Nukes and Knives™: Fantastic connections (Art)

In order for paintings to flow, separation was the way to go.

While many were understandably commissioned to market film, horror, video game, comic, famous literature and mythology, providing an explanation for those what I feature will prove extremely difficult.

And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you've got me?

Stroke 1 - John Picacio

The Good Life

The Others
Part of George R.R. Martin's 2012 calendar A Song of Ice and Fire.

Stroke 2 - Ken Kelly

The Undead

Rage

Aliens

The Pack

Defender

Such obliteration was mandatory in 1980.

First Blood

Could four become five? Probably.
While that is only a guess, a seventh Rocky movie called Creed is coming, as the Iron Horse trains up Apollo Creed's grandson...

Stroke 3 - Jacek Yerka

Europa

Years before we went Coast 2 Coast, this exclusive 1991 home spin-off to Sega's classic was very Chase HQ, or even its official sequel - Special Criminal Investigation (S.C.I.).

Night Shift

Industrial Might & Logic employees Fred or Fiona Fixit must ensure the factory line keeps producing Star Wars figures.
Released for a host of platforms in 1990, bow down to a true original.

Dragon's Breath

Courtesy of striking a deal with Merlin (Nicol Williamson), Uther (Gabriel Byrne) will soon deceive The Duke's wife Igrayne and satisfy his lust.
John Boorman's Excalibur is a film you must see before you die.
Or if you like, watch it several times, like I have.

Halloween

Black Christmas was the original stalk and slash situation.

Indian Summer

Was this done on purpose?

Little House on the Prairie

Surely not.

Last Alert

Mercs with objectives, and a heavy dollop of Rambo?
I think that's more than right.

The Piano

And there's also this.

No relation of course.

Twister

Pearl Harbour

The Road

Stroke 4 - Boris Vallejo

Wilderness

Cyborg

The post-apocalyptic setting was the highlight in this otherwise mediocre sci-fi yarn.

A dull 1987 arcade adventure from CRL.

The Serpent

Combat Zone

The Enemy Within

Dragon Wars

Flight

Heavy Metal

A little known 1985 overhead arcade shmup from Sega.

Invictus

Phoenix

Remembering a 1980 arcade game from Amstar may prove difficult, but this iconic sequence involving the mothership should instantly jog memories.

Sister Act

The Collector

The Sleeper

Thirst

Tower

This hydra-like monster causes a few headaches in The House of the Dead 2, especially since that along with Judgment and Hierophant, must be killed again on the final stage.
The Dreamcast conversion kicked zombie ass but games of this type on consoles of yesteryear are sadly obsolete, as only a good old-fashioned CRT is capable of registering the necessary signal for light guns to work.
Damn you technology, damn you.

Vampire's Kiss

Frank Frazetta

War

Battlefield Earth

Surely one of the GREATEST films of all time.
Honestly...

Predators

Mammoth

Barbarian

As much as I adore Space Harrier, bosses can be overcome in a matter of seconds and most are just regular enemies wearing false trousers.

The Psygnosis interpretation was scrolling action bilge and could be easily confused with the more famous Palace release, subbed The Ultimate Warrior.
By the way, don't lose your head...

Just for kicks, here's how pixels translate Roger Dean's artwork.
Where is our fearless warrior? Fuck knows.

Bear

Black Panther

Used to form the extensive bestiary in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

You are looking at a stupid coincidence or Konami making reference to their 1987 arcade.
Let's go with the latter...

Brain

Remember the theme tune?
Dur, dur dur, dur, dur. Inspector Gadget. Dur, dur, dur, dur, dur. Woo hoo.
Go Gadget Go. Go Gadget Go.
Along with Penny, Chief, Doctor Claw and Mad Cat, this message will self-destruct.

Scramble

Although over in a flash, Konami's scrolling shmup meant bombing fuel was more important than life itself.

Final Stroke - Miscellany

Now I jumble procedure up as caption becomes artist and different representation occurs.

The Kiss

Gustav Klimt

Roy Lichtenstein

Autumn

Jacek Yerka

Gediminas Pranckevicius

Check out this title.

Eyes of Autumn - Larry Elmore

Eyes of Spring, Summer or Winter wouldn't have the same ring to it.

Chained

Frank Frazetta
This was one of his many Conan pieces...

Ken Kelly

Eternal Champion

Boris Vallejo

Frank Frazetta

Add an 's' and you get a cult Mega Drive game.

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius.

Jacek Yerka

Boris Vallejo

Without warning, your ears were immediately assaulted with a high pitched scream while a code was briefly displayed.
Forget this at your peril because shooting number blocks in the wrong order at level's end would prove fatal.
Even by Speccy standards, that noise was unforgettably horrific.

Berserker