Comics UK

Dear Peter,

From the subject line you can probably guess what?s coming. I attended a British comics faire today and was told by one of the guys who publish Crikey magazine ? which is extremely good by the way ? that Terry Bave died shortly after their interview with him. I expect you know that Jack Oliver also passed away in May, so it?s not a good year for we old-timers who remember the truly classic British comics ? discounting It?s Wicked, of course, that was crap.

Keep the flag flying,

Stephen



I'm gutted.....he was drawing the Beano and Dandy fun comic libraries not that long ago...so drew right to the end. He really was the best with the rest..my comic cartoon style is owed a lot to him.
What a sad year...

Saddened as well. My condolences to those that he left behind, but he did leave a truly unique legacy behind. Oddball and Smiler to name but two. It's been a bad year for losing some great comic artists and creators.

Terry Bave was an enormous asset to IPC - a terrific artist with a very distinctive style; one of the best of any era. My favourite strips of his are Me and my Shadow (probably my absolute favourite, from the early years of Whizzer and Chips), Andy's Ants, Aqua Lad, Jimmy Jeckle and Master Hide, Webster, Ringer Dinger, Draculass, Stoker - Ship's Cat, and Scaredy Cat. So many to choose from.

Very sad news indeed. If you hear any more details, Peter (or anyone), would you please let us know.

Very sorry to read of this sad news. I remember some of Terry's first work fr Odhams (Sammy Shrink) and of course his work for IPC, which was considerable. A pleasant, happy style and a highly skilled craftsman. He was perfect for children's comics. I understand that his wife and he worked as a writer/artist team; an unusual but very successful working combination for comics.

Me and My Shadow, Ginger's Tum, Donovan's Dad, The Slimms.... all good stuff.

My condolences to his family and friends.

Lew

A great loss.

Terry's work provided me with hour upon hour of enjoyment as a child.
Druculass was fangtastic and Scaredy Cat was Purrfect- CATamarrans and octoPUSSes being a particular favourite.

A fond farewell to Terry and condolences to those he's left behind.

This is very sad news. I worked with Terry on the Fun-Sizes and on Winker Watson for the Dandy. He was a pleasure to work with and always enormously professional. This is a real surprise, really sad news. Condolesces to his family. RIP, Terry, and thanks for the fun.

Terry I'm sure he was in his early 80's so reached a good age...though deeply missed by fans...friends and family...

It would be interesting to read his now last interview in Crikey...

Thanks for the info Peter - I was really sad to hear about Terry Bave - as a child I loved his deceptively simple art style and pleasant comic timing - I remember reading Sammy Shrink and Baby Whammer and Baby Smasher in Wham and Smash as a child and loved them - Terry was 75 when he died (according to the web) not really that old by todays standards - thoughts go out to his family and friends - as you say, the last few years has seen an amazing amount of the old comics guard in the UK and USA leaving us - sadly some young artists as well like very talented Mike Weringo (Fantastic Four artist) only in his early 40s

Sad news indeed. The thing with Terry was that he didn't actually get into comic strip work until he was in his mid 30's when he replaced Dave Jenner as the regular artist on Sammy Shrink in Wham in May 1967 (No151). Before that he had been employed as both a cartographer for the Colonial Survey Dept and then in the early 1960's as a packaging designer for C H G Jourdan. Both these jobs having allowed him to cartoon in his spare time for various magazines with his first published cartoon appearing in 'The Picturegoer' in 1954.
It was when his association with Bob Paynter began at IPC/Fleetway in 1969 and he and his wife Sheila helped create so much that eventually turned up in the new two-in-one combined title Whizzer and Chips that his comic career really took flight though and from that point he never looked back.
Twenty years ago the comics' magazine 'Golden Fun' (Nos 15-17)published Terry's autobiography 'A Line in Chuckles' charting his and Sheila's career in comics up to that time and the love of what they produced and the responsibility they felt towards the audience they produced it for shines through and I doubt if another twenty years ever dimmed that enthusisam.

Er...I'm not quite sure how to say this, so I'll just blurt it out.

Terry Bave is alive and well, and currently checking his mirror just to make sure.

I emailed the editor of Jester magazine (the in-house mag of the Cartoonists' Club of Great Britain, of which Terry is a prominent member) this morning to inform him about the sad news broken on this thread, in order that an appropriate obituary could be put together before this month's deadline. The editor immediately called Terry's number, prepared to offer his condolences and garner some copy for the obit, and was no doubt more than a little taken aback to find himself speaking to the allegedly deceased.

It sounds like Terry saw the funny side of it thankfully, but could we please double check all sources when we hear this kind thing?

I'm just glad I didn't say what I really thought of him now (just kidding, Terry - like everyone else here, I grew up on your work...you may not wish to know that of course, since I'm no spring chicken myself, but I'm very happy that we're both still alive and kicking).

I'm so sorry......though good news...

Stephen Archer emailed me the news...

I'm glad Terry is alright with this cock up and laughing...

I'm sorry again. To his wife ...family... friends and fans.

Peter Gray

Where did this idiotic mistake originate? I notice that even Crikey! magazine printed the news in their second issue so the "info" must be a few weeks old at least.

Yesterday I informed Comics International about it, but I have now issued a correction, hopefully not too late!

Lew

Well at least that is good news Peter - these things happen I suppose and good to hear Terry is ok about it - Strange Crikey should print it though .

Not many people get to read their own obit To err is human,to read one's own death notice simply surreal..or should that be divine!