Name that Spooky Artist [NAMED!]

[colcool007]

Just been moving even more comics and this reminds me of Maeve the Many Armed from 2000AD. The artist of Maeve was a guy called Mick Austin. It looks like Mick Austin, the artist of Maeve, started in the mid-80's so I wonder if this style influenced him in any way?

[fústar]

Just been moving even more comics and this reminds me of Maeve the Many Armed from 2000AD. The artist of Maeve was a guy called Mick Austin. It looks like Mick Austin, the artist of Maeve, started in the mid-80's so I wonder if this style influenced him in any way?

Wasn't Maeve the Many Armed illustrated by the same artist who did Armoured Gideon? Pretty sure it was. If that's the case then it was Simon Jacob. Not Mick Austin.

He had a very distinctive (grotesque) style alright.

[fústar]

Looks like this is doomed to remain a mystery forever. Doomed!

[Kashgar]

Not in a position to search through my files at the moment but from memory I think the artist in question may be Brian Delaney.

[helsbels]

I think Brian Delaney is the artist who drew "Paint It Black" and "The Four Faces Of Eve" in Misty and he also drew a number of humourous stories in the Diana annuals. His style is very, very similar to that of "Spooky" (indeed, I used to get them confused) - but I do think these are two different artists. I'd love to know who "Spooky" is, though.

[philcom55]

There's a definite similarity, but I agree with Helsbels that they appear to be two different artists. Here's a page of 'Paint it Black' for comparison (and note Maggie's dialogue in the bottom panel for a truly 'Spooky' coincidence! ):



- Phil Rushton

[colcool007]

Just been moving even more comics and this reminds me of Maeve the Many Armed from 2000AD. The artist of Maeve was a guy called Mick Austin. It looks like Mick Austin, the artist of Maeve, started in the mid-80's so I wonder if this style influenced him in any way?

Wasn't Maeve the Many Armed illustrated by the same artist who did Armoured Gideon? Pretty sure it was. If that's the case then it was Simon Jacob. Not Mick Austin...

Fustar, no I wasn't thinking of the Armoured Gideon artist. [cool art, pants script] and I did check with the 2000AD website first as my box of 2000AD comics is still at the eldest daughter's house. Austin's art was more rounded than Jacob's as Jacob's art always seemed to have pointy bits everywhere. OK, not a very technical way of describing it, but it's how I perceive the style to be!

[Kashgar]

On second thoughts I withdraw the Brian Delaney suggestion and will try harder in the future not to mislead.

[fústar]

The Brian Delaney stuff is so similar that I (previously) almost posted a scan from his Misty work as an example of "Spooky". Close comparison of the two, however, convinced me they weren't one and the same. But they're undoubtedly from the same (spooky) school.

Still, we're making progress in terms of who it isn't! And though I'd seen his stuff many times and oft, I hadn't known Brian Delaney's name till now.

Jacob's art always seemed to have pointy bits everywhere.

That about sums him up alright!

[Kashgar]

I've contacted the final editor of Bunty Ann Kemp and she has identified the artist as David Matysiak a native of Fife who has worked for Thomsons as an illustrator since 1968. As he works in the Thomson offices preparing illustrations for their range of women's magazines Ann even kindly went to the bother of tracking him down and asking him to identify the artwork himself which he duly did.

[Phoenix]

I've contacted the final editor of Bunty Ann Kemp and she has identified the artist as David Matysiak a native of Fife who has worked for Thomsons as an illustrator since 1968. As he works in the Thomson offices preparing illustrations for their range of women's magazines Ann even kindly went to the bother of tracking him down and asking him to identify the artwork himself which he duly did.

If ever there was a post that justified my recommendation of Ray Moore to Adam Riches's triumvirate and Tony Ingram, this just has to be it.

[Digifiend]

Finally identified! Nice one Ray, you've been missed.

[fústar]

I've contacted the final editor of Bunty Ann Kemp and she has identified the artist as David Matysiak a native of Fife who has worked for Thomsons as an illustrator since 1968. As he works in the Thomson offices preparing illustrations for their range of women's magazines Ann even kindly went to the bother of tracking him down and asking him to identify the artwork himself which he duly did.

That is fantastic! Many thanks Ms. Kemp. Many thanks Mr. Kashgar. I can finally sleep peacefully at nights...till the next unnamed artist of yore comes along...

Must try and find contact details for Mr. Matysiak so I can gush fan-boy-like at him.

[Phoenix]

I've been idling away an hour or two this morning looking through my lists of titles from Thomsons' girls' papers for one I think I remember about a mysterious shop that appears and disappears, a recent topic on a different thread. This title from a 1980 issue of Debbie looked promising so I got the relevant papers out to check them. Hopes were dashed unfortunately, but the artwork looks to my untutored eye like that of David Matysiak, the artist Kashgar recently identified for fustar. I am posting the first page both on the offchance that it is, and that fustar just may not have seen it before.

[Kashgar]

It certainly is he Derek.