ORIGINAL ART: Garth, Heros and Fraser of Africa and more!

Original artwork by Frank Bellamy

Comic Book Auctions have their latest catalogue available which includes a few exciting Bellamy items. As usual bidding is also available on The Saleroom where pictures can be seen of all lots -  which I have borrowed here in the case of Bellamy.

HEROS THE SPARTAN (Lot 97)

The first piece of original art up for auction is "Heros the Spartan" episode 21 (17 July 1965) of the last full length Heros story Bellamy illustrated in Eagle. It's the penultimate episode of the story "The Slave Army" which ran in Vol. 16:9 - 16:30 (27 February 1965 - 24 July 1965) and certainly showed off Bellamy's colour work beautifully. These art boards are so rare that we might see a record broken for the highest priced Heros artwork by Bellamy. The last one I saw was in 2017 and sold for £1,559.43. Comic Book Auctions describe this particular one:

Heros The Spartan double-page original artwork (1965) painted and signed by Frank Bellamy from The Eagle Vol. 16 No 29, 1965. From the Bob Monkhouse Archive. Heros and his renegade slave army counter a ferocious attack from the Berbers and Abdullah the Cruel until the Berber Chieftain, El Raschid, challenges Heros to a deadly duel... Pelikan inks on board. 27 x 18 ins

Here's the published version for your (not at all perfect) comparison but you can see that the blues have held well on the original:

Eagle 17 July 1965 Vol.16 No29

FRASER OF AFRICA (Lot 95)

Next we have another rarity. "Fraser of Africa" (written by George Beardmore) which must have been one of Bellamy's favourite strips. The subject of Africa was his favourite and his artwork - drawn the same size as published - showed a wonderful muted colour palette to mimic the arid African heat. This example has a lovely portrait of a lion.  This is from the first story, "Lost Safari" which ran in Eagle Vol. 11:32-12:4 (6 August 1960 - 28 January 1961) and was reprinted in the Hawk Book Fraser of Africa (Eagle classics series) in 1990. If I wanted one thing reprinted from original art it would be these three stories of "Fraser". Notice that three captions are missing from the artwork - most likely fallen off at some point, but do show where Bellamy did and didn't do the lettering. 

 

Eagle Vol. 11 No 36 (3 September 1960)

The auction is described:

Fraser of Africa/Eagle original artwork (1960) drawn, painted and signed by Frank Bellamy from The Eagle Vol. 11: No 36. From the Bob Monkhouse Archive. As part of his research, Bellamy had corresponded with a farmer in Kenya who had advised him on the wildlife he depicted and, ever the perfectionist, he used a limited palette of yellows and browns to capture the parched East African landscape. This page is Episode 5 of Bellamy's first Fraser of Africa story. Pelican inks on board. 14 x 12 ins

GARTH (Lot 112)

3 episodes of  "Garth: Sundance" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

This amazing lot has three Garth episodes (E206, E212 and E223) of the first story that Bellamy illustrated called Sundance. It was a strange situation which Bellamy himself admitted, with John Allard, the previous artist, still contributing to the strip - note the lines to indicate clouds on the first two. You can read what Bellamy said here.   To see strips from this story is extremely rare so expect high amounts of money to be exchanged.

This lot is described:

Garth: 3 original artworks (1971) by Frank Bellamy from the Daily Mirror 1st/8th/25th September 1971. From the Bob Monkhouse Archive. Garth and General Custer lead the 7th Cavalry charge against Sitting Bull. Indian ink on board. 20 x 18 ins (x3)

And finally....

I don't usually highlight other comics in which Bellamy's work appears, when they're in the same auction (where would it end?!) But because we recently discovered The Mighty Comic Annual which has a cover by Frank Bellamy and was published by Gerald Swan before 1950, here it is. Peter Hansen (watch an interview with him by John Freeman) shared the cover on Facebook and said that there is no artwork by Bellamy inside  - just the cover.

The Mighty Comic Annual (Lot 42)

Malcolm Phillips describes this item, which is from the Hansen Archive:

Mighty Comic Annual (1948 G.G. Swan) with Frank Bellamy cover art containing Archie, Betty and Veronica and Katy Keene US reprints - interior stories by Henry Banger and Ron Embleton

Geoff Harrison mentioned on Facebook that he has two copies of The Mighty Comic Annual in which the contents are different but the cover the same - so see the listing above!

