Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
I got an old "best of Whizzer and Chips" comic from a charity shop, which included several pages of "Bewitched Belinda." I'm ashamed to say I never noticed before (or more likely forgot), but Reg Parlett was an AMAZINGLY good artist. And does anyone know who wrote that strip? The writing seems a cut above the other strips too.
Possibly these were just unusually good examples of his work, or maybe I was tired (it was late at night), but these just shone.
I happened to read this comic through several times (long story). On the first read through, Belinda is just another strip. But on the second or third read it really starts to shine. I have to say that for me, Belinda and Paws are head and shoulders above all the others, and Belinda probably has the edge. Though their styles are TOTALLY different. There are so many things to praise! Where to start?
1. The first thing I noticed was the cleanness of the lines. Impecable draughtsmanship, not a line wasted.
2. The next thing that jumps out is the faces. Every face has something to say, and is so expressive. Such a range!
3. And the bodies. Again, nobody just stands there, everyone is doing something interesting, something that helps to build the story.
4. And even the limbs! Even the arms and hands and legs have something to say.
5. The the layout. Every panel seems full of activity, yet leaves plenty of space. The characters' sizes and positions are so pleasing. Heck, I feel like some pompous French art critic. But he really is that good.
6. And the characters. They each have a personality of their own. There was a stip about a fox hunt, and another about Belinda's mother trying to get a job. And another where she goes to a party. Belinda's mother could be the subject of a long essay just from the two strips where she appeared. There is nothing two dimensional about her.
I could go on and on and on... I wonder how much of this is the writer? It wasn't written by a woman by any chance was it? Belinda seems more moral than other characters, more sensitive to others' feelings, and there are social issues all over.
I've gone on long enough. I've never taken the time before to read Reg Partlett's stuff in any depth. Like I said, on a casual scan it just looks like another comic, but it really gets better and better the closer you look. Maybe I was just lucky to see some unusually good examples, I dunno.
That's just my view anyway.
Possibly these were just unusually good examples of his work, or maybe I was tired (it was late at night), but these just shone.
I happened to read this comic through several times (long story). On the first read through, Belinda is just another strip. But on the second or third read it really starts to shine. I have to say that for me, Belinda and Paws are head and shoulders above all the others, and Belinda probably has the edge. Though their styles are TOTALLY different. There are so many things to praise! Where to start?
1. The first thing I noticed was the cleanness of the lines. Impecable draughtsmanship, not a line wasted.
2. The next thing that jumps out is the faces. Every face has something to say, and is so expressive. Such a range!
3. And the bodies. Again, nobody just stands there, everyone is doing something interesting, something that helps to build the story.
4. And even the limbs! Even the arms and hands and legs have something to say.
5. The the layout. Every panel seems full of activity, yet leaves plenty of space. The characters' sizes and positions are so pleasing. Heck, I feel like some pompous French art critic. But he really is that good.
6. And the characters. They each have a personality of their own. There was a stip about a fox hunt, and another about Belinda's mother trying to get a job. And another where she goes to a party. Belinda's mother could be the subject of a long essay just from the two strips where she appeared. There is nothing two dimensional about her.
I could go on and on and on... I wonder how much of this is the writer? It wasn't written by a woman by any chance was it? Belinda seems more moral than other characters, more sensitive to others' feelings, and there are social issues all over.
I've gone on long enough. I've never taken the time before to read Reg Partlett's stuff in any depth. Like I said, on a casual scan it just looks like another comic, but it really gets better and better the closer you look. Maybe I was just lucky to see some unusually good examples, I dunno.
That's just my view anyway.
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Reg Parlett was one of the all time greats - he could draw anything *doing* anything and make it look believable. Just look how many expressions and what a personality he gave to Harry - essentially a bedsheet! - in Harry's Haunted House.
Yes, the faces, the limbs, the expressiveness - he could even fill totally non-human characters like Creepy Car with personality and expressiveness.
Yes, the faces, the limbs, the expressiveness - he could even fill totally non-human characters like Creepy Car with personality and expressiveness.
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
No, Reg was always unusually good, never saw anything he did that I didn't like!
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
http://uk.geocities.com/pjgregparlett/B ... linda.html
sorry its not complete...
sorry about quality...might go and scan another example...
lets have a look at this in detail..mmmmm
sorry its not complete...
sorry about quality...might go and scan another example...
lets have a look at this in detail..mmmmm
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Heres a better example..
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Really nice to see these. Simple backgrounds, focusing us on the strong poses and expressions. Well spotted Tolworthy and cheers Peter for the scans! Great fun to look at.
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
nice work...like the little funny details..now you have to look at my cartoons..
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Oh dear, one o' mine. A bit of a cold shower for me, your pasting my stuff under that of Reg! So much for simple backgrounds in that example.
