World of Wonder part 91

Andrew Howat

 

 

Peter Jackson

 

Ray Calloway

(* World of Wonder © Look and Learn Ltd.)

Worlds of Wonder part 90

 

 

 

(* World of Wonder © Look and Learn Ltd.)

World of Wonder part 89

 

 

Glover

Ron Embleton

(* World of Wonder © Look and Learn Ltd.)

World of Wonder part 88 bonus

I'm posting this bonus episode for two reasons. Firstly, because it's cold and I thought you'd enjoy this article from a 1972 issue of World of Wonder.

The second reason is because the opening illustration below is by John Smith. However, this is not the same John Smith—John S. Smith, as he signed himself—who produced the naval illustrations in episode 88. Given that John Smith is the most common name in Great Britain, maybe it isn't surprising that there have been two illustrators named John Smith, or that they might both have contributed to the same magazine.

I would be very interested to learn more about this second John Smith. The name is too common to make a meaningful search online, but maybe someone out there will have some info.

 

John Smith

David Nockels

(* World of Wonder © Look and Learn Ltd.)

World of Wonder part 88

We haven't had a run of these for quite a while—September 2013!—so I'm glad to have a chance for another little run of illustrations from World of Wonder. Always considered the poorer sibling of Look and Learn, I was fortunate to have a pretty good run of the title given to me. Looking through made me realise that there was always some artwork of interest in every issue. These galleries are compiled on the simple premise that if a page makes me stop and look twice, I scan it. I hope you'll agree that there is some wonderful art to be found in its pages.

 

 

 John S. Smith

L. Ashwell Wood

(* World of Wonder © Look and Learn Ltd.)

John Berry (1920-2009)

As an artist, John Berry—Jack to his family—was best known as a regular illustrator for Ladybird Books, notably their "People at Work", "Public Services" and the "Hannibal the Hamster" books by Raymond Howe.

John Leslie Berry was born in Hammersmith, London, on 9 June 1920, the son of John James Berry and his wife Grace Katharine (nee Marke), who were married shortly before Christmas 1919. His father, a railway guard, abandoned his family, leaving Grace to raise her five-year-old son and three-year-old daughter, Win.

Berry was educated locally before being accepted into Hammersmith College of Art in 1934. He earned a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy five years later but was unable to take up his place due to the outbreak of the Second World War, a disappointment he carried with him for years.

He volunteered for the R.A.F. in 1940 and served in the Western Desert and the Middle East. Whilst waiting for action ahead of entering Tobruk, Berry produced a poster advertising a national day of prayer. When this came to the attention of Air Marshal Arthur Tedder, Berry was seconded to the 8th Army as a war artist—the only war artist to be drawn from the ranks. Cressida Connolly quotes Berry describing the poor conditions in the Middle East: "I used to have a drawing board and if I left anything on it, the cockroaches would have eaten it by morning." His paintings were exhibited at the National Gallery and four, bought for £35 each, are now in the permanent collection of the Imperial War Museum.

During his war service, Berry made the acquaintance of Major James Riddell, who wrote children's books and, once demobbed, began publishing them himself, with illustrations by Berry. The venture was short-lived but it was through Riddell that Berry began to earn commissions for portraits, his subjects including the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and Lady Astor.

He also began freelancing in advertising, most famously working McCann Erickson in 1951 when Esso tried to persuade everyone to "put a tiger in your tank," a popular slogan that began as a comic retort by Berry to the idea of drawing a tiger for the campaign. Berry was paid £25 for the suggestion, but remained associated with Esso advertising for the next ten years.


Berry also had a sideline, run through Harrods, producing oil paintings based on customers' photographs.

He was married in 1951 to June Marjorie East, a librarian at Hammersmith Library, and the Berrys were soon raising a family of five—three sons and two daughters. By the late 1950s Berry needed to find work that could provide him with a bread and butter income. He found it with Ladybird Books, with whom he was to be associated for 18 years. Around the same time he was producing covers for paperbacks published by Corgi, Four Square, Panther Books and Penguin and illustrations for Reader's Digest.

His most notable achievement at Ladybird was probably his contribution to the "People at Work" series, which depicted smiling men and women in a wide variety of roles and occupations, from manufacturing cars to farming the land, from the policeman to the postman. Along with the Peter and Jane 'Keyword' books, they typified what readers remember most fondly about Ladybird books and provide a nostalgic warmth for the long-lost age of cheerful, bustling industry and prosperity they depict. Berry himself never thought of them as anything more than commercial art.

