Comics UK

I have just recently come across the Strip Alona the Wild One, and thanks to an earlier post by Phil found out the artist is Leslie Otway.

The strip immediately stood out from the rest in the comic, there is some nice artwork in the girls comics but this strip seems different, (this one is from Princess Tina).

I have some questions, and i hope they are not too silly, but are there any members on the forum that know the strip that could help explain anything about it, eg is it the shading? Is it an old style of artwork going into a new comic? Or is it the way the characters in the strip are drawn, that make this strip stand out?

Also can anyone share any more of this artists artwork from Alona or any other strips he worked on, i did google him and found out he worked in june comic from 62-72, does anyone know when he finishished working in Princess Tina?

I have scanned a page for anyone not familiar with his work. Thanks. Please excuse the quality of the scan not sure whats going on there?

It's a bit difficult to tell from the scan but I'd say that page was by Alona's other artist Jean Sidobre rather than Leslie Otway. Otway himself had a long career going right back to the old story papers, but I agree that his work on Alona had an appealing freshness - especially those pages that were printed (and drawn) in a distinctive blue wash. When I get chance I'll post some examples for comparison.

- Phil Rushton

Sorry Phil do you want me to edit my post where i quote yourself?I was just trying to credit where i got my info from. I didnt realise there were two artists, it wasnt mentioned when i googled it, maybe i should change the title?

If it is Jean sidobre do you know much about him?

matrix wrote:Sorry Phil do you want me to edit my post where i quote yourself?I was just trying to credit where i got my info from. I didnt realise there were two artists, it wasnt mentioned when i googled it, maybe i should change the title?

If it is Jean sidobre do you know much about him?

No need to apologize or change anything Matrix.

It can be difficult to tell Otway and Sidobre apart when they were using similar wash techniques, though I must admit that I prefer the former - to my mind the Sidobre versions can look a bit fussy and over-embellished whereas Otway was more assured and had a much lighter touch.

- Phil R.

philcom55 wrote:It's a bit difficult to tell from the scan but I'd say that page was by Alona's other artist Jean Sidobre rather than Leslie Otway. Otway himself had a long career going right back to the old story papers, but I agree that his work on Alona had an appealing freshness - especially those pages that were printed (and drawn) in a distinctive blue wash. When I get chance I'll post some examples for comparison.

- Phil Rushton

I totally agree with Phil. If you watch this ebay seller he has often sold both Sidobre and Otway I love the latter's work, so here's a copy stripped from eBay

Thanks Phil and Standby.

I see what you mean the ebay image is a lot clearer, what lovely artwork it looks like it could come alive.

Was Sidobre a ghost artist for Otway?

Thanks for the link a piece of his artwork is definately on my xmas wish list!

Here's a link where you can see an especially nice page of Leslie Otway's Alona.

http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiec ... gsub=69797

I saw this piece on one of Phil Clarke's tables before it was sold and would have dearly loved to be in a position to buy it - that rich blue colouring gives it a wonderfully subaqueous effect. (I did manage to buy another, cheaper page, but that one is in plain old black & white unfortunately)

Jean Sidobre was actually the original artist; Otway only took over when Sidobre moved on to the rather irritating series 'My Chum Yum-Yum' (well I thought it was irritating anyway!). Oddly enough this latter strip was drawn in a much more conventional style, without the subtle washes he'd used for Alona - as a result of which the overall effect was much less impressive to my mind (thereby confirming Matrix's suggestion that it could have been Alona's relatively unusual technique that helped to make the characters stand out so effectively). It's pure speculation on my part but I'm inclined to think that the wash effect may have started out as no more than an editorial whim based on the strip's aquatic theme.

- Phil Rushton

Thanks for that link Phil, it is a very effective piece of art, like you say with the blue colouring and the way he has directed the sunlight onto the characters, gives it the effect of a bright and sunny part of the world.

I have just found this Alona strip and need an expert eye again, Phil...anyone!

It looks different to me from the earlier scans though, could this one be Leslie Otway?

Thanks.

Matrix, it looks like the work of the "Barbie the Model Girl" (from Princess Tina) artist whose name has been mentioned before but I can't remember it at the moment.

Thanks Helsbels i will have a look around!Hows your "Pattys world"collection going are you nearly there?

Helsbels, Ruth b has mentioned on an earlier girls artist post, A.E.Allen as the Barbie artist, also another called Colmerio.If one of those is the Danger Isle artist, that makes three that worked on Alona?

I agree that the last example bears a strong resemblance to the work of A.E. Allen. It wasn't uncommon for stories in Summer Specials and Annuals (which is what this looks like) to be drawn by somebody other than the regular artist.

As far as I can tell Sidobre and Otway were the only artists on the weekly series, with Sidobre drawing it from its debut in Princess some time in 1964 right up until April or May 1966, after which Otway took over for the remainder of the run.

As a matter of interest here's an Alona page from the 1969 Princess Annual which is actually signed by Sidobre (though in this case I think it must be a reprint).



Incidentally, it's worth noting that the earliest issues of Princess seemed to be aimed at a strictly pre-teen readership (with lots of fluffy kittens and serializations of Enid Blyton's Secret Seven), but after swallowing My Magazine and Girl later issues broadened their appeal to attract a wider age range. Possibly as a result of this Leslie Otway tended to draw Alona as a much more grown up character than Sidobre's earlier version.

- Phil Rushton

Thanks for that Phil, the colouring is quite effective.

So glad to see that signature as that always helps us all be certain who did these marvellous neglected - except here - comics!

Interesting that he did Alona here, because if you hadn't shown me I would have said this is Sindy not Alona!

Thanks Phil