by the Greeks with Herakles, is based on a marble bust of Mithridates VI now found in the Louvre. My current collaboration with the Phoenician powerhouse has resulted so far in one novel, a novella, a novelette, and eight short stories of varying length, all recounting the towering Tyrian’s thrilling exploits with sword, bow, and spear. Five of these works have either been published (Mythaxis, Swords And Sorcery, Cirsova) or will be shortly (Weird Mask Zine) so it seems I’m on a bit of a roll. Now there’s an official portrait as well of the Bronze Age Badass to aid in my tireless campaign to singlehandedly revive the sword and sandal genre in written form only with a lot more sex, violence, and heavy giallo overtones. Portrayed as a still beardless young man, I like to think I captured Melkart’s open, friendly nature although as always, opinions of my artistic ability will differ. I also confess this looks to me slightly like the bust of Cosimo De Medici wearing a turban headdress.
N.B.: To avoid confusion, please note that the caption beneath the portrait is to be read in the Phoenician manner, from right to left.