Mothman Art

## Bob Roach's **Mothman Statue**

* The statue during the building process
* Delivering the statue
* Placing the base
* Constructing the statue
* Artist Bob Roach with the statue before unveiling
* Carolin Harris, owner of local diner
* John Keel, Author of The Mothman Prophecies
* Jeff Wamsley with the statue
* The Mothman Statue holding Jeff Wamsley's book
* Chief Cornstalk and Captain Lewis
1/21In 2003, The town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia commissioned local artist Bob Roach to create the now famous 12ft tall stainless steel Mothman statue located on Main Street next to The Mothman Museum.

Robert Roach, more commonly known as Bob, is said to have created the iconic design of the statue by using an image of a bodybuilder from a magazine as a reference point.

He interviewed people who claimed to have seen the Mothman and took bits and pieces of their descriptions of the creature; attempting to combine them into a single form.

The statue also appears to be similar to Mothman art by Frank Frazetta as seen on the cover of John Keel's book, The Mothman Prophecies.

There is a plaque on the base of the statue with a short summary of the Scarberry and Mallette Mothman sighting. Author Jeff Wamsley and Charles Humfree were the ones who decided what text should be on the statue. They paraphrased the introduction of Jeff's 2002 book "Mothman: The Facts Behind The Legend" into a short description that sums up the beginnings of the Mothman legacy.

The inscription is titled "Legend of the Mothman". It reads:

```
"On a chilly, fall night in November 1966, two young couples drove into the TNT area north
of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, when they realized they were not alone.

What they saw that night has evolved into one of the great mysteries of all time; hence the
Mothman Legacy began. It has grown into a phenomenon known all over the world by millions of
curious people asking questions: What really happened? What did these people see? Has it
been seen since?

It still sparks the world's curiosity - the mystery behind Point Pleasant, West Virginia's
MOTHMAN.

Sculpture by:
Artist and Sculptor
Bob Roach
New Haven, West Virginia"

```

    The Mothman Statue was unveiled in 2003 at the 2nd annual Mothman Festival. Fans of the creature all journey to the location of the statue to get their souvenir photos taken with it. The statue gets most attention during the yearly Mothman festival . There is even a 24 hour live feed called the "MothCam" which is pointed at the statue at all times.

Bob Roach later passed away at the age of 81 on August 30th 2015. The Mothman statue may be Bob Roach's most famous work but he also created many other steel artworks of historical figures such as the Chief Cornstalk and General Lewis statues which are located around the town of Point Pleasant.

***Ever wish you could see The Mothman Statue anytime you wanted but don't live in Point Pleasant West Virginia? Well now you can with the 24/7 Mothcam Mothman Statue Stream brought to you by The World's only Mothman Museum!***

***>>*** **https://www.youtube.com/c/MothmanCam/live**

## Frank Frazetta's **Mothman Painting**

* Frank Frazetta
* Frank Frazetta
* Frazetta's Mothman Painting (Used as Keel's Book Cover Art)
* Frazetta Painting (Used for Keel's Strange Creatures book)
* Rogues in the House
* Alien Crucifixtion
* Death Dealer
* Conan the Destroyer
1/10**Frank Frazetta** (born **Frank Frazzetta**; February 9, 1928 – May 10, 2010) was an American fantasy and science fiction artist, noted for comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, LP record album covers and other media.

Frank Frazetta created a particular piece of art that would be used in a later edition of John Keel ’s book, The Mothman Prophecies.

Former New York City literary agent Sandra Martin once told Loren Coleman : “John [Keel] attributed the success of that book to the cover.” Frazetta imagined the Mothman much differently than how the creature was originally described, which was as a giant bird man, more avian than moth-like.

He seems to have been overly influenced by the name, which was an Ohio copy editor’s invention that had little to do with the actual appearance of the Mothman seen in 1966-1967.

There is no doubt that once drawn, Frazetta’s impact was great. His Mothman art is very well-known and his influence can be seen in much Mothman art including The Mothman Statue by Bob Roach. Earlier than the Mothman cover, Frazetta also did the cover for Keel's book Strange Creatures From Time and Space.

## Dale Morton's **Mothman Costume**

* At The Mothman Festival 2015
* At The Mothman Museum
1/28In February 2014, Artist, Dale Morton was commissioned by The Mothman Museum to create a full Mothman creature costume for wear and display. He posted images updates to his 'Vermithrax1' Deviantart page as he worked on the outfit. He finished the artwork around May 2014.