The annuals sold for £80 plus fees

AUCTION SUMMARY

FRASER OF AFRICA
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions Linited
STARTING BID: [Opening bid £740 - Auctioneer's estimate £800-£1,000]
ENDING PRICE:£5,800 (plus fees)
END DATE: Sunday 1 September 2019

GARTH: E206, E212 and E223
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions Linited
STARTING BID: [Opening bid £640 - Auctioneer's estimate: £700-£900]
ENDING PRICE:£1,140 plus fees
END DATE: Sunday 1 September 2019

HEROS THE SPARTAN
WHERE?: Comic Book Auctions Linited
STARTING BID: [Opening bid £1,360 - Auctioneer's estimate £1,500-£2,000]
ENDING PRICE:£7,300 plus fees

END DATE: Sunday 1 September 2019

Frank Bellamy and Barry Windsor-Smith

Heros the Spartan from Eagle Vol. 16 No. 27
Photographed from Book Palace reprint - few copies still available

David Jackson has sent me on a quest, this time it concerns BWS, or Barry Smith or Barry Windsor-Smith, yes, he of Conan, Valiant Comics, etc etc fame!

My first contact with BWS was in the Power Comics of the mid to late 1960s, although at that time I didn't know he did the pin-ups of Marvel superheroes in Fantastic and Terrific . Kid Robson has shown some of Thor and others. I was aware of his work on Conan the Barbarian being praised by many at the time, but Britain's importing of Marvel comics was sporadic at best so I didn't see it until later! However I did see his Gorblimey Press work advertised and actually paid for some of them. I now proudly own Pandora's Box (with a specially-made octagonal frame!). You cans see lots of Barry's work on his site.

In an interview for Comic Book Artist (Vol1, No.2) Jon B. Cooke did with BWS he mentioned his connection with Bellamy:

CBA: Any favorite British cartoonists, such as Frank Bellamy?
Barry: I was quite awestruck by Bellamy, his "Heros the Spartan" was simply magnificent. I was never particularly influenced by him, however. Britain had a clutch of exceptionally gifted comics artists during the '50s and '60s but the subject matter of the strips often disinterested me. I liked "Dan Dare" and Heros, I think that's all. I named the lead male character in my "Young Gods" series Heros in homage to Bellamy.

The first notion I personally had was when I bought a book called Masters of Comic Book Art, (a brilliant review is on the Comics Journal site). Written by 'Doc' P. R. Garriock, - who I would love to talk to should anyone have his email or phone number - it featured long pieces on:

• Will Eisner (Creator of The Spirit)
• Harvey Kurtzman (Mad magazine etc.)
• Frank Bellamy
• Richard Corben (Warren Magazines etc.)
• Barry Windsor-Smith
• Jean Giraud (AKA Moebius)
• Phillipe Druillet (Creator of Loane Sloane)
• Wally Wood
• Robert Crumb
• Victor Moscoso (Zap Comix)

A fantastic mix of people from various countries - and BWS and FB were included. Again Bellamy and Windsor-Smith not only have features in Twomorrows' True Brit, but the introduction, by George Khoury states:

Here in America, very little is known of the British creators prior to Barry Windsor-Smith. Artists like Frank Bellamy, Leo Baxendale, and Sydney Jordan are far from household names; a tragedy, really, because when you see their art, it will seduce you.

To understand how popular BWS' (and of course Roy Thomas') Conan was, in the same year of FB's award - see below - the 1971 Academy of Comic Book Arts Awards ("for material published in 1971; awarded in 1972") had:

Best Continuing Feature  Conan the Barbarian (Marvel)
Best Individual Story 

• "Devil Wings over Shadizar," by Roy Thomas & Barry Smith, from Conan the Barbarian #6 (Marvel) 
• "Tower of the Elephant," by Roy Thomas & Barry Smith, from Conan the Barbarian #4 (Marvel)

 I don't often quote myself, but this is from my Star Trek article...

I understand that the single colour page [of Star Trek] was part of the reason Frank Bellamy got the "Foreign Comics Award" from the Academy of Comic Book Arts in 1972 - for work published in 1971 he was awarded "Best Foreign Artist Frank Bellamy (Star Trek)". I'm sure Barry Windsor-Smith had a hand in recommending him for this and I know Archie Goodwin was in contact with him. Bellamy told Goodwin that Chris Lowder had informed him the Academy had seen a sample of his "Heros the Spartan" work and judged him more than worthy of the award. therefore his actual comic work for 1971 was concocted for the purposes of giving him the award.

