Rodrigo was active in the mid-1960s with at least a couple of UK credits. Almost certainly a Spanish artist... or perhaps two artists, one providing internal artwork in 1966 and another producing a cover in 1968. If anyone can reveal more about Rodrigo, please drop me a line.
Update: Thanks to José Ruiz DelAmor we have a suggestion (see comments below) as to who the artist might be: Rodrigo Muñoz Ballester. An illustrator, cartoonist and painter born in Tangier in 1950, Rodrigo (as he signs himself) is best known for the biographical homoerotic comic serial 'Manuel', first published in the Madrid-based monthly arts magazine Luna in 1983-84 and reprinted, with other works, in book form as Manuel No Está Solo (Ediciones Sinsentido, 2005).
Lambiek describes the work as "A highly experimental and anti-conventional work ... reminiscent of such varied artistic trends as an almost photographic realism, expressionism, surrealism and even abstract art."
(There, that's saved you the effort of translating José's comment!)
If correct, it would mean Rodrigo was drawing for Commando when he was 15 or 16, which may seem a little early for the confident artwork seen below. Still, it wasn't unknown for artists to begin working in studios very young.
Is possible...
ReplyDeleteRODRIGO (Rodrigo Muñoz Ballester)
Tánger (España), 1950
ILUSTRADOR, HISTORIETISTA, PINTOR
Firmas: RODRIGO
Dibujante e historietista español nacido en Tánger principalmente conocido por su serie de historietas biográficas Manuel, publicada en la revista Luna de Madrid.
https://ultrawolvesunderthefullmoon.home.blog/2020/06/25/rodrigo-munoz-ballester/
ReplyDeleteI still think that the black & white comic art shown is way too good for a novice 15-year-old to draw. I've found no evidence that Rodrigo Muñoz Ballester was even active at that age, let alone working professionally via an agent for foreign comic markets.
ReplyDelete