LOOKING FOR INFO ON KEN REID

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:53

Any info on my favourite UK artist Ken Reid
would be appreciated - especially any info
on his FUDGE THE ELF work any cheap reprints
or sites (outwith Savoy) on the man - Thanks

Originally posted by Paul on the old forum on 07/07/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:54

Hi there Paul
Yeah, love the artwork of Ken Reid.... Turning to a page he'd drawn was one of the highlights of reading those 70's comics. Wonderful stuff.
Check out lambiek.net, which is a comic artist site. U can click on Ken Reid and from there link to an interview with the man. Or check out bookpalace.com, who are selling the two (still out of print I believe) Fudge books, one of which was about 15 pounds. They also have 3 pieces of (rather expensive) original artwork. Great stuff. Hope this is of help.
Andy

Originally posted by Andy on the old forum on 09/07/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:54

...... Forgot to mention that there's a brief introduction to some of his comic strips on the wonderful site toonhound.com. Check it out.
Cheers, Andy

Originally posted by Andy J on the old forum on 09/07/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:55

Andy and Jim - THanks a lot for this info
some atuff I wasn't aware of that I'll be
looking into later.

Originally posted by Paul on the old forum on 18/07/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:55

Hi. Here's some info from a Beano fan site:
http://www.paulmorris.co.uk/beano/

Manchester-born Ken Reid (1919-1987) was
introduced to D.C. Thomson by his artist brother-
in-law, Bill Holdroyd. Reid is probably best known for creating Roger the Dodger (1953) and
Grandpa (1955). He also drew Angel Face and Bing-Bang Benny for The Dandy.
His masterpiece, however, was the one-man
nautical disaster Jonah which started in issue 817 (March 15 1958) and ran until June 8th 1963. Jonah was apparently Reid?s personal favourite,
and few would disagree. Jonah was replaced by his similarly goonish schoolgirl sister, "Jinx", but this strip was shortlived as Reid left Thomsons the following year.
He was persuaded to go by his friend Leo Baxendale, to help him with the new comic Wham!.
Another well-known character, Frankie Stein, was
created for Wham! (later revived in Shiver and Shake and Whoopee! by Robert Nixon). Reid was particularly drawn to the macabre, as
with his 'Creepy Creations' in the former. Otherwise, his most notable characteristic is facial contortion. Most of his strips centre on a maniacal character bringing disaster down upon his fellows, who respond with
Reid's trademark howls of dismay. His seventies strip Faceache (Monster Fun, later Buster) combines these two facets of his work in the eponymous hero who can 'scrunge' his face into innumerable bizarre formations.

Ken Reid is also mentioned (there's a photo too)in Leo Baxendales'(Bash Street Kids, Willy the Kid) autobiography 'A Very Funny Business' published in hardback and paperback by Duckworth in 1978.
If you're interested in British comics history it's well worth the read if you can find it.

Originally posted by Jim Croasdale on the old forum on 10/07/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:56

Paul

In response to your inquiry about "The Master" (Ken Reid) and Fudge The Elf here is a little info for you. Fudge was first published in the Manchester Evening News on April 7th 1938. The first book of all original work called The "Adventures of Fudge the Elf" was published by Hodder & Stoughton and put on sale for Xmas 1939. In 1941 University of London University Press Ltd. published "Frolics With Fudge" which comprised of Evening News reprints. Reid was called up in 1941 and the next annual did not appear until 1947 when London University Press published more reprints entitled "Fudges Trip to the Moon". These were followed by "Fudge in Bubbleville" (1948), "Fudge and the Dragon" (1949,)"Fudge in Toffytown" (1950)and lastly "Fudge Turns Detective". In 1948 Reid also did a one shilling mini book called Dilly Duckling by Brockhampton Press with an advertisement on the back for a rubber duck version of Dilly. Fudge ran until 1961 when Reid finally decided to give it up due to ill health. Peter Hansen Vancouver

Originally posted by Big Pete on the old forum on 30/12/2003

Old Forum Fella · Post by **Old Forum Fella** » 10 Apr 2006, 21:56

check out: http://www.fudge-the-elf.com

Originally posted by Anonymous on the old forum on 24/07/2005