A Legend Lost

 

Sad news reached us a few days ago that British Comics Legend Ian Kennedy has left us which has hit many of us hard. Ian's distinctive art style was a major part of our childhood, decorating so many of our favourite comic covers and annuals, Commando, Victor, Warlord and much, much more.

He achieved so much and I really can't do justice to his 70+ year career here, but see John Freeman's Down The Tubes respectful article for a wee taster and several moving tributes.

Ian was one of my - and so many others - childhood art inspirations and it was pure delight when, late  in life he cautiously entered the world of modern comic conventions, allowing me and so many others to meet and thank him for the inspiration he'd provided. 

I was fortunate enough to meet him at his first 'English' event in Birmingham in 2015, arranged and invited by my good friend, and fellow Kennedy fan, Steve Tanner - see the photographic evidence below! Ian was quite taken aback by the warm reception he received from attendess and happily signed and chatted with everyone with modesty, humilty and a smile.

We struck up a casual friendship, being as we were both from the North-East of Scotland, which to my joy led to many happy chats at subsquent conventions and events as Ian embraced his new found 'celebrity'. I was even lucky enough to pop into his home and studio a couple of times which was beyond a thrill, meeting his wife, Gladys, who makes a lovely soup.

I could happily share another dozen or so memories and it's clear from reading everyone's tributes, so could many others. It's so rare that a talented artist genuinely meant so much to so many people and he will be greatly missed.

 

I may share more later but in the meantime here's just a small sample of his exceptional art.

 

Thoughts and love to his family and many friends.

2-2-22

 

The Calendar is producing some funny dates at the moment, I'm not too old to chuckle :)

Late in the evening

The sky and surroundings of Rorke's Drift late in the evening of the 22nd January 1879 bear the scars of the day's intense fighting. Tired, desperate with everything hanging in the balance, the battle's outcome is far from clear. 

A couple of quiet but tense panels from my forthcoming re-mastered Zulu Water Cart Rescue comics, art by me, colours by Matt Soffe.

22-1-22

 

22nd January always resonates being the anniversary of both the Battles of iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift back in 1879 which had a profound impact on the Zulu Nation which still echoes today, 143 years on. Certainly in recent years, the Zulus themselves have taken their own history centre stage and commemorate their ancestors victory at iSandlwana with memorial services, speeches, re-enactments in an almost celebratory fashion.

I  was lucky enough to witness this for myself on the memorable 140th anniversary battlefields trip three years ago where, with a small group of intrepid adventurers we toured and explored various significant sites in deepest Zululand paying our own respects as invited guests, (as part of historian Ian Knight's group) at iSandlwana and a more intimate affair at Rorke's Drift, both attended by the UK's splendid Die Hards, re-enactment group.

I treasure these memories and the moments spent chatting with Zulu, South African and British travellers all of whom paid their respects to those fallen all those years ago, which I do so again today and remembering those who, since that trip, are no longer with us.

  

There's a ......

 

Dans La Tete De Sherlock Holmes!

My Accent UK buddy, Dave West actually spotted this great article on John Freeman's ever reliable Down The Tubes comics news site before I did and I thought it sounded familiar?

Checking out John's excellent article confirmed by thoughts, that this was one of the BD's I picked up when last in Brussels in summer 2019 - oh for the days of eazy, safe European travel to return!. 

I've long since fallen in love with the 9th Art since making our first trip to France many years ago and since then have steadily built up a sizeable collection of tomes, most of which have never been translated into English. 

My Francais sadly remains basic, but with strong art, a dictionary and a bit of perserverance, you can get the gist of a well told story and I've taken delight and inspiration from my BD souvenirs over the years in a way that a holiday T-shirt or trinket just can't match!.

In any case, The Sherlock Holmes book really caught my eye with it's distinctive art and cover, which like most BD's is hardback but with a unique die-cut so you can indeed see "Inside the Mind" of the great detective! 

The interiors follow this novel idea with intrically designed pages, panels and pictures which carry you carefully through the story, following the clues and making discoveries as you go - it's a real visual treat with lots of innovative tricks to enjoy along the way.    

The creators, Cyril Lieron and Benoit Dahan make a great team and have really come up with a fun and novel way of giving new life to the old detective.

We are lucky these days that more and more European works have now been translated into English so we can finally fully enjoy them and many of my recent favourite reads have come from Cinebook or IDW EuroComics impressive Corto Maltese or Magnetic Press's Sergi Toppi collection etc. In his article John hopes that someone too will pick up this Sherlock Holmes series so fingers-crossed, in the meantime I'd settle for being able to safely travel to Europe again and pick up the next installments in person! 

Bram Stoker's Dracula - The Graphic Novel Adaptation!

It seems a long time since I posted about some of my favourite reads, which is a shame as I'm probably reading more graphic novels and comics than I've done for a long time - thanks to my favourite local comic shop, Scott's Pops & Comics!

This doesn't necessary mean I'm up to date with things, although again I am reading and aware of contemporary releases far more than before, but at least I am catching up with things as they come to me or I re-discover them from a previous reading pile or forgotten shelf! So, without committing to doing a full 'best of', I will as time allows in the weeks ahead, try and highlight a few of my recent standout reads, such as;

Mike Mignola's adaption of Bram Stoker's Dracula (IDW)

A feature on the ever excellent Cartoonist Kayfabe's YouTube series (essential viewing for any comics creator and enthusiast!) led Scott to tracking down for me this excellent 2018 hardback reprinting of Mike Mignola's adaptation of this now classic version of the Dracula legend in the 1990's by legendary director Francis Ford Coppola.

I'd not paid a lot of attention to the movie at the time so passed on the original Topp's Comics adaptation which itself became a bit of a collector's item, with many claiming it was a 'turning point' for Mignola, discovering his distinctive art style from a tight Roy Thomas script. Certainly Mignola's trademark blacks and gothic styling are evident on every page, (although the inking is actually done by John Nyberg) and the original comics pre-dated Hellboy by at least a year.
 

In any case, IDW's excellent hardback is in oversize format about 1.5 times the comics and maybe half the size of the original art, reprinted here in stark black n white which best shows off the art and sets the story perfectly. There's also a delightful bonus section with about a dozen pages of Mignola's original pencils and covers which round off a great package.

An odd read for January perhaps but I think I originally read this around Halloween, which obviously is better timing?. It certainly made an impression and, not normally being a fan of horror, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this, given the familiarity of the story and my indifference to the movie, (which I will now endeavour to rewatch!) but maybe it was just one of those occasions when the whole creative team complemented each other perfectly to execute a dramatic story in such a compelling way, comics at their very best!

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