Ron Smith rediscovered

[philcom55]

For me some of Ron's best work appeared in the full-colour centre-spreads he produced for Topper and Beezer during the 1960s (especially The Heroes of Paradise Street) - not to mention Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice in Diana. Also, don't forget his early Hercules strip in the (New) Hotspur.

[comixminx]

Ron Smith drew two stories for Jinty: "7 Steps to the Sisterhood" in 1978 and "She Shall Have Music" in 1979.

[colcool007]

Folks, do you have issue numbers or even a rough date of publication?

[comixminx]

"7 Steps to the Sisterhood" is 12 August 1978 - 30 September 1978.
"She Shall Have Music" is 28 October 1978 - 17 March 1979

Another source I use & generally respect attributes the art on these two stories to Ian Kennedy; I don't know anything about Kennedy's art but they definitely look like Ron Smith to me. You might want to call it 'disputed'. I will try to do a scan for you.

[colcool007]

"7 Steps to the Sisterhood" is 12 August 1978 - 30 September 1978.
"She Shall Have Music" is 28 October 1978 - 17 March 1979

Another source I use & generally respect attributes the art on these two stories to Ian Kennedy; I don't know anything about Kennedy's art but they definitely look like Ron Smith to me. You might want to call it 'disputed'. I will try to do a scan for you.

I can spot the difference between Messers Kennedy and Smith at a dozen small paces. It used to be further, but I've not been well.

Oh and thank you for the scan when you get it online. I'm quite excited as it is work that I have not seen before.

[philcom55]

I'll try to scan one of his Diana spreads. Incidentally, have you got Ray Moore's indexes for Topper and Beezer Col? In my opinion Ron did some of his most impressive work there.

[comixminx]

Right, here's 3 pages of "7 Steps to the Sisterhood" - the issue it is taken from is 23 September 1978. Do you think it is Ron Smith or Ian Kennedy?

The file uploader on this site says they are too large, so I have uploaded them to the Jinty blog and here are the links:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

[colcool007]

Right, here's 3 pages of "7 Steps to the Sisterhood" - the issue it is taken from is 23 September 1978. Do you think it is Ron Smith or Ian Kennedy?

The file uploader on this site says they are too large, so I have uploaded them to the Jinty blog and here are the links:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

Oh minx, thank you for that. They are classic Ron Smith. If I PM you my email, would you send over the raw images so that I can crop them for the article?

[colcool007]

I'll try to scan one of his Diana spreads. Incidentally, have you got Ray Moore's indexes for Topper and Beezer Col? In my opinion Ron did some of his most impressive work there.

Phil, Alas no. This is where my orientation for the Adventure comics lets me down. However, I am slowly correcting that oversight and Paw Broon has helped me with the Beezer annuals that features some of Ron's work during the 1960s

Also, this is a shout out to Peter Gray. I am stealing some info off your blog!

Just currently trying to figure out if this is Ron's work in The Black Arrow.

Looking through Alan Clark's Dictionary confirms that this is indeed one of Ron's earlier pieces for D C Thomson.

[comixminx]

Right, here's 3 pages of "7 Steps to the Sisterhood" - the issue it is taken from is 23 September 1978. Do you think it is Ron Smith or Ian Kennedy?

The file uploader on this site says they are too large, so I have uploaded them to the Jinty blog and here are the links:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

Oh minx, thank you for that. They are classic Ron Smith. If I PM you my email, would you send over the raw images so that I can crop them for the article?

Excellent, glad to be vindicated - and of course to share the Ron Smith goodness! Yes, happy to send over the raw images, pm away.

[comixminx]

Right, here's 3 pages of "7 Steps to the Sisterhood" - the issue it is taken from is 23 September 1978. Do you think it is Ron Smith or Ian Kennedy?

The file uploader on this site says they are too large, so I have uploaded them to the Jinty blog and here are the links:
Page 1
Page 2
Page 3

Oh minx, thank you for that. They are classic Ron Smith. If I PM you my email, would you send over the raw images so that I can crop them for the article?

Excellent, glad to be vindicated - and of course to share the Ron Smith goodness! Yes, happy to send over the raw images, pm away.

PS I particularly like the bottom left panel on the second page - a fantastic 'swish' through the air as the villain points her arm!

[philcom55]

According to Ray's index Ron's adaptation of The Black Arrow originally appeared in the People's Journal from 27/9/52 to 27/12/52 before being reprinted in Topper no's 165-192 (31/3/56 to 6/10/56).

Some of those 'widescreen' colour strips in Topper, Beezer and Diana are so big that they're hard to scan in full, but here's a half-page sequence from the first episode of 'Blood Brothers of the Spanish Main' - a rip roaring serial which occupied the centre-spread of Beezer from 10/5/58 to 8/11/58 (no's 121-147).

[Robbie Moubert]

Those Jinty pages are interesting as the inking style looks quite different to Smith's other work. I can kind of see in places where someone might think it was Ian Kennedy.

[Kashgar]

Hi Col. There is a list of Ron Smiths work for Topper Beezer and Dandy somewhere on this website under 'Ron Smith' I think. If you want the details of his work for the Thomson boys papers just let me know.

[colcool007]

Hi Col. There is a list of Ron Smiths work for Topper Beezer and Dandy somewhere on this website under 'Ron Smith' I think. If you want the details of his work for the Thomson boys papers just let me know.

I've already found that and will be crediting you for that listing in the article. Just found a place where I can look at Adventure comics and I think that I have died and gone to Heaven as there is so much Ron Smith goodness in there.

As I said, I can feel that there will be an overspill article as there is little bits of information all over the place. I've even found some more stories to credit to Dave Gibbons while I was doing it as well.

And the amount of Carlos Ezquerra art that is in early 70's D C Thomson comics is amazing.