So what, you ask?

The Avengers and Savage Sword of Conan #100 Splash page (UK publication)

 Take a look at this from the Marvel British reprint (The Avengers and Savage Sword of Conan #100) of Conan The Barbarian #21. Strangely the story title has been changed  to "The Menace of the Monoliths" but when it was published it was the "Monster of the Monoliths"! Does it look familiar? It should, you saw it at the top of this article! On the Grand Comics Database website, there are some interesting notes as to how BWS appears not to have drawn much of this particular issue.

Detail from Eagle Vol16. No. 27 (Frank Bellamy)

Now, with Dan Adkins (who often 'borrowed' from others), P. Craig Russell and Val Mayerick involved, we can't be sure, who 'borrowed' Bellamy. UPDATE: See comments below where we know it's Adkins

However it's not that simple. Because of the nature of multiple stories from various comics being split to fill one UK reprint, we have another anomaly. The comic itself contains Conan, The Avengers (Smith too!) and Master of Kung Fu in 36 pages (with a letters page too!).

The Avengers and the Savage Sword of Conan #100
Week ending August 16 1975

The Conan story in TAATSSOC #100 starts with the above splash page of horse riders. However, the original published in the American Marvel Conan #21 has 10 pages before the second page of the UK reprint, excluding this splash page....which I don't think is Smith, Adkins, Craig Russell or Mayerick!

Often the early Marvel UK reprints would blow up and extend a panel from the story concerned, in order show some continuity between stories that had been split across weekly issues, but I can't find any of the component parts in any Conan upto #25! I own the Essential Conan - a Marvel black and white reprint of the first  25 issues of the comic in America. It contains the whole of the above story and I can't see anywhere where it appears - even if it was a compilation from various shots by BWS! Conan hardly rides a horse until the last page of #8! In #14 and #15 he starts to (in these 'Elric' issues) and going all the way through to #25 there are hardly any shots of the rear end of horses as drawn here!

So not only do we not know who 'adapted' Bellamy's "Heros" panel but we don't know who did the other two riders (including that trademark BWS shot of Conan's medallion flying away from him!). I know many of the youngsters of the Bronze Age did work on the UK reprints, including Ron Wilson, Jim Starlin, Keith Pollard, John Romita Jr. etc. So I'd be tempted to name someone like that, but that's still odd that they used FB here!

UPDATE: See comments below where we know it's Adkins

Can anyone help? I couldn't find any index of the USA artists' original art in UK Marvel reprints, but remembering being amazed by this 'newcomer' Jim Starlin, whose 'compressed' figures were easy to spot!

Original Art: "Heros the Spartan", in Eagle 12 September 1964 Vol 15:37 on ComicLink

This is the first time I have seen any Bellamy artwork appear on Comiclink despite following its fantastic selections of original artwork for many years!

"Heros the Spartan", in Eagle 12 September 1964 Vol 15:37

I dug out my copy of the original comic to see how it looked printed before commenting on how faded this piece looks.

You can make up your own mind:

The cover of Eagle Vol 15:37 - Keith Watson artwork

Heros the Spartan as published in 1964.

The story "The Axe of Arguth was published in the Eagle Vol. 15:23 - 15:42 (6 June 1964 - 17 October 1964)  and was written by Tom Tully. This close up view of the first panel shows the usual Bellamy detail!

Detail of the first panel

Oh and if anyone wants to bid on those lovely Neal Adams pieces in the same auction, and present them to me for my 60th as an apology for the lack of a birthday card earlier this month, I will not object!

AUCTION SUMMARY
WHERE?: fall Featured Auction
SELLER:Comic Link
LOT #
STARTING BID:$1
ENDING PRICE:$2,101 = £1,559.43
NO. OF BIDS: 26

START DATE: 15 November 2017
END DATE:30 November 2017

Original Art: Heros the Spartan at Heritage

Eagle 29 June 1963: Heros the Spartan by
Tom Tully (author) and Frank Bellamy

Heritage have another Heros the Spartan spread from Ethan Roberts Estate to offer! This is taken from the second Heros story called "The Eagle of the Fifth" and is the 17th episode. I'd love to know how Ethan obtained these pieces.