Berry continued to produce portraits and in 1986 a portrait of the Princess of Wales was auctioned to raise money for Help the Aged. He painted a second portrait of her for the HQ of the Royal Hussars at Tidworth, Hampshire. He also painted President George H. Bush (senior) and produced oil paintings of native Americans and civil war scenes for sale in the US.

In 2004, an exhibition of work by Berry and fellow Ladybird artist Martin Aitchison was held at the Simon Finch Gallery in London. There was another exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham, the following year.

He died on 10 December 2009, aged 89. Following his first wife's death in 1986, he married, in 1989, Jessie Showell, the widowed mother of a neighbour, who, along with his five children, survived him.

Illustrated Books
The Farce of Fashion, with James Riddell. London, Riddle Books, 1946.
Once Upon a Time. Two fables for children by James Riddell. London, Riddle Books, 1947.
"Tinker Tailor—" by James. Riddell. London, Riddle Books, 1947.
The Ladybird Book of London by John Lewesdon. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1961.
The Fireman by Vera Southgate. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1962.
The Policeman by Vera Southgate. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1962.
The Farmer by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1963.
The Fisherman by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1963.
The Nurse by Vera Southgate. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1963.
Sunny Days by W. Murray. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1964.
The Builder by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1965.
The Miner by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1965.
The Postman and the Postal Service by Vera Southgate. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1965.
The Public Services: Electricity by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1966.
The Soldier by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1966.
The Airman in the Royal Air Force by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1967.
The Public Services: Gas by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1967.
The Road Makers by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1967.
The Sailor by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1967.
The Car Makers by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1968.
Deep Into Africa by Dorothy Kushler. London, Aldus, 1968.
Come to France by Irene Dark. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1969.
The Pottery Makers by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1969.
The Shipbuilders by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1969.
The Public Services: Water Supply by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1967.
Cub Scouts. Who they are and what they do by David Harwood. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1970.
Military Uniforms, 1686-1918 by Rene North. Feltham, Hamlyn, 1970; adapted as Fighting Men and Their Uniforms by Kenneth Allen, Feltham, Hamlyn, 1971.
Come to Denmark by Irene Dark. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1971.
Come to Holland by Betty Scott Daniell. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1971.
The Life-Boat Men by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1971.
Scouts. Who they are and what they do by David Harwood. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1971.
The Customs Officer by Max Dunstone. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1972.
In a Hotel by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1972.
On the Railways by John Forbes. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1972.
In a Big Store by Ina & John Havenhand. Loughborough, Wills & Hepworth, 1973.
Learning to Ride by Margaret Hickman. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1973.
The Musicians of Breman by the Brothers Grimm, retold by Vera Southgate, illus. with Robert Lumley. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1974.
Trains by David Carey, illus. with others. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1974.
Hannibal on Holiday by Raymond Howe. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1976.
Hannibal on the Farm by Raymond Howe. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1976.
Hannibal Runs Away by Raymond Howe. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1976.
See Inside an Airport by Jonathan Rutland, illus. with John Green, Michael Kelly. London, Hutchinson, 1977.
See Inside a Galleon by Jonathan Rutland, illus. with Michael Trim. London, Hutchinson, 1977; revised as A Galleon, London, Kingfisher, 1988.
See Inside a Television Studio by George Beal, illus. with John Marshall. London, Hutchinson, 1977.
Hannibal and the Pet Show by Raymond Howe, Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1978.
Hannibal Goes to School by Raymond Howe. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1978.
Hannibal on the Nature Trail by Raymond Howe. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1978.
Exploring Knights and Castles by Jonathan Rutland, illus. with others. London, Pan, 1978; revised as Knights and Castles, London, Kingfisher Books, 1986.
Exploring War and Weapons by Brian Williams, illus. with others. London, Pan, 1978; revised as War and Weapons, London, Kingfisher Books, 1987.
Black Beauty by Anna Sewell, adapted by Audrey Daly. Loughborough, Ladybird Books, 1979.
Ancient China by Michael Gibson. London, Granada, 1982.
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe (abridged). London, Deans International, 1983.
Arabian Cuisine by Anne Marie Weiss-Armush. Beirut, Dar An-Nafaés, 1984.
World War II by Ken Hills. Bath, Cherrytree, 1988.
Beyond the Backyard. Photographs, resources and ideas for a wider understanding of economic realities at key stage 3 and 4, illus. with others. Birmingham, Development Education Centre, 1993.

