By 1974, however, Linderman had slicked up Captain Evil and transformed him into Doktor Thrill, an urbane character who, with his three cohorts -- Snake Lady, Blue Angel, and Lotta Heat -- lives life in the fast lane; a sensual character reminiscent of Errol Flynn. Linderman describes Doktor Thrill as "every man's prototype; he's cool and macho, a contempo tough guy, suave and debonair, a pleasure seeker who sleeps late and plays all night." Doktor Thrill's metamorphosis was a direct response to Linderman's "need to express myself in a brighter style." Today, his creations have achieved a cult status, with collectors and fans often showing up at his openings dressed as their favorite Linderman characters.
Linderman, who was born in Endicott, New York, graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Ph.D. in Art Education, and taught art at Sacramento State University, Oregon State University and Arizona State University, where he also served as Chairman of the Art Department. He also has written several books on art, including four textbooks that are used on campuses around the country.
Linderman's art is displayed in private collections throughout the world and is included in numerous public collections, such as the Phoenix Art Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the Plains Art Museum, Eckerd College, the William C. Brown Publishing Company, and Valley National Bank, to name just a few.
"I work continually, consistently," exclaims Linderman. "I always have been driven; something inside of me keeps nudging me to paint and draw. It is what I love to do. It is my silent friend." It also is brilliant, innovative, vivid, original, and outrageous.
Linderman begins each piece with a drawing, which serves as a preliminary study for the painting -- although not all of his drawings become paintings. Each drawing, however, is a finished piece of art in itself. "Drawings give us the violins," says Linderman, "whereas paintings are the orchestra in dramatic crescendo."
Linderman also includes a piece of prose with each painting, which extends the story of The True and Incredible Adventures of Doktor Thrill, and admits that if he had not turned to art, writing would have been his chosen field. "I like the idea of painting in a story format," he explains. "Even though my paintings exist in and by themselves, they are part of a larger origination, a story which permits Doktor Thrill to be my alter ego."