The amazingly detailed final product is a grey gargoyle like suit complete with bat wings, sharp teeth, double clawed hands and feet, veins, rib cage and massive red eyes. The costume can be seen being worn in images from The MothMan Festival in 2015. Dale Morton's MothMan Costume now stands as a photo opportunity in The Mothman Museum.

## Kelly Bryant's **Mothman Painted Pillar**

In 2016, Mothman art was painted on a pillar beneath an overpass in Charleston, West Virginia. The artist was Kelly Bryant, a local to the area.

* Kelly Bryant
1/9The art featured Mothman in grey and black colors, with circular red eyes, flying in front of the moon above The Silver Bridge and several winter trees. This depiction included long fingered hands held out in front and massive contoured wings.

The sky was painted a light purple with small white stars and the word "Mothman" was in bold red scratchy lettering along the side. The artist signed the bottom of the piece "Kelly Bryant 2016". Other support pillars were also painted with art of different things such as the legend of John Henry which is also considered to be Folklore from West Virginia.

Kelly Bryant of Charleston has worked in several different mediums such as pastels, acrylic and glass. Shes done commissions, sold her art at local shows, been featured in the September 2013 issue of Guitar World magazine and participated in the Charleston Artwalk.

## **Cosmic Barn Presents: Mothman**

   In 2015, Artist **Gary Gibeaut** released a comic book called simply ***Mothman*** which featured two complete illustrated stories about the Mothman of West Virginia folklore. The first story, entitled "Shadow of Death", tells a fictional story about an investigator who is investigating the creature. The second story, entitled "The Abridged Mothman", tells the basic overview of the urban legend. It begins with the Scarberry and Mallette sighting and the aftermath of strange reports throughout '66 and '67. The comic then goes into the fall of the Silver Bridge and the artist's overall response to those events happening in his childhood and his view of them now in adulthood.

**"There were those who said it would be some time before things were back to normal in Point Pleasant. But normal was gone." - Gary Gibeat, *Mothman* comic (2015)**

Gary dedicated his comic book *Mothman* to fellow artist Tim Corrigan, who passed away on August 22th 2015, and to Thomas Allen Cantrell, a cartoonist who perished in the cold waters of the Ohio River on December 15th 1967.

### **Artist Gary Gibeaut**

**Gary Gibeaut** is a native of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of **Mothman**. He is a comic book artist and creator of a few original series as well as one of the first Mothman coloring books ever published. He has drawn comics since he was a kid. His Mothman stickers, t-shirt designs and posters are very popular and often sold at the Mothman Festival. His art also features heavily in the Mothman Museum as wall decoration and as visual-aid alongside informational museum posters. Some of his art is also usually available in the Mothman Museum gift shop.

```
**Source(s):**

http://fivestarcomics.blogspot.com/2015/09/mothman-festival-2015.html

http://fivestarcomics.blogspot.com/p/gary-gibeaut.html

http://fivestarcomics.blogspot.com/2011/07/five-star-creators-gary-gibeaut.html

```

## **Mothman Toons**

***Mothman Toons*** is a comic book series that consists of a variety of one panel jokes about the legendary Mothman. The comic began in 2013 and has had several more issues since then. It is written by **Jason Gibeaut**, brother of Gary Gibeaut, and is illustrated by **Larry Blake**. The book features visual gags with captions in a style somewhat similar to newspaper comics. List of issues: Mothman Toons #1 (2013), Mothman Toons #2 "Mothman Strikes", Mothman Toons #3 "On The Road", Mothman Toons #4 "The Bride of Mothman" (2017).

### **Writer Jason Gibeat and Artist Larry Blake**

**Jason Gibeaut**, called Jay by family and friends, is a native of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, home of the Mothman legend. He is a writer and has collaborated with **Larry Blake** for several volumes of Mothman cartoons called **Mothman 'Toons**.

**Larry Blake** has been drawing comics since 1960, and his work has been in print since 1973. Larry has even won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Small Press and Alternative Comics Expo (S.P.A.C.E.) in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to freelancing for other publishers, Larry writes, draws, and publishes his own comic book titles.

```
**Source(s):**

http://fivestarcomics.blogspot.com/p/blog-page\_5.html
http://fivestarcomics.blogspot.com/p/larry-blake.html

```

## **Return to Point Pleasant**

   **Chad Lambert** is a comic book writer and editor. He wrote and edited the Mothman comic "Return to Point Pleasant". He was also in the documentary "Eyes of The Mothman*"*. Chad Lambert often speaks at the Mothman Festival.