Zany, fun stuff in your portfolio - simple backgrounds too!
Back to Reg now, eh?
Cheerz!
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Yes, that's a good example of what I mean! Maybe I'm getting old (OK, there's no 'maybe' about it) but a lot of comic characters seem badly behaved and shallow. I know, Yes, I know, that's the whole point, it's a kids' comic for pity's sake! But Belinda is different. She's intelligent, and always helps people. And the stories are entertaining without the usual "magic goes wrong" easy cop-out used by lesser stories use.Peter Gray wrote:Heres a better example..
This next strip illustrates her intelligence and sensitivity. She is a good judge of character, and enjoys a joke, and is happy to give her teacher a fright, but knows when the joke has gone too far. Notice how each teacher is an individual. This is a very satisfying strip, a good lesson in morals, yet anarchic simple fun at the same time. Quite an achievement!
This next one illustrates her family. Note the social subtext - single parent, money worries, patriarchal world, the love between mother and daughter, her mother's self esteem. There's a lot more depth to these strips than it seems. A truly great long term family drama could be built from events like this. It's a pity Belinda never got more attention.
I could go on and on, but two examples are enough for now.
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Hadn't really noticed that before as I haven't read many Belinda strips but you're right. Some other IPC strips also probably had more depth than one would initially expect I imagine.tolworthy wrote:Yes, that's a good example of what I mean! Maybe I'm getting old (OK, there's no 'maybe' about it) but a lot of comic characters seem badly behaved and shallow. I know, Yes, I know, that's the whole point, it's a kids' comic for pity's sake! But Belinda is different. She's intelligent, and always helps people. And the stories are entertaining without the usual "magic goes wrong" easy cop-out used by lesser stories use.Peter Gray wrote:Heres a better example..
Lew
The blog of British comics: http://lewstringer.blogspot.com
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Tolworthy, thanks for sharing those latest scans. There's a lovely, soft, fluid line to Reg's work. Peter, I've just noticed that it's your site I've been looking at to put names to artwork!
http://uk.geocities.com/pjgregparlett/
I was looking at the little bio of Reg on that page and noticed he was born in 1904!
Did these artists do their own colour work? I like the colour example above and the double page spread on Peter's site. I'm sure they did their own inking, although it's not always necessarily the case (US comics for example).
How come you don't have the link to your "fansite" in your post signatures Peter? It's an interesting site - I can't even get started on your blog - yet!
http://uk.geocities.com/pjgregparlett/
I was looking at the little bio of Reg on that page and noticed he was born in 1904!
Did these artists do their own colour work? I like the colour example above and the double page spread on Peter's site. I'm sure they did their own inking, although it's not always necessarily the case (US comics for example).
How come you don't have the link to your "fansite" in your post signatures Peter? It's an interesting site - I can't even get started on your blog - yet!
Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Matthew wrote: I was looking at the little bio of Reg on that page and noticed he was born in 1904!
Parlett started drawing for comics in the 1920s, so when he started Bewitched Belinda for Whizzer and Chips in 1979, he'd already been at it for well over 50 years.
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
If it's spot colour / overlays for newsprint the colour was probably added in the office. Yes, the vast majority of humour & adventure artists would ink their own work (unless they were so busy they'd use an assistant, but that's rare), unlike those softies in America.Matthew wrote: Did these artists do their own colour work? I like the colour example above and the double page spread on Peter's site. I'm sure they did their own inking, although it's not always necessarily the case (US comics for example).
Lew
The blog of British comics: http://lewstringer.blogspot.com
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Well most people here already know my websites...there is 20 to see so my domain name would be very long...How come you don't have the link to your "fansite" in your post signatures Peter? It's an interesting site - I can't even get started on your blog - yet!
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Re: Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips
Cheers, Raven. I'd always pictured Reg as an older artist because of his style but hadn't reckoned on him starting in the twenties!
Lew, I guess "spot" colour is block colour applied to accent certain areas of a panel rather than producing a full blown painting. Regarding the latter, I've recently been looking back at Bill Ritchie's colour strips in 60s Beezer annuals and really liked them. I imagine he painted those himself because they're quite subtle with some background objects described with just paint rather than with an ink outline and block colour.
I'd like to get a copy of the "Comic Art of Reg Partlett" at some stage. Saw an old (supposedly) signed copy on Abe books if anyone's after one.
Lew, I guess "spot" colour is block colour applied to accent certain areas of a panel rather than producing a full blown painting. Regarding the latter, I've recently been looking back at Bill Ritchie's colour strips in 60s Beezer annuals and really liked them. I imagine he painted those himself because they're quite subtle with some background objects described with just paint rather than with an ink outline and block colour.
I'd like to get a copy of the "Comic Art of Reg Partlett" at some stage. Saw an old (supposedly) signed copy on Abe books if anyone's after one.