Boys Adventure Comics

4 April 2024

Eric Parker overseas (part 1 of 10)

I've recently begun a lengthy series of blog posts all about renowned illustrator Eric Parker (check out his Wikipedia entry here) who had a 50 year (!) career as a comic illustrator.

I've looked at Roughs (part 1) here
Roughs (part 2) here
Roughs (part 3) here
Roughs (part 4) here
Female heads (part 1) here
Female heads (part 2) here
Female heads (part 3) here

Female heads (part 4) here

Pubs (part 1) here

Pubs (part 2) here

and now we turn our attention to the start of a series of illustrations of foreign climes...

This painted in Cavtat (in Croatia)

can't read what's written here

3 April 2024

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.

2 April 2024

UPDATED: Marvel UK's Worzel Gummidge weekly

For all fans of John Cooper's work don't forget that the Marvel UK Worzel Gummidge weekly (NOT to be confused with the Marvel UK Worzel Gummidge monthly) is stuffed full of his art.

It seems like a hard set to collect so here's what I've managed to track down quickly...all covers by John...got any spare issues? Get in touch!

All new / improved images are as follows...covers for issue 52, 53, 58 and 59 of Rupert weekly with Worzel Gummidge. With thanks to friend of the blog Stuart Vandal who alerted me to these images, thanks!

Issue 1

Issue 2

Issue 3

Issue 4

Issue 5

Issue 6

Issue 7

Issue 8

Issue 9

Issue 10

Issue 11

Issue 12

Issue 13

Issue 14

Issue 15

Issue 16

Issue 17

Issue 18

Issue 19

Issue 20

Issue 21

Issue 22

Issue 23

The title seems to have merged with Rupert weekly - here's issue #49 (dated 21st September 1983)...

...and here's issue #50 (dated 28th September 1983)

...according to this site Worzel weekly only lasted 23 issues (so last issue dated 10th August [1983]) before it merged with Rupert Weekly [28th September 1983] - so a 6 week hiatus from the end of Worzel weekly to it joining Rupert weekly.

I've no idea if John Cooper's artwork continued to appear in Rupert weekly.

Rupert weekly with Worzel Gummidge, issue 51, 05/10/83