Return to Point Pleasant is a 72 page hand-painted comic based on the Mothman of West Virginia folklore. The comic was released on September 1st 2008.

The story consists of time traveling scientists journeying to Point Pleasant, West Virginia in search of the Mothman. It also covers events such as Revolutionary War and the 1967 Silver Bridge disaster.

### **Lost Grooves**

Lost Grooves is an anthology of short stories by Chad Lambert which includes Mothman content left over from the Return to Point Pleasant book. Lost Grooves was released in 2012. It also had a variant cover created just for the Mothman Festival. The cover featured imagery of the Men In Black and the Mothman.

### **The Art of Point Pleasant**

In 2015, The Art of Point Pleasant was released because of the demand for more content. It is a collection of covers, sketches and left over art from the Return to Point Pleasant book.

## **Aircel Comics Presents: *The Men in Black***

    ***The Men in Black*** is a comic book created and written by Lowell Cunningham, illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, originally published by Aircel Comics. Aircel would later be bought out by Malibu Comics, which itself was bought out by Marvel Comics. Three issues were published in 1990, with another three the following year. It was adapted into the film is a comic book created and written by Lowell Cunningham, illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, originally published by Aircel Comics.

Aircel would later be bought out by Malibu Comics, which itself was bought out by Marvel Comics. Three issues were published in 1990, with another three the following year. It was adapted into the film Men in Black, which was a critical and commercial success, leading to two sequels and various spin-offs, as well as a number of tie-in one-shot comics from Marvel. Cunningham had the idea for the comic once a friend of his introduced him to the concept of government "Men in Black" upon seeing a black van driving through the streets.

### **Publication history**

The first series consisted of three issues and was published in 1990 by Aircel Comics, cover-dated January to March 1990. After Aircel was acquired by Malibu Comics, a second series appeared, *The Men in Black Book II* #1-3 (May–July 1991)

Malibu was purchased by Marvel Comics in 1994, and when the feature film *Men in Black* was released, Marvel published a number of one-shots in 1997, including a prequel, a sequel, a movie adaptation, and a reprint of the first issue of the original Aircel miniseries. The first series was collected into a trade paperback (June 1990)

### **Plot:**

The Men in Black is an international espionage organization which monitors and investigates both good and evil paranormal activity on Earth. Their remit includes alien life, demons, mutants, zombies, werewolves, legendary creatures and other paranormal beings. In order to keep their investigations secret, much of the global population are unaware of their activities, and are liable to be neutralized to blank their memory of any interaction with the agents.

Notable members include Zed, Jay, Kay and Ecks. Ecks later became a rogue agent after learning the truth behind the MiB: That they seek to manipulate and reshape the world in their own image by keeping the supernatural hidden.

An agent may use any means necessary, including death and destruction, to accomplish a mission. Agents sever all ties with their former lives, and (thanks to the neuralyzer) as far as the world is concerned, they do not exist.

### **Adaptations**

Beginning with the release of the 1997 film Men in Black*,* the series has been adapted across a wide variety of media, spawning an entire franchise. Starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, the film proved a huge box office success for Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, resulting in two sequels: *Men in Black II* and*Men in Black 3*. The popularity of the films has subsequently lead to many tie-ins and spin-offs, including a cartoon titled *Men in Black: The Series*, novelizations, soundtracks of each film, video games and an amusement park ride.

Despite sharing the same basic premise, the various adaptations differ greatly from the original comic series. Some of these differences include: The secret organization exclusively policing extraterrestrial activity on Earth while omitting the other paranormal elements, using memory erasure rather than killing witnesses, and the agency's main goal being to maintain order on Earth rather than to direct it. The tone of the series was lightened, exchanging the comics' dark and bleak approach for comedy.

```
**Source(s):** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The\_Men\_in\_Black\_(comics)

```

## **The Mistaken Bridge Photos**

    On November 13th 2003, the internet-famous "bridge photos" were taken. The images appear *at first* to show Mothman clinging to a bridge in one image and then flying away in the next. This photo is sometimes mistaken as related to the "The Silver Bridge Collapse" in Point Pleasant but its actually not that bridge or even the memorial bridge built afterwards. It's The Ironton-Russel Bridge crossing the Ohio river between Ironton, Ohio and Russell, Kentucky.
What the image actually shows, as pointed out in a video by TREY The Explainer, is a metal structure on the top of the bridge tilting and falling off. The corresponding structures had already fallen off and the other was slanting sideways in the first image and then falling in the second. The exact same structure can be seen on the other side at the top arches of the bridge in the photo.

