I have to say I was happy with PJ's Balrog, but that one had been so hard for me to picture in my mind that almost any image helped.
Glad you asked...my Balrog is the Balrog of The Brothers Hildebrandt, who used to put out an annual Tolkien calendar in the late 70's-early 80's. Every year, like clockwork, I would receive next to my stocking, the Annual Tolkien Calendar. I saved every one...LOL!!! But the Hildebrandt's version of the Balrog is the basis of the artwork for the second Mudboy Slim and the libertarians' cassette, "Atwater's Edge!!", which made the rounds in the late-90's.
"I have to say I was happy with PJ's Balrog, but that one had been so hard for me to picture in my mind that almost any image helped."
IMHO, it was too ethereal...a true Balrog is a physical speciman, I mean, why the heck did all them Orcs flee the scene as soon as they saw the glow of the Balrog?! Gimme a break...and I couldn't even see that Gandalf's leg was hooked with the Balrog's whip (looked almost like suicide...Gandalf possesses the magic to avoid the fall as depicted), and how the heck did Gandalf get his Staff back when he jumped onto the Eagles' back to escape Orthanc?! Awww, now you got me pickin' nits on perfection, IMHO.
Can't wait 'til October!!
FReegards...MUD