Here's Heritage's description:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine V14#26 "Heros the Spartan" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1963). The local tribes have it in for Heros in "Heros the Spartan: Episode 17 Second Series". Frank Bellamy's clean lines and wonderful warm colors make this double-page spread a joy to behold! Hopefully Heros will be-holding on to that rope till sunrise. Crafted in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.5". Signed by Bellamy in the bottom left panel. The board is slightly toned, with corner wear and production tape in the margins. The image area is in Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.

Photographed from the BookPalace's excellent hardback

Bear in mind my photo is of a scan/photo from a comic - admittedly tidied up by Peter Richardson but I think you can still see that the blues in the original are not as vibrant as they would have been in 1963! nevertheless a great piece of dramatic art! If this has whetted your appetite for more run, don't walk to Geoff West and friend's site

SUMMARY 

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 29 June 1963 Vol 14:26
WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121720
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID: $110
LOT NO: 12022
ENDING PRICE: $3170.00 = £2346.10
No of bidders: 7
END DATE: 14 May 2017

Original Art: Heros the Spartan and Garth at Heritage

Eagle 1 June 1963 Vol 14:22. Heros the Spartan

I'll keep this simple...another few pieces in a Heritage Auction from the Ethan Roberts Estate.

Heritage describe the first as:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine Vol-14 #22 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 13" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1963). Released in an issue cover dated June 1st, 1963. The two page spread featured this issue's installment of the on-going saga of "Heros the Spartan" as created by the fantastically talented Frank Bellamy in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.25". Signed by Bellamy in panel 14 (and what a great panel it is too!). The board is slightly toned, with edge/corner wear, and there is a crease running down the left side through all tiers of art. Overall in Very Good condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. .

The piece is the 13th episode from the "Eagle of the Fifth" story  and the colour on this is visibly faded so, I doubt will fetch anywhere near the fantastic prices previously seen. having said that, what do I know!

Eagle 5 June 1965 Vol 16:23 Heros the Spartan

The second Heros spread is from their New York auction. The strip originally appeared in Eagle 5 June 1965 in the last Heros story that Bellamy illustrated, "The Slave Army". Heritage described it:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine V16#23 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 15" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1965). Gorgeous colors and great detail made this serialized strip a great joy for readers in the UK. Frank Bellamy's fine line and keen draftsmanship excelled at this historical fiction tale. Created in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.5", matted out to 33" x 24". Signed by Bellamy in Panel 9. The board is slightly toned, in Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.

It's interesting that the 'masthead' is on the piece, I wonder if this is a reconstruction, a fan did. But if one zooms in on the picture (thank you SO much Heritage for being so kind!) one can see additions to word balloons which look authentic rather than a later addition.

Garth, Daily Mirror G188

The third Bellamy for sale is a Garth strip, G188 which appeared in the Jim Edgar penned story "The Mask of Atacama" which ran from 13 July 1973 - 25 October 1973 (#G165-G254)in the national UK newspaper Daily Mirror. Heritage have sold two others in the past, to my knowledge, from this story and this example is lovely. This one is also a preview in anticipation of the coming auction. here's the strips on either side as reprinted in

Menomonee Falls Gazette 165

I'll update the prices they sell for after the auctions.

And just because I could, when checking the above Heros strip, here's Keith Watson's front cover to the Eagle comic from 52 years ago in which the latter Heros appeared! I'm feeling old!!

SUMMARY 

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 1 June 1963 Vol 14:22
WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121717
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID: $220
LOT NO: 14015
ENDING PRICE: $2629.00 = £1,985.16
No of bidders: 10
END DATE (Proxy bids):23 April 2017

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 5 June 1965 Vol 16:23
WHERE?: 2017 May 18 - 20 Comics Signature Auction - New York #7163
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:Opens for bidding on 28 April
LOT NO: 93022
ENDING PRICE:$3107.00 = £2,346.10
No of bidders: 9
END DATE (Proxy bids): 20 May 2017

WHAT?  Garth G188 from "The Mask of Atacama"
WHERE?: 2017 May 18 - 20 Comics Signature Auction - New York #7163
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:Opens for bidding on 28 April
LOT NO: 94390
ENDING PRICE:$406.30 = £306.80
No of bidders: 5
END DATE (Proxy bids):20 May 2017

Original Art: Heros the Spartan at Heritage

Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 20 June 1964 Vol 15:25

I love it when (surely) the biggest comic and illustration art auction house have a Bellamy artwork for sale as they are so generous in sharing hi-res images with us. This wonderful "Heros the Spartan" double page spread comes from the Ethan Roberts Estate.