    What appears to be the Mothman in these photo is actually a piece of rusted metal breaking off plummeting into the water below. The Ironton-Russel Bridge was infamously known to start to decay and collapse as it was poorly maintained. In 2003 it was demolished because it was no longer safe to cross because parts started to break off and crumble.
These photos have become widely circulated online and are often associated with the Mothman legend. They are used because of how known and eye-catching they are despite it being less than genuine. Much like the hoaxed "Loch Ness Monster" image, it is sometime used just as a representation to evoke certain imagery. Though they might look somewhat convincing at first glance, it's not what it seems.

```
Source(s):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironton-Russell\_Bridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2W7WLQTIUM

```

## **Fish Fisher - The Mothman of Point Pleasant**

    **The Mothman of Point Pleasant** is a song by **Fish Fisher** (Michael J Fisher), a songwriter artist from Toledo Ohio. On May 5th 2014, he released an album titled "Gunpowder & Gasoline" which contained a song about the legendary Mothman from West Virginia Folklore. The song is officially entitled "The Mothman of Point Pleasant" but it is often referred to as simply "Mothman" or "The Mothman Song".

Since the songs release, Fish Fisher has preformed the song LIVE annually at The Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant. Equipment is set up near Bob Roach's Mothman Statue and the vendors.

He sells CD's and during the 15th Annual Mothman Festival, he played the "The Mothman of Point Pleasant" every 20 minutes for the crowd.

### **Lyrics:**

* *"With his red eyes aglow and his white wings spread awide*
* *You are helpless below, your looking up to the night*
* *Is he Chief Cornstalk's ghost? Or an Alien?*
* *On the shores of the Ohio here in West Virginia*
* *In Point Pleasant we live beneath the shadow, our days are numbered one and all*
* *There's no rest here between the mountains and metal, we know he's supernatural*
* *[ chorus: Watch out! The Mothman will steal you away!*
* *Watch out! Or maybe he'll save the day, Yeah*
* *Watch out! Is he friend or foe?! Who knows*
* *Watch out! We just don't know ]*
* *Don't go to lover's lane, don't ignore the buzz on the television*
* *Look for that flying man, as he sends premonitions*
* *'Cause he lived near the Kanawha, or in the plant for munitions*
* *Did he destroy The Silver Bridge or save the citizens?*
* *In Point Pleasant we live beneath the shadow, our days are numbered one and all*
* *There's no rest here between the mountains and metal, we know he's supernatural*
* [ chorus repeat ]"

## **Iron Spell -** **The Night of the Mothman**

    **The Night of the Mothman** is a song by the band *Iron Spell*. It was released as an EP Single on August 24th 2015 and is also on the album *Electric Conjuring* released in 2016. It was independently produced by TJ Jones and Iron Spell with associate producers Ricardo Tampier and Ivo Pirovich.

It was recorded in GTR Studios in Santiago, Chile, Pirovich Studios in Viña del Mar, Chile and Beyond the Garage Studios in Bonita Springs, Florida in 2015. It was Mixed and Mastered at Beyond the Garage Studios by TJ Jones. The Cover Artwork of Mothman featured on the EP and the cover of the album were both made by Raul Belisario.

Iron Spell consists of "Merciless" on lead vocals, "Steelhammer" on Drums, Rocko Van Roman on Bass with Jason Ghost and Fire Jack on Guitar.

### **Lyrics:**

* *"There I was, walking along the park*
* *It was a chilling November night*
* *when I perceived a sudden movement in the dark*
* *Then at first, all I saw were these two sinister red eyes*
* *It was huge - not animal - not human - something else*
* *[ chorus: I kept looking at it, petrified*
* *Evil dark shape*
* *Spreads its black Wings to me!*
* *In the night!*
* *Omen of misfortune*
* *In the night!*
* *Something dreadful will come to pass*
* *In the night!*
* *An entity in black shape*
* *In the night!*
* *Evil creature of future sight ]*
* *It put a vision inside my mind.*
* *It was a nightmare for all mankind*
* *Death and disease will be the rule for a hundred years*
* *Then I saw a glimpse of hope*
* *There's no pain that we feel in vain*
* *From the border of extinction mankind will prevail.*
* [ chorus repeat ]"

## **Mothman, What You Gonna' Do Now?**

    **Mothman, What You Gonna' Do Now?** is a song written, performed and produced by Brian Zeller. The song is about the legendary Mothman of West Virginia. It was made into a video and uploaded to YouTube on June 18th 2016. The video featured an introduction text which briefly summarized the Mothman folklore.

