Bob McGrath what else did he draw?

[Jonny Whizz]

That's an interesting thought actually. When you think about it, artists can be split up into 'generations'. You could do the same for characters as well, though that would have to be for a particular comic, whereas this applies to all DC Thomson comics.

These are my suggestions (like a sort of DCT 'Hall of fame')
1940s - Dudley Watkins and Allan Morley
1950s (The Golden Age) - Leo Baxendale, Ken Reid and David Law
1960s - Bob Nixon, Bob McGrath, Mal Judge and David Sutherland
1970s - Ken Harrison, Barrie Appleby and Vic Neill
1980s - Tom Paterson (he started before then, but he only joined DCT in 1986)
1990s - Nigel Parkinson
2000s - Mike Pearse, Laura Howell and Hunt Emerson
(honourable mentions for Jamie Smart and Gary Northfield)

Relatively few top artists appeared to start in the '80s or '90s - the Beano's stability in the early 1980s is well known (not one new strip started for four years, between 1980 and 1984!), but it is curious nonetheless. Fortunately, a number of talented and distinctive artists have made the mark in DCT's comics over the last decade.

Of course, you might think my choices are rubbish and think you can make a better list!

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

your choices are certainly not 'rubbish', Jonny, but I would add KEN HUNTER: artist of 'BIG FAT BOKO, MR FLIPPY, DANNY'S TRANNY etc for his peerless work in BEEZER/TOPPER in the large-format days especially.

[AndyB]

You can add John Geering, Bill Ritchie and Gordon Bell to the 1960s - and I think Bob Nixon is worth a second mention for his impact on his return to DCT in the 1980s.

I'd also mention David Parkin and Mike Pearse in the 1990s.

[Old Freddy]

I think that as the 1980's progressed Sutherland stopped impersonating other artists and developed his own style. Dennis the Menace and the Bash street kids started to look more like they were by the same artist as opposed to two different ones at the start of the 1970s.

One perticular artist he can't really impersonate is Bob Nixon. I say this because when he drew Korky the Cat it was being drawn in the same style he had drawn Biffo the Bear in, and on the front covers of the earlier Beano books he had the reputation of drawing Ivy the Terrible.. er.. terrible.

[Digifiend]

I'd also mention David Parkin and Mike Pearse in the 1990s.

Yes, didn't Pearse take over The Three Bears around 1998/9? That would indeed be 90s, not 2000s.

What did Geering draw in the 60s? I thought Antchester United and Puss and Boots were his earliest Thomson stuff, and those are from the 70s.

[Jonny Whizz]

Digifiend, Sparky started in 1965. I assume Puss and Boots were introduced fairly earlier on (if not at the very start). So John Geering started in the 1960s.

Mike Pearse did indeed start in the 1990s, so yes he should go there.
Bill Ritchie and Gordon Bell both deserve a mention.
I'm not sure about David Parkins - he drew Dennis the Menace, Billy Whizz, The Three Bears and Fred's Bed. The first three are all famous, but he's never really become associated with any strips, like you would associate Jonah with Ken Reid, or Puss and Boots with John Geering, or Calamity James with Tom Paterson. However, he has a good style, so he deserves a mention.

Revised list (new additions in capitals)
1940s - Watkins and Morley
1950s - Baxendale, Reid, Law
1960s - Nixon, McGrath, Sutherland, Judge, GORDON BELL,
BILL RITCHIE, JOHN GEERING
1970s - Harrison, Neill, Appleby, KEN HUNTER
1980s - Paterson, BOB NIXON (second time), STEVE BRIGHT
1990s - NP, DAVID PARKINS, Mike Pearse (moved)
2000s - Emerson, Howell, Smart
I can assure you there's others I left out!

Gary Northfield isn't mentioned because he has never drawn a regular strip, as far as I know, though he is to be commended for the impact he's made. The same can be said for Kev F.

[Digifiend]

No, Puss and Boots didn't appear until later. Around 1970 I think. Certainly not 1965.

[Old Freddy]

I'm not sure about David Parkins - he drew Dennis the Menace, Billy Whizz, The Three Bears and Fred's Bed. The first three are all famous, but he's never really become associated with any strips, like you would associate Jonah with Ken Reid, or Puss and Boots with John Geering, or Calamity James with Tom Paterson.

He also drew Desperate dan from 1991-1994 but I think he's a little underrated when it comes to Desperate Dan artists (c'mon, people even mention trevor metcalfe doing the strip and he only ghosted it!)

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

PUSS n BOOTS started in summer 1969.....trust me! The very first page is illustrated on [around] page four of my I SPY thread.

[Kashgar]

Looking at the list I think there are one or two artists who are in the wrong decades. For instance both Bill Ritchie, who had his first big hit with Baby Crockett in the Beezer in the 1950's, and Ken Hunter who as well as his early work for Dandy and Beano was a regular contributor to both Topper and Beezer from the very start, should be credited in that decade rather than in the 1960's and 1970's.

[AndyB]

And John also drew Monkey Business (sp?) for the Dandy, including work in the 1971 Dandy Book, which definitely dates him to the 60s!

[Digifiend]

Eh? I thought Monkey Business was an 80s strip. Must've been revived or reprinted? The 1971 annual story could have been drawn in the first few months of 1970, but anyway, it looks like he started working for Thomsons in 1969, so it's irrelevant.

[AndyB]

It was the story of three monkeys - an older bowler-hatter monkey who ran a store, and two younger monkeys (son and daughter?) who tried to avoid work as best they could.

[Digifiend]

We're thinking of the same story then. But I didn't know it was originally around in the 60s, I always thought it was an 80s strip. Then again, Brassneck stopped in the early 70s only to return about a decade later, so MB is not the only one to be revived after a long absence.