John Gillatt - early influences

Swiped from an ebay sale a while ago is this letter from comic artist John Gillatt all about his formative comic influences

Sjakie & Rob van de Rovers repriints

I've looked previously (here and here) at a few of the Dutch reprints of Billy's Boots that have been produced. That was quite a lengthy series of reprints volumes - stretching to at least 33 volumes. I've got most of those volumes (I'm just missing volumes 23 & 25) but there are a few more things that you could be looking out for once you've collected all those Billy's Boots volumes. This is by no means a complete guide to what's out there, it's just a introduction...

This is a (nearly) A5 sized text novel, approx. 70 pages long. Only one internal illustration.

Tom Kerr style cover for this reprint of the very earliest Billy's Boots stories. A4 size, paperback, full colour throughout. These stories are covered in pages 3-47 of the Billy's Boots reprint from Rebellion.

This is like one of the 'regular' reprint volumes only it's got a bit of extra content in it - quizzes, puzzles, skills etc. A4, full colour throughout, 64 pages.

A4 sized, black & white art throughout. 94 pages - of which 2/3rds is Roy of the Rovers and 1/3rd is Billy's Boots.

80 page, A4 sized, full colour throughout. Half Billy's Boots, half Roy of the Rovers.

A 'double' reprint album - this combines volumes 10 & 11 of the 'classic' album reprints. Why, since it's double album #1, it doesn't reprint volumes 1 & 2 is beyond me. Presumably they had lots of unsold copies of volumes 10 & 11 and this was the best way to get rid of them!

A postcard, art by Tom Kerr.

UPDATED: John Gillatt - original art

Shamelessly lifted (for posterity!) from the always interesting "BOCAC - British Original Comic Art Collectors" Facebook group are these two examples of John Gillatt's work for his Dutch (reprint) publisher.

The lucky owner said...These came into my possession back in 1987, given to me by the owner of an art agency in Chichester Rents, London (long since demolished!)

and now another image has come to light...

the owner says...The Dutch 'Het Stripschap' had ten original covers made by John in their archives. They where returned to John in 2012.

John Gillatt - original art

Shamelessly lifted (for posterity!) from the always interesting "BOCAC - British Original Comic Art Collectors" Facebook group are these two examples of John Gillatt's work for his Dutch (reprint) publisher.

The lucky owner said...These came into my possession back in 1987, given to me by the owner of an art agency in Chichester Rents, London (long since demolished!)

Ka-Boom - the art of creating comics (part 3)

Currently running at the Story Museum in Oxford is "Ka-Boom - the art of creating comics" - details here. There's plenty of original art featured in the exhibition. 

I showed an initial selection here

A second selection here here

And here's some more...

Hot-Shot Hamish art from a 1980 issue of Tiger

17th August 1996 Dennis the Menace cover for the Beano by David Sutherland 

more Dennis the Menace art from the Beano - dated 17th August 1996 - art by David Sutherland

2000AD covers by John Higgins

Billy's Boots artwork - on the caption this is credite to John Gillatt - but it looks much more like the work of Tom Kerr to me. Intriguingly there's a (c)2001 on it - where was Billy's Boots being printed / originated in 2001??

and some Jamie Smart art to finish off

Cricket annuals

Off to watch England play cricket today so here's a selection of cricket annuals (those were the days!) to get you in the mood (!) for the Summer...

covers (above and below) by John Gillatt

I think this is the first Denis Compton annual (1951)

Denis Compton's annual - 1952

Denis Compton's annual - 1953

Denis Compton's annual - 1954

Denis Compton's annual - 1955

Denis Compton's annual - 1956

Denis Compton's annual - 1957

So as well as Denis Compton being famous enough to have a series of annuals published I wondered what other cricketers might have had this privilege conferred on them...

1983 (above)

1984 (below)

Sadly I'm not sure the equivalent annual exists today, so no annual for Kevin Pietersen, Ben Stokes or Joe Root any time soon I fear :(

One last one though, this one (from 1980) not apparently featuring Ian Botham at all...

Have I missed any other annuals - can you help? I'd also be interested in cricket strips, again, details welcomed

Update...David Gower liked the tweet I put out about the above annuals - yay!

 

Cricket annuals

I should have been watching England play Test cricket on Friday but it didn't happen, so, instead, here's a selection of cricket annual to get you in the mood (!) for the Summer..

covers (above and below) by John Gillatt

I think this is the first Denis Compton annual (1951)

Denis Compton's annual - 1952

Denis Compton's annual - 1953

Denis Compton's annual - 1954

Denis Compton's annual - 1955

Denis Compton's annual - 1956

Denis Compton's annual - 1957

So as well as Denis Compton being famous enough to have a series of annuals published I wondered what other cricketers might have had this privilege conferred on them...

1983 (above)

1984 (below)

Sadly I'm not sure the equivalent annual exists today, so no annual for Kevin Pietersen, Ben Stokes or Joe Root any time soon I fear :(

One last one though, this one (from 1980) not apparently featuring Ian Botham at all...

Have I missed any other annuals - can you help? I'd also be interested in cricket strips, again, details welcomed

Update...David Gower liked the tweet I put out about the above annuals - yay!