John Armstrong (1923-2018)

John Armstrong, whom Pat Mills once described as "the Brian Bolland of girls' comics," died peacefully on Tuesday, 28 August 2018, aged 94. He is best known for such strips as "Cherry and the Children" (1960-68), "Bella at the Bar" (1974-84), inspired by the huge popularity of Russian gymnast Olga Korbut, and his contributions to the girls' horror comic Misty, including "Moonchild" (1978), some of which have been recently reprinted by Rebellion.

Armstrong's greatest talent was his ability to capture emotional subtleties in the faces of his characters, and, in his gymnastic and ballet stories, the energy of every leap and spin. This was achieved by using photo reference: Armstrong had a passion is for ice-skating and for many years he used young fellow-skaters as his models thanks to a convenient photo-booth, and these photos were used as reference for the faces and facial expressions he drew into his comic strips. Bella was based on the niece of his then girlfriend, who grew up with the fictional character.

Of his forty-five years drawing comics he later said: "All in all, thanks to all the writers and editors who have provided the inspiration for my artwork, my life seems to have been one long holiday, just being absorbed by my favourite pastimes!"

Born in Middlesbrough in October 1923, he was the fourth child of John Armstrong, an antiques dealer, and his wife Lilian (nee Kelsey), who had married in 1917 and already had three daughters. Although keen on drawing whilst attending infants and secondary schools – horses were a favourite subject – his first lessons came at a deserted palace outside Rangoon while he was serving in the Army, started as a way to keep troops busy.

On demob, Armstrong attended Middlesbrough's Constantine College, passing his Intermediate Arts and Crafts and gaining National Diplomas in Design in both painting and illustration. On the advice of the college's principal, Armstrong spent a year in Teacher Training College, although his interest in comics meant he could entertain his students by drawing Tarzan in the style of Burne Hogarth.

He found work with a Newcastle advertising agency, meeting commercial artists for the first time. After a year, he travelled to London armed with a folder of samples, a copy of the Writer's and Artist's Year Book and an A to Z. After vising 40 studios, publishers and agents, he was offered work with Chamberlain's Art Studio, who had offices opposite St. Paul's ("great for watching the Lord Mayor's show"). His first freelance commission was from Putnam Books Education Department for a poetry book.

After a year Armstrong acquired an agent and left the studio for freelance work. His first comic strip was "The Mystery Ballerina" in Girls' Crystal (1954). For the same paper he drew stories of school girls, young film stars, treasure seekers, skaters, pop stars and others, honing his abilities over a period of almost a decade.

"Cherry and the Children", for a time the cover stars of Girls' Crystal, followed the adventures of Cherry Bryant who, unlike many of the stars of Girls' Crystal, lived in a council house with her two siblings, Tim and baby Sue, and their Mum, who struggles to get by on the wages paid by the local cigarette factory. Over the years, stories ranged from battling nasty neighbours who want them to get rid of their puppy, Boxer, and discovering that Cherry's friends are skipping netball practice to hang out at a coffee shop to being stranded on an uninhabited island, menaced by a pair of crooks searching for gold. Cherry's adventures proved so popular with readers that she survived two mergers, between School Friend & Girls' Crystal in 1963 and June & School Friend in 1965.

Armstrong also contributed to Schoolgirls Picture Library, Glamour and Girl before finding himself one of the mainstays of June, Sally, Tammy and Sandie in the 1960s and 1970s. It was in Tammy that he launched "Bella at the Bar" in June 1974, the story of Bella Barlow, an ambitious gymnast living in a seedy terraced house with her over-demanding uncle Jed and Aunt Gertrude, who treat her as nothing more than a skivvy. However, her natural athletic talents lead her to competitions, training and, eventually, a place with the British team.

Between drawing thousands of gymnastic poses for Bella, Armstrong was also drew the notorious "Becky Never Saw the Ball" (Tammy, 1974) and Carrie-inspired "Moonchild" and various other strips for horror comic Misty in 1978-79.

Following the demise of IPC's comics in the 1980s, Armstrong drew "Grange Hill" for BEEB (1985) before transferring to D C Thomson's girls' titles where he could draw on his thirty years of experience for such strips as "The Secret Gymnast" (Bunty, 1993-94), one of dozens he drew for that title until retiring in 2000. For the first time he was able to draw in colour for annuals and for his year-long stint as Bunty's cover artist.

In later years he revived his interest in painting and he began producing portraits of his skating friends in oils and providing artwork for the Ice Rink Pantomimes. His love for skating, both ice and roller, never diminished.

In 2003, Armstrong accepted an invitation to attend the Raptus convention in Bergen, Norway, and in recent years his artwork began to receive recognition from fans as interest in recording the history of girls' comics has grown.

Tributes to Armstrong and his work have been published by John Freeman (Down the Tubes) and Lew Stringer (Blimey!); my reviews of recent Armstrong reprints: Misty Vol.1 review; Bella at the Bar review.

Pat Mills has posted a tribute at his Millsverse website.