Within that text the artist writes: "I've been fortunate to meet some of the people from [John Keel's Mothman Prophecies] book and some have passed on now. I dedicate this song and video to the wonderful people of the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia".

### **Lyrics:**

* *"If you go to Point Pleasant*
* *You better just beware*
* *Down by the Igloos*
* *You can hear them everywhere*
* *They're running into the night*
* *But you can't see a thing*
* *You almost die of fright*
* *When you hear the sound of their wings*
* *People tell me some stories*
* *About lights in the sky*
* *An MIB knocks on your door*
* *and tells you, you might die*
* *[chorus: What you gonna' do now?*
* *Indrid Colds an alien*
* *Keel go get your flashlight*
* *and chase down the Mothman ]*
* *The rumors say they have red eyes*
* *They reflect with the light*
* *Make your hair stand on end*
* *In the chill of the night*
* *They drive around in their black cars*
* *It's not in your mind*
* *They come from another dimension*
* *They're not even from our time*
* [ chorus repeat ]
* *Bandit disappeared by the barn*
* *Indrid played his games*
* *Mary wrote her stories*
* *and Linda almost went insane*
* *Forty six people were lost*
* *on the bridge that night*
* *The MIBs*
* *and the UFOs*
* *and the Mothman vanished from sight*
* *[ chorus repeat x2 ]"*

## **Silver Bridge Has Fallen Down**

**Silver Bridge Has Fallen Down** is a song by Brian Zeller which is also related to Point Pleasant, West Virginia. He wrote, produced and performed this song then it made into a video and uploaded it to YouTube on September 27th 2016. The description read: "A tribute to the 46 lives lost on the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant, WV on December 15th 1967".

### **Lyrics:**

* *"On a cold December night in 1967*
* *The Silver Bridge collapsed and fell into the Ohio River*
* *Silver Bridge they say, seemed to move and sway*
* *and on that night the traffic light wasn't working*
* *[ chorus: Silver Bridge has fallen down*
* *Christmas presents floating all around*
* *Glowing lights from down below where the bridge once did cross*
* *Forty six people now are lost*
* *Forty six ]*
* *People from Point Pleasant and others from around*
* *Ran from the stores down to the bridge to see what made that sound*
* *From the darkness of sixth street and to the other side*
* *They witnessed such a tragedy, sent chills right down their spine*
* *Point Pleasant and her sister towns endured a tragic loss*
* *but fifty years since that day has come at such a cost*
* *They say that times an eternity and time can heal all wounds*
* *Forty six who have gone before were taken much too soon*
* *On a cold December night in 1967*
* *The Silver Bridge collapsed and fell into the Ohio River*
* *The old suspension bridge, no longer in her prime*
* *Did her job nearly forty years, had just run out of time*
* *[ chorus repeat ]"*

## **Mothman Blues**

**Mothman Blues** is a blues song released in 2019 by Dan Cunningham.

* *"I saw the Mothman*
* *and I know you saw him too*
* *I saw the Mothman*
* *and I know you saw him too*
* *No one will believe us,*
* *what are we gonna do?*
* *Now way out in the quarry,*
* *I saw a fearsome beast*
* *Way out in the quarry,*
* *I saw a fearsome beast*
* *He gave me the evil eye*
* *then he flew off, flew off to east*
* *They say that it's an omen*
* *of evil things to come*
* *Yes they saw that it's an omen*
* *of evil things to come*
* *I know he's bringing bad news*
* *and I don't know where it's from*
* *Now bobby's had some hard luck*
* *He could really use the dough*
* *My buddy bobby's had some hard luck*
* *He could really use the dough*
* *He wants to catch that old Mothman*
* *and sell tickets for the show*
* *Now they say it aint no monster,*
* *it's just a big old crane*
* *They say it aint no monster,*
* *it's just a big old crane*
* *Don't pay them no attention,*
* *they got big bird on the brain*
* *I saw the Mothman,*
* *I saw the Mothman*
* *I saw the Mothman*
* *and I know you saw him too"*