Comics UK

Knowsnowt done a runner

Obviously Al hasn't seen this thread yet. Someone send him an email eh?

EDIT: Didn't realise the mods could change thread titles.

Good to hear everything's okay Euan. Thanks for so many great years in comics - you've made a lot of people very happy indeed. I think what you've done for BeanoMax has been a real achievement, getting the new comic off the ground well.

Best wishes, Jonny

Sorry about the delay in changing the title. But I was double-booked and have only just got back to Internet! Title has been changed to reflect the more accurate event of Euan moving from office to the links!

Nice one Euan ! Have a great time on the golf course. Remember the last time we played ? your son's friend lost half his teeth or at least ahem that's how I seem to remember it.
I've have known you for over 20 years and thankyou for all your support my friend.
I wish I was closer so I could go buy you a few pints and talk about barmcakes.

Euan was the first to give me my start ghost drawing billy whizz and soon invited me to move up to Dundee. 18 years later after a long time away from DCT he gave me work again, NOW!
I'm buggered aren't I! who's gonna give me work now lol!

I salute you Euan

Steve Horrocks

Steve, I have a question for you. Around when did you ghost Billy Whizz, and about how many did you do? As my username suggests, I'm a big whizz fan, and would like to know. I don't think I've ever seen any Billy Whizz strips of yours - I don't think they've been reprinted (or have they - maybe I've missed something, but it's mostly been first David Parkins then Vic Neill reprints).

Yeah, with a few Trevor Metcalfe strips being the only reprinted Billys which were signed. I'm glad most modern strips are signed now. Wish DCT had allowed it in the past, then we wouldn't have to ask. Although I suppose the whole point of ghosting is to pretend that you're the regular artist.

Hi jonny

I only ever ghosted for billy. The first ones I drew where about 18 years ago and they were
ghost jobs of the original style . I think I drew maybe no more than 20 but can't be sure. they reprinted some in classics of comics.
last year I ghosted a few for Euan for beano max in and attempted Dave Parkins style . I wish I could have drawn him in my own style lol! ghosting doesn't hold much interest for me these days.

hope that helps.

cheers

Steve

Thanks Steve for the information. I didn't know until recently that you'd actually drawn Billy Whizz. I assume you will have drawn some of the strips in the gap between Mal Judge's death and David Parkins becoming the permanent artist.

Could anyone scan in one of Steve's Billy Whizzes, even the more recent ones from BeanoMax? Ghosting David Parkins' style seems a little ironic, given much of his artwork (Fred's Bed) was ghosting another artist, the great Tom Paterson.

No I actually just did ghost work wnen Mal was still alive. I left DCT soon after he died. I did a few strips years later for Beano max. it wasn't that close to dave parkins style though

Thanks again for the information Steve. Ghost artists aren't as prominent as they used to be. Nowadays, many artists sign their work, which they simply weren't allowed to (with a couple of exceptions) until the 1990s, and everyone seems to be given a chance to have a go at the own styles. Minnie was ghosted quite a bit in the Beano in the middle of this decade, just before you drew it actually, but in the current comic you would be able to identify the different artists fairly easily (if not knowing who they are, at least being able to spot their style, rather than confusing them for an artist with a similar style).

Jonny Whizz wrote:Thanks again for the information Steve. Ghost artists aren't as prominent as they used to be. Nowadays, many artists sign their work, which they simply weren't allowed to (with a couple of exceptions) until the 1990s, and everyone seems to be given a chance to have a go at the own styles.

It was only Thomsons who forbade signatures until the 1990s, but I presume that's what you meant? Polystyle were ok with signed strips (and even credited artwork in Countdown/TV Action in 1971-73) and IPC gradually warmed to the idea in the 1970s. (Odhams had allowed artists to sign work in the Sixties.)

The first job I did for IPC was ghosting Tom Paterson on a four page Scooper strip for the Jackpot Annual 1986 but I was allowed to sign it. You're right that ghosting was much more common years ago, particularly when companies such as AP had house styles and everyone was trying to draw like Roy Wilson.

Lew

Hi Lew
I've found it.can I cheekly do a blog post on it..

Peter Gray wrote:Hi Lew
I've found it.can I cheekly do a blog post on it..

If you want to, of course. I'll PM you with more info to use.

Lew

Got your PM..
thanks for the extra info..

must go to bed..wasn't Torchwood dark!!!