If you’re a fan of Warhammer 40k, you know John Blanche. Even if it’s you’re first time hearing his name, you’ll be familiar with his fingerprints on some of the setting’s most defining artwork. He’s responsible for that iconic imagine of the emprah - the one the best shows off the dark irony of a such a wretched figure becoming an idol of worship. While the term ‘grimdark’ originates from 40k’s "in the grim darkness of the far future…" tagline, grimdark as an aesthetic is one Blanche pioneered. There’s even a style of miniature painting - Blanchitsu - named after him.
Basically, even games that don’t use the 40k license owe an incredible amount to Blanche’s work. That’s not to mention his influence on the fantasy setting of the Total War: Warhammer series either. His piece Harry The Hammer was the cover for the first edition of Fantasy Battle - recently added to the strategy game as chaos hero Harold Hammerstorm. I could go on, and I might do so in a bit, but here’s the news: Trademark Films are making a documentary on Blanche’s work, starring Napoleon Dynamite actor Jon Heder. It’s called The Grim And The Dark: The Search For John Blanche, and it’s out next Spring. Here’s a trailer:
