Adryana Putri's "The Legend of Nyai Anteh" and "Matali Mencari Menantu"

Indonesian graphic designer Adryna Putri illustrates the Javanese folktale "Nyai Anteh and the Moon" and the Balinese story "Matali seeks a son-in-law":

Click on thumbnails to view illustrations in artist's gallery.

Daxiong's "The Ming Dynasty Emperor" and "The Swordmaster 2"

Detail from The
Ming Dynasty Emperor

Please click on thumbnails for full view of images in artist's gallery.

The Swordmaster 2

Leo and Diane Dillon's illustrations for Mansa Musa

The Emperor Musa of Mali was a historical person, so do book illustrations about him belong in a blog focusing on fantasy and mythology?

In this case, the children's book Mansa Musa: The Lion of Mali, published by Harcourt Inc, is a fictional account that abundantly weaves magic and allegory throughout the plot. According to an Africa Access review, "The names are authentic African names. All else... is invented or imagined....It would be tedious to document all the errors of history and background...Teachers looking for reliable African material... should avoid this book."

The first image above depicts Musa and his Tuareg companion in the Sahara against a sensitively-colored backdrop of giant spirit beings who appear like mirages. The lushly detailed second image shows Musa returning to the pomp and splendor of his brother's royal court.

Daxiong's Water Margin series

Angoulême International Comics Festival honoree Daxiong reinterprets the 12th century Chinese classic Water Margin. Water Margin, aka Outlaws of the Marsh, retells the legends surrounding a group of 10th century outlaws, from their fantastical origin as 108 ancient spirits released into the world, to their involvement in human history.

Trina Schart Hyman's illustrations for Children of the Dragon

Children of the Dragon: Selected Tales from Vietnam is a collection of Vietnamese myths and legends retold by Sherry Garland and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.

De rides the giant raven in The Raven and the Star Fruit.

Pleasantly subtle warm-cool color temperature shift on the raven's feathers. The concentric bands of turquoise in the sea below nicely evokes the clear waters of Vietnam's beautiful beaches.

The marriage of Princess Mi Nuong and Son Tinh, Lord of the Mountains in The Legend of the Monsoon Rains.

Delicious depiction of Southeast Asian fruits in the foreground: durian, mangosteen, starfruit, rambutan... It's nice to see the flora of tropical Asia get some love :-)

Will Eisner's Sundiata: A Legend of Africa

Sundiata: A Legend of Africa, published by NBM, is comic book legend Will Eisner's retelling of the Sundiata Epic of Mali:

Emperor Sundiata of Mali is a historical person.

There are supernatural elements in both the oral history and the Eisner adaptation.

Rashad Salim's illustrations for Fabled Cities, Princes and jinn

Details of three illustrations from Fabled Cities, Princes & Jinn from Arab Myths and Legends

Left to right: imprisoned 'ifrit , 'Amr with his jinni advisor, jinni in wilderness

For complete illustrations and full-size images, please refer to the book, which contains 18 large color paintings with lush detail and ornate designs.