Heritage describe it as:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine Vol-15 #25 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 3" Two-Page Spread Pages 10-11 Original Art (Longacre Press, 1964). From the issue of Eagle magazine released on June 20th, 1964. The page is created in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.5". Signed by Bellamy just under panels in the second tier. The board is slightly bowed, with edge/corner wear; however, the image area is in Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.

It appears to have held the colour quite well - always check the blue sky - and is a wonderful piece from the "Axe of Arguth" story. It has the classic Bellamy design of a hand breaking out and pointing from the panel.

The second one is from the first story "The Island of Darkness"and certainly looks to have retained the colour well.  A lovely picture of "the god Diom" takes up the first panel of this centrespread

Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 1 December 1962 Vol 13:48

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine Vol-13 #48 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 6" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1962). Released on December 1st of 1962, this weekly comic brought another installment in long-running feature "Heros the Spartan". The page is created in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.5". Signed by Bellamy in panel 13. The board is slightly toned, with edge/corner wear; however, the image area is in Excellent condition.

SUMMARY 

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 20 June 1964 Vol 15:25
WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121712
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID: $240
LOT NO: 13008
ENDING PRICE:$4,600 ($5,497.00 with Buyer's Premium)
No of bidders: 11
END DATE (Proxy bids):19 March 2017

WHAT?: Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 1 December 1962 Vol 13:48
WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121713
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$750
ENDING PRICE:$4,800 ($5,736.00 w/BP)

No of bidders: 8
END DATE: 26 March 2017

Original Art: Heros the Spartan

There is now another chance to own a Heros the Spartan doublepage spread. On eBay right now. Mind you, you will need some money to buy it! It's always awkward when I know who owns the piece to keep the seller's anonymity without sounding too cold, but this person is very trustworthy and a nice person too!

Episode 12 from the "Eagle of the Fifth" story by Tom Tully comes from Eagle 25 May 1963 (Volume 16:11).

Eagle 25 May 1963 - the comic

I have taken the pictures below from the Ebay auction and you can see how pure the colours are after all these years - 53 years! Someone smart has not stored it on a wall in sunlight!

It was this piece when I saw it in the original, that convinced me that poor Bellamy must have been very frustrated by the later run of Eagle comics which really muddied his colours. Just compare, say "Happy Warrior" to "Montgomery of Alamein" to "Heros the Spartan"


As a child - and I've told this story before - I read the Eagle after my older brothers and found Heros a muddy multi-coloured mess. It was only reading Dez Skinn raving about it that made me think again, but this piece convinced me that what Geoff West and Peter Richardson did in reprinting the run, was a Godsend!

The seller has this description on ebay, which includes something about me - no commission or money has exchanged hands ;-)


It doesn't get much better than this! (That is, until we show you a little something else which will be coming up soon).
As an example of Bellamy's mastery of layout and use of colour these Heros double page spreads for Eagle in the 1960's take some beating. Included in our pictures with this listing is the scan from our original that was reproduced in the fantastic book collection of these strips 'Heros the Spartan', from Book Palace books. Cut and paste the link below to see an article on this book at the unbeatable Bellamy Blog resource run by Norman Boyd (also involved in the production of this outstanding collection.. follow the link :)
http://frankbellamy.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/heros-spartan-is-here.html
This has been conservation framed and is in amazing condition for a 50 year old work. It has some lovely details, including the famous 'wolf's head' that has been much imitated.
Postage will obviously more than the £7.50 that this platform allows me to specify? Let's talk :)

The original art

Just look at the rich colour

And I suppose I should mention the reprinted Heros the Spartan books are still available from Book Palace. The last I heard from Geoff the numbers were certainly going down so do not hesitate!

If the piece sells and the seller is knd enough to share, I'll complete the listing below

SUMMARY

WHERE?: eBay
SELLER: Tweedacademy
BUY IT NOW: £6,000
MAKE AN OFFER: - BEST OFFER ACCEPTED
END DATE: 22 February 2016

Frank Bellamy and Bob Monkhouse

Matador

I apologise for the delay in posting recently (I missed my once-a-month target last month) this is due to re-plastering and the need to put everything into self-storage to protect it from the dust.  I have identified what I can below but not exact numbers, if you need to know let me know and on un-packing I shall pin the issues down.

Alan Burrows kindly forwarded these pictures he received from the late Bob Monkhouse from his extensive Frank Bellamy collection. He forwarded them to my FB Facebook page and I thought maybe some people here may not be on Facebook, so here for your pleasure is Mr Frank Bellamy.

