CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Legend of Mothman has inspired tons of West Virginians and artists, and items from beers to baseball uniforms have been created using the cryptid’s image.
Mothman is best known for its presence at the Silver Bridge in Point Pleasant in 1967, right before the bridge collapsed, killing 46 people. To this day, West Virginians still debate whether Mothman was the cause of the collapse or a warning sign.
John A. Keel’s Book
The Legend of Mothman was widely unknown and forgotten even by the residents of Point Pleasant until John Keel, a prominent journalist and UFOlogist, immortalized the tale in “The Mothman Prophecies” book in 1975. The book is described as “unsettling true story of the paranormal that has long been regarded as a classic in the literature of the unexplained.” It has been translated into 13 languages and inspired many, if not all, of the other artworks on this list.
A movie of the same name was released in 2002 and caused Mothman to develop into a household name in West Virginia.
Frank Frazetta’s Painting/Print
One of the best-known visual art pieces associated with Mothman, the painting “Mothman” by comic book artist Frank Frazetta, was created around 1980. It depicts what is commonly thought of as the first Mothman sighting where a couple encountered the 10-foot black-winged monster with red eyes while they were allegedly kissing in a vehicle in Clendenin.
Frazetta’s work is now sold as prints on a website run by his daughter and granddaughter, but copy versions are also widely sold, with posters and canvases selling for much cheaper on mass-production websites like Amazon.
The painting also was used as the paper cover of the 1991 edition of “The Mothman Prophecies” book that is now sold by the Mothman Museum.
Bob Roach’s Statue
One of the most recognizable and famous Mothman-inspired artworks is the Bob Roach Mothman Statue in Point Pleasant. The stainless steel figure was created in 2003 and has become a main attraction for the town and a must-see during the Mothman Festival every year.
The 12-foot statue was commissioned after “The Mothman Prophecies” movie revived the legend of Mothman in 2002. The image for Roach’s Mothman statue was directly inspired by Frazetta’s 1980 painting.