(* Photograph: unknown copyright, from the Daily Telegraph; originally published as a brief note of Berry's passing on 2 January 2010.)

Comic Cuts - 16 January 2015

I'm making progress on the new book, which is an art book along the lines of the C. L. Doughty book I did around this time two years ago. The two main differences are that it will be about a different artist and this one will be in colour. It will make the finished book a bit more pricey, but that's an unfortunate reality of short print-run publishing.

I've started work on the introductory material and have now sorted out some artwork that I'm planning to use for the cover. It's gorgeous... but you'll have to wait as it only arrived a couple of days ago.

Because I've been in gathering information mode for this new introduction, I haven't been up to much else. The shockwaves from the Charlie Hebdoe shootings have yet to subside, especially as five million copies of the latest issue hit the shelves with a (to some) controversial image. As always, the government's answer to protecting free speech is to try and chip away at our ability to speak freely. Thankfully, we'll be able to vote the idiot out in a few month's time.

On a happier note, Broadchurch has started up again. We've seen two episodes and we're already gripped. It has a couple of flaws, but we're not amongst the naysayers who think that the show is now so utterly unrealistic that there's no enjoyment to be had watching it. Bull. When has TV ever allowed realism to get in the way of telling a story? If the writer needs to get to point B from point A and he has 43 minutes to get there, short cuts are likely. And just because you have a twitter account that doesn't make you an expert on court procedure or even in the tiniest part knowledgeable about what the writer of the show intends to do with his plot or his characters.

Today's random scans are a quintet from John Berry for Panther Books in the period 1959-60. The tie-in to Spartacus is a 1960 reissue—the earlier 1959 edition had, I believe, an anonymous cover that wasn't a tie-in to the movie. I'll be running a piece about Berry over the weekend.

 

 

 

There may be some gaps in my daily output over the next couple of weeks while I try and get this book together. Not that it's all work: we're off partying tonight. If you don't see anything posted on Sunday you'll know it was a good one.

Commando issues 4775-4778

Commando issues on sale 15 January 2015.

Commando No 4775 – “Eagles, Arise!”
England, after 1066, was a violent place. As William of Normandy tightened his grip on the English throne, it was a time of war and great unrest.
   The incoming Norman forces ruled with an iron fist. One especially cruel member of the new ruling class was Roland of Alain — who aimed to crush any resistance from those he regarded as peasant upstarts.
   One such “upstart” was Carrick. He and his band of rebels were determined to put up a fight against their oppressors. A fight to the death, if necessary…

Story: Ferg Handley
Art: Keith Page
Cover: Keith Page

Commando No 4776 – Sea Fury
Spray lashed the cockpit screen, blinding the big pilot as he fought the bucking controls to belly-land the crippled Albacore in the choppy sea. Once, twice, she bounced before she hit the icy water at terrifying speed.
   This was the second time young “Gusty” Bellows of the Fleet Air Arm had come off second-best to Kapitan Kreuzmann of the German Navy — the ruthless Kreuzmann, with his submarine mother-ship, “Seewolf”, bristling with guns, and his pack of U-boats. But Gusty was determined that next time it would be different — if there was a next time…

Introduction
It’s a difficult thing to do, to write a successful war comic based on ships. Ask Pat Mills — creator of Charley’s War — he’ll tell you. What Roger Clegg did here was to throw in some aircraft, add a man wracked with guilt and paint a very effective villain. All these lift it above the waves trying to suck it under.
   With a menace-laden Ken Barr cover and some very atmospheric art by the King Of Zip-A-Tone, Gordon Livingstone, who almost has you feeling the icy water round your ankles, it the classic Commando formula — believable characters struggling against the odds…and themselves.—Calum Laird, Commando Editor

Story: Roger Clegg
Art: Gordon Livingstone
Cover: Ken Barr
Originally Commando No 168 (June 1965), re-issued as No 805 (January 1974).

Commando No 4777 – Sky Warriors
Towards the end of the Second World War, the Balkan Air Force operated over Greece and Yugoslavia, supplying the Partisans and fighting Axis air power. Made up of men and aircraft of many different nationalities, it was an uneasy alliance at the best of times. Former enemies were expected to put aside their differences and work together.
   The tensions looked to have come to a head when Polish fliers clashed with a new-arrived Russian unit but that was just the start.

