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Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 24 Mar 2015, 11:12
by alanultron5
PS Albert Holroyd drew just one Mr Bubbles episode (Talking Dog - mid 72)

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 24 Mar 2015, 11:50
by ISPYSHHHGUY
One of the Keyhole Kate artists---not sure if his name was Cliff White?-----drew a whole whack of the Tom Kat strips.

Ironically, one very good Tom Kat strip from one of the annuals, which done an ace satire on I SPY was NOT drawn by one of the Kat artists Les Barton, but by the Keyhole Kate artist.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 24 Mar 2015, 17:10
by Kashgar
alanultron5 wrote:Yes! MR BUBBLES I class as fun-adventure strip!! Sorry Ray- but "Tom Kat" `NOT` drawn by Phil Millar! Had three artists. Started off with Gordon Bell; then Les Barton took over for middle part of run. It finished with artist I can't yet discern- but `NOT` Millar. Phil's one of the most distinctive artists- his style so recognisable. Afraid that He is not on `Tom Kat`
I'll blame Willie Getaway for this. I'd put Phil Millar correctly for him and then in a rush to get the list down I'd repeated the name for the next strip in line, Tom Kat, and then compounded this error by not checking the list before publishing it. Sorry about that.
I think the third artist you are on about on Tom Kat must be Brian White.
alanultron5 wrote:Going back to Michael barratt- he did one "Moonsters" page mid 1966 as well as their Sparky Book appearance (1967 I think)
The Michael Barratt Moonsters annual strip was in the Sparky Book for 1968, Alan. It's the first one in the book.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 25 Mar 2015, 12:24
by alanultron5
Yes! Like Phil Millar, Michael has a very recognizable drawing style. I hav'nt mentioned him on "Moonsters" strip in my `file` as he just drew the one. Similar to this- I did not mention whoever filled in for Jim Petrie on `Sparky People` strip as it was only three weeks! With "Nosey Parker" though- that strip rotated so many artists that it HAS to be mentioned! Shame we can't yet figure out the "Granny Cupp" or "Cap'n Hood" artists- but there y' go!

Re "Mr Bubbles" That strip used three artists circa late 1974 to its July 1975 demise-of which none I recognise! One of the unknown `Bubbles` artists did draw a few of the more `wacky` strips in the 1977/8/9 Sparky books- especially those "Wild west" themed one's! This artist also drew a really bizarre strip in 1973 "Lion & Thunder" can't recall the title; but it was about two lads on holiday in central Europe who stumble across a mysterious castle- that can fly!! It holds many way-out secret devices and the villian is a "Doctor Skurge"!! Love to know the artist as they drew a couple of superb 1975 "Mr Bubbles" episodes!

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 25 Mar 2015, 12:43
by alanultron5
Rab! back to "Mr Bubbles" Another "I.Spy" artist, "Brian Walker" drew a couple in mid `72` One I recall was about a young boy wanting to be a Policeman.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 25 Mar 2015, 17:30
by Kashgar
An interesting, late, 'Mr Bubbles' artist was Keith 'Rufus' Robson who certainly drew the strip in Sparky Nos 507, 515 and 519 and maybe in other issues I haven't yet checked.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 25 Mar 2015, 19:42
by ISPYSHHHGUY
I remember in the opening introduction, some of the panels where Mr Bubbles talks to the readers directly had a very intricate illustration, where most of the bubbles that made up the construction of the character were painstakingly drawn with a compass: extremely precise work for a 'mere' comic strip, that must have taken the artist absolutely ages to plan out and render.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 15:27
by alanultron5
It was a delightfully inventive strip- which in my view- unlike "Dreamy dave and Dozy Dora" did not run out of steam; indeed, if anything, latter day Mr Bubbles episodes are some of the most inventive I have ever read! An unsung Gem in the comic's output!

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 21:21
by Peter Gray
I liked Mr Bubbles as well...
love the two parter with two children when one ran out of wishes!!

Merlin had to help one boy get back has he ran out of wishes also...tricky only having three..

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 27 Mar 2015, 11:11
by alanultron5
Mr bubbles did actually once grant a fourth wish- reason being the boy said he `hoped` for as first wish- so Bubbles relented!

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 27 Mar 2015, 20:21
by ISPYSHHHGUY
Yes!!!! I remember the 'hope' being discounted as a wish!

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 01 Apr 2015, 11:58
by alanultron5
My favourite was where a young boy wished that a French town he had enjoyed a holiday at could be minaturised and that he could spend more time there!

To be fair to Ray Rab- he mentioned Mr Bubbles in his `Sparky Adventure strips` thread. He and I `Chewed the Cud` over the various artists of both this and the `Klanky` strip. Did you not catch that thread Rab?

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 01 Apr 2015, 19:14
by ISPYSHHHGUY
I have read through all the recent Sparky threads, Alan, and obviously I was not paying close enough attention, and I justly apologize to Kashgar for me putting the proverbial 'foot in it'.

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 02 Apr 2015, 14:01
by alanultron5
My apologies Rab! It is `I` who should be paying attention- oh dear! :shock: :? Anyhow- my thanks to Ray for the `Fun` & `Adventure` strip threads- very good data supplied and a most interesting exchange of views! Hopefully, i'll be more `with it` in weeks to come! :)

Re: Sparky fun strips

Posted: 02 Apr 2015, 14:46
by alanultron5
There was `ONE` strip that straddled both `Fun` and `Adventure` modes in appearance- "Four Legged Fred" Initially, it was a one page `fun` strip; therafter it became a `adventure` styled strip- though obviously slanted humourously. Artist in both formats was John Fox. Has any other comic ran a strip in both formats I wonder?