Bob appeared to be a really amiable guy - just look at the drawing on the envelope he sent Alan. People forget he started out as a comic artist, because his later career as a comedian and quiz show host was so successful.

Bob Monkhouse cartoon for Alan Burrows

Fantasy piece by Frank Bellamy

On the websitelisting I labelled this "Fantasy piece" and put it under Unpublished material . Does anyone know any different? Was it published? I love the skull mountain and the usual Bellamy device of a man pointing out of the frame!

Heros the Spartan from Eagle

Heros the Spartan from Eagle

Heros the Spartan from Eagle

Life study by Frank Bellamy

Lord of the Dragons - published in Once upon a time

 This was published in Bellamy's lifetime in a book called Once upon a time (along with and the book is available via the usual channels and not too rare or expensive. I listed it in my Articles on Frank Bellamy section

Thunderbirds from TV21 #138

From the Thunderbirds story "Space Mirror" which ran in TV Century 21#137 - 140

 It's well known that Bellamy, before taking on a strip, would provide the editors of comics with a sheet of designs. These would show his vision of the characters he would be drawing. However two have lawys puzzled me as they seem very specific

Below we see Dan Dare, Fraser of Africa and Thunderbirds and bear in mind these are photocopies of negatives, or older photocopies so this is all we have as a record, until someone scans the artwork.

Dan Dare operational uniform

Dan Dare Space Fleet  uniform

Fraser of Africa

I have seen the next two before but not the inscription which explains why we have these pieces. In TV21 issues 93-98 Don Harley took over my favourite story from Bellamy while he took a break to produce the Avengers TV series episode "The Winged Avenger". So it looks as if Bellamy drew a character sheet for Alan Tracy and Brains in their spacesuits which Harley could follow. He could have just done a photo but we have to remember that this sort of reproduction process took longer than we do now, where phones, scanners and iPads are available to take instant photos for sharing!

"Frank Bellamy 'visual' given to Don Harley for Thunderbirds

Alan Tracy and Brains from Thunderbirds

I'll save the others for another day as I'd like to do some research in my comics but that will have to wait for my unpacking. Many thanks to the very generous Alan Burrows for sharing this wonderful collection of reference material

HEROS THE SPARTAN IS HERE!

My Eagle has landed!

Remember how Google Scholar used to have "resting on the shoulder's of giants" as their strapline? By pure accident I'm sitting on the same bench with them!! I'm in a published book with John Byrne, Dave Gibbons, Walt Simonson, Ken Steacy, John Watkiss and it's designed by Peter Richardson! Published by Geoff West at Book Palace Books. How did that happen?

Exciting endpapers

In July 2011, Peter was working on "a new magazine called Illustrators. We are going to be focussing on UK and European illustrators of the last century along with some contemporary ones, with access to a lot of amazing original artwork - so all in all it's very exciting but a 
lot of work!" He asked me about my interest in Raymond Sheppard, and that led to an article in Issue 2 which went very well.

In early 2012, the Denis McLoughlin book was more or less completed, and by then he has persuaded me that an introduction to the latest Bellamy reprint from Geoff West's brigade   would be a great thing. I sent the finished draft article on Heros the Spartan  on, of all days, 1st April 2012. And in a subsequent email I stated to Peter "My wife said it used quotations very well and she was actually gripped by it....and she is usually just supportive!". Geoff and Peter came back enthusiastic...and together with my wife that made three people who liked it!

A great spread by Bellamy

He subsequently wrote:

I spoke with Geoff about it yesterday and he was equally excited. The way you have sourced the information and constructed the piece sheds a lot of light on Bellamy's involvement with Heros and greatly helps the reader contextualise this fabulous strip in terms of both the Eagle as well as Bellamy's own career.

Black Sails and Dark Tales

Then Peter surprised me by naming my piece  "Black Sails and Dark Tales: an introduction to Frank Bellamy's graphic novel masterpiece" which I think is inspired!

2 pages of the introduction

 Shortly afterwards Geoff and Peter got permission to include the famous interview that Dez Skinn and Dave Gibbons ran with Frank Bellamy only three years before his early death. It is not the only interview but is certainly the most comprehensive and interesting. And Peter has added all sorts of art in full colour that wasn't present in the original interview and some of which I have never seen before. Peter was worried that I had used lots of quotes from it already, but actually I agree with his assessment that my piece