Story: Alan Hebden
Art: Jaume Forns
Cover: Ian Kennedy

Commando No 4778 – Death On The Wind
Staff-Sergeant Harry Sale of the Special Air Service had fought his way out of more tight corners than he cared to remember. Now he was across in the USA, away from the bullets and the bombs, passing on his specialised knowledge to squads of hand-picked Yanks.
   It was supposed to be a hard-earned break from the savage war in Europe but, before Harry could begin to relax even a little, a silent and deadly new weapon was drifting ever closer to his training area…

Introduction
Okay, a story about a tough SAS Sergeant — I like it already. Except he’s swapped the savage war in Europe for a training exercise in Oregon, USA? Oh, righto…
   Does this premise sound slightly underwhelming? It briefly crossed my mind but I’m glad to admit I was completely wrong. In fact, Death On The Wind is Commando at its most inventive — turning a plausible idea on its head and heading off on a taut, gripping adventure where hunter becomes hunted (and hunter once again!).
   We’re lucky, then, that we might actually judge the book by its wonderful, moody cover — painted by the late, great Phil Gascoine.—Scott Montgomery, Deputy Editor

Story: Alan Hemus
Art: Denis McLoughlin
Cover: Phil Gascoine
Originally Commando No 2433 (December 1990)

Speed & Power (part 12)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(* Speed & Power © Look & Learn Ltd.)

Speed & Power (part 11)

 

 

 

 

(* Speed & Power © Look & Learn Ltd.)

Gerry Wood

Although his name is recognised amongst British comic fans, little is known about Gerry Wood. He is probably best known as an illustrator, working in the 1970s in World of Wonder, Look and Learn and Speed and Power, which culminated in 1977 with his taking over the artwork for what was, by then, entitled 'More Adventures of the Trigan Empire'.

Wood, born in 1938, shares his name with another artist who drew recruitment posters during the Great War and advertising illustrations in the 1930s for Dunlop tyres.

Wood seems to have begun working in the early 1960s for Battle Picture Library, then drawing for Air Ace and Micron's Combat Picture Library. His book illustrations include Sky Carnival by W. F. Hallstead (1969), and a number of fantasy covers for Tandem, including The Wizard of Lemuria and the Thongor series by Lin Carter (1970-73) and six Gor novels by John Norman (1972-75). He returned to Air Ace in 1970 before producing his first comic strip in colour, 'A Leap Into the Future' for the early issues of World of Wonder.

Later work included a pull-out poster for Battle Picture Weekly in 1976 and the cover for Trillions by Nicholas Fisk (1983). There is probably a great deal of unknown work by Wood; where he signed work it was with a small and easily missed 'G. WOOD' in caps and work is credited to Gerald Wood.

He continued to illustrate educational books following the demise of Look and Learn, including In Communication by Malcolm Dixon (1983), Elizabeth I and Tudor England by Stephen White-Thomson (1984), Canute and the Vikings by Robin May (1984), William the Conqueror and the Normans by Robin May (1984), Julius Caesar and the Romans by Robin May (1985), Montezuma and the Aztecs by Nathaniel Harris (1985), Alexander the Great and the Greeks by Nathaniel Harris (1985), Richard the Lionheart and the Crusades by Christopher Gibb (1985), Cleopatra and the Egyptians by Andrew Langley (1985), Atahuallpa and the Incas by Marion Morrison (1986), The Crusades by Miriam Moss (1986), Confucius and Ancient China by Theodore Rowland-Entwistle (1986), The American West by Mirian Moss (1986), Pyramids by Anne Millard (1989), The Story of Money by Carolyn Kain (1993), Roman Fort by Fiona Macdonald (1993), Ancient African Towns by Fiona Macdonald (1998), Mesa Verde by Jane Shuter (1999), Medieval World by Fiona Chandler & Jane Bingham (1999), Medieval Towns by Daisy Kerr (2001), Who Were the First Poeple by Phil Roxbee Cox & Struan Reid (2003), Music Theory for Beginners by Emma Danes (2003) and Romans by Alan Marks & Graham Tingay (2005).

Recently, Wood's artwork was used for the backing of a set of ten stamps celebrating the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the Spitfire.

(* artwork © Look & Learn Ltd.)

Speed & Power (part 10)

One of the last to join the roster of artists who contributed science fiction illustrations to Speed & Power was Gerry Wood, seen here illustrating one yarn by Arthur C. Clarke and another by Isaac Asimov. Hands up if you agree with me that the latter are very good and make exceptionally good use of the double-page spread format. Possibly this is the influence of art editor Alan Kirkham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(* Speed & Power © Look & Learn Ltd.)