The good folks at Mondo (who have history with regard to creating beautiful Tolkien related posters) are releasing a trilogy of posters featuring stunning art by painter and illustrator Riccardo Federici. Here at TORn we’re thrilled to have the exclusive reveal of one of them! Behold – The Fellowship of the Ring poster:
‘It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Isildur, son of the king, took up his father’s sword.’
This dynamic image shows Sauron – as we know him from Peter Jackson’s films – bearing down on Isildur, who grasps the hilt of Narsil.
The poster is part of a set – one each for Fellowship, The Two Towers (featuring Treebeard), and The Return of the King (featuring the Witch-king). They’ll all be available for a limited time, individually or as a set – and there is also a limited edition Variant set, showing Federici’s tight pencils of all three posters.
Set of three postersVariant set of tight pencil sketches
All of the posters will be available for pre-order next week, from December 10th (11am CT) through December 19th (11am CT) only – pre-order yours here! Posters will retail for $95 each, $270 for the set, with the variant pencil sketch set going for $300. Treat yourself – ’tis the season…
We have one more trip around San Diego Comic-Con 2025 for you. In this episode of the Collecting The Precious Podcast Jim and I, along with very special guest Matt from Nerd of the Rings, talk about the fun that was SDCC 2025. We cover how cool it was, and that despite there wasn’t a film or show coming out this year, that there was awesome stuff to be seen from Weta Workshop, Vanderstelt Studio, Middle-earth Enterprises, and Cliff Cramp Illustrations. That’s not to mention how freaking awesome our booth was.
This amazing piece by Weta Workshop was revealed to the world during Comic-Con 2023. After much turmoil for yours truly, I finally had time to sit down, open, and to review this awesome piece.
This is the limited version of the Fountain Guard statue. In this version you also get the White Tree of Gondor as we see it during much of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The Fountain Guard of the White Tree is limited to 905 pieces and is sold out of course but if you’re willing you can snag this on the secondary market. It is, after having had time to stare at it, one of my new favourite pieces.
Over the last few years one of the most in demand exclusives to get at San Diego Comic-Con has been the print sets our friend Jerry Vanderstelt has at his booth and I have no doubt that this year won’t be any different.
This years set is titled Winged Fury, and captures three of Jerry’s prints in a never before released size of 12×16. The three prints that make up this set are the Fell Beast, Smaug, and The Balrog. I personally have all 3 as individual prints and I cannot wait to add this set to my collection. They are exceptionally well done. This limited edition, 350 print run, at a price of $40, will not last past the end of SDCC on July 27th. Fans going to Comic-Con can pre-order theirs right now, if they’d like, and simply take their receipt to booth 1931 to pick it up. The online pre-order will be limited to only 150 copies, with the final 200 being sold exclusively at the show. Get yours now because you do not want to risk not getting it once the show starts.
Here at TORn we were delighted recently to make a new friend: Ian Leino from Geek Orthodox. Ian is a glass artist who creates incredible stained glass (and window cling replicas), and who has recently become licensed with Middle-earth Enterprises. So he’s launching a range inspired by Tolkien!
Staffer greendragon recently had a chance to chat with Ian, to find out more about his stunning creations, and his passion for all things Tolkien. Here’s what he had to say:
What was your first encounter with the work of J.R.R. Tolkien?
My parents divorced when I was an infant, but when I was four, my Mom started dating a man who would eventually become my step-father. When he would come to visit, he would always read to be before bedtime – but none of those [little] children’s books; he launched right into The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, and introduced me to the world of fantasy. It took a few years to get through the entire Chronicles of Narnia, and by then they had gotten married and we’d established the routine of a family reading time.
With Narnia behind us, the time was right to graduate to the world of Middle-earth, starting with The Hobbit and progressing through The Lord of the Rings, which captured my imagination in an entirely new way. That bond over Middle-earth is one of the things that bound our new family together, and it’s a common interest that we still share.
Why stained glass – is it a medium which particularly lends itself to images of Middle-earth, do you think?
My interest in stained glass started with my first job, which was sweeping up at a glass studio on the weekends when I was in middle school. And it intensified in college when I studied art history with an emphasis on gothic art and architecture. As a medium, stained glass has always been used to evoke a sense of wonder and grandeur. From the heroes of history to the religious parables in cathedrals – we use stained glass artwork as a way of venerating and celebrating what is important to us.
The world and characters of Middle-earth are such a foundational fandom for so many of us that I feel that they deserve a similar artistic treatment. From the sweeping vistas that call us to adventure, to the coziness of a pub sign where we know our friends are inside sharing tales, these moments and places absolutely shine through the medium of stained glass in a way that they can’t in any other medium.
Are there other Middle-earth artists/interpreters who have influenced you?
I likely have the same major touchstones as many other Tolkien fans my age – starting with the striking animation of the Bakshi films, later finding the stunning work of Alan Lee, and then being absolutely immersed in the world of Middle-earth by the amazing creative teams at WETA.
One of my absolute favorite sets of illustrations ever, though, is the 1976 Russian version of The Hobbit, illustrated by Mikhail Belomlinsky. The illustrations are bold and unique with a touch of whimsy, giving the entire book the feeling of a folk-tale. More than anything, I love the breadth of inspiration that is possible while still being true to the original text, and the huge diversity of artwork based around these stories.
How does it feel to be ‘officially licensed’?
It feels amazing! I feel like I should have a more sophisticated answer, but it’s so overwhelming that all I can think is: “amazing!”. I’ve long enjoyed being part of a worldwide fellowship of artists who create original art that is inspired by these books. So it’s an incredible honor to know that the stewards at Middle-earth Enterprises have selected my artwork to help officially represent that world to fans everywhere. I feel a responsibility to be worthy of that trust – being true to the original text and my own vision – to offer a new way of experiencing the world that Tolkien created.
