George Martin's comic career..

[Peter Gray]

Just started scanning for a new blog post on George Martin..
I'm amazed at the amount of work he has done..
I like his slapstick comic work..

Can someone list what he drew for a bit of help..I'll keep looking..in Plug comic..Cracker..Beano..etc.
Buzz
Calamity Kate
Top Tec

Topper
I've found Jiffy and the Glyphs
Did George draw send for Kelly...which I'm sure he did..

Dandy
Jammy Mr Sammy
Greedy Pigg

[Peter Gray]

I'm starting to realise what an amazing amount he has drawn..
Colonal Blink
Copper Sid

Nutty
Micro Dot
Nip and Scratch..
Jay R

[Jonny Whizz]

I think he drew Janie B Quick in some girls comic (can't remember which one - it might have been Judy) when she was mentioned in a thread about the (much faster!) Billy Whizz a few months down the line.

[Kashgar]

If you pick up a copy of Crikey (either 8 or 9) Peter it includes a stripography of George that I prepared. He did indeed draw Janie B Quick for Judy JW.

[philcom55]

Don't forget The Hillys and the Billys - one of my favourite strips from Beezer!

- Phil Rushton

[Peter Gray]

Found lots more
the Jolly Roger...remember that one well..
Claude Hopper
Sonny Boy
Desperate Dawg

I don't have any Crikey except the new one..
what a shame..
if anyone can tell me the exact issue I'll look on ebay for it..

[stevezodiac]

I've always wondered if George wrote his own scripts as all his strips had the same slapstick segment in them. Those distinctive puffed out lips will sit in my memory forever and that leg bent up behind the other when he drew someone walking.

[Kashgar]

I've always wondered if George wrote his own scripts as all his strips had the same slapstick segment in them. Those distinctive puffed out lips will sit in my memory forever and that leg bent up behind the other when he drew someone walking.

George did write a lot of his own scripts, particularly for his work that appeared in Topper and Dandy.
Off the top of my head a list of George's strips should certainly include the following

Dandy

Wily Smiley the Jungle Joker (first Thomson strip)
Robinson and his dog Crusoe
Mr Mutt
Jammy Mr Sammy
Greedy Pigg
Claude Hopper
Desperate Dawg
Jolly Roger

Topper

Captain Bungle
Smart Art
Julius Cheeser
Send for Kelly
Arty
Ali Babble
Old Batty
Jiffy and the Glyphs

Beezer

Dopey Dinah
The Hillys and the Billys
Young Sid the Copper's Kid
Blinky

Buzz

Top Tec
Calamity Kate

Sparky

The Planet of the Nirdles

Nutty

Ethel Red
Nip and Rrip
Jay R Hood

Hoot

Comic Cuts

I'm sure that I've missed one or two but the above is a pretty fair representation of what he drew in his forty year career as a freelancer for Thomsons.

[Peter Gray]

thanks Kashgar...very useful..have to get a Nirdle one up..love that one from Sparky..
I'll put the list up on the blog..
Can anyone help Ian on my blog post on George Martin

I've been trying to find out the name of this artist for a long time now. Thanks to Toonhound (http://www.toonhound.com/), he pointed me in your direction. AT LAST!!

The art of George Martin is what sparked my own creative juices as a boy, and why I'm still mad about drawing and the art of art today.

Can you answer this: George Martin drew a daily 3-panel strip for the Birmingham Daily Mail (I believe...could be wrong). I loved this strip, and followed it for the few years it was published. It was probably the late 70s, or early 80s. The same character was illustrated throughout, and I think the name of the strip was the name of the character. What was great about it was that there were NO words...it was like a Charlie Chaplin "silent movie" strip that showed off his slapstick style of art perfectly.

Does this ring any bells for you, Peter, or anyone else out there in cyber world?!

Cheers,

Ian.

[philcom55]

I can't find any examples but George drew at least two newspaper strips, one of which was called 'Bunion' and the other (I think) 'Stymie'.

- Phil Rushton

[AndyB]

George also drew several Dennis strips for the Beano Comic Libraries, starting (I think) with No.15, Tennis Menace. Ray, can you confirm that?

[Peter Gray]

Cladge said...
It was Bunion...I'm pretty sure. The name sounds right. Thanks for that. I've never tried this before, but I might try and approach the Birmingham Mail as a start and see if they have anything in their archives. I'd love to see some of those strips again.

Cheers, Ian.

Been rereading the Planet of the Nirdles really great wacky stuff..
love the annual one with the dog and cat cracker one..Sparky 1978.....will put up as a blog post sometime..

I love doing the blog it really gets me to look at more detail each artist and comic page..really worth studying..

[Kashgar]

I'll check on the George Martin 'Tennis the Menace' and get back to you Andy.
I'm pretty sure the strip that Cladge remembers will be Bunion as Stimey, although along the same lines, always had a sporting theme. Stimey was featured in the Thomson boy's paper Champ if memory serves.
George drew Bunion throughout his career, from 1950 through to the time of his death in 1994.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I always felt that GEORGE was one of the very best layout artists in UK 'funnies' history; his ability to
render the essentials of a slapstick gag , or to conjure up a sense of 'place' within a scene-----without cutting obvious corners-------was second-to-none, in my view.

[Kashgar]

Correct Andy. BCL No 15 Tennis Menace drawn by George Martin also a second Dennis issue No 35 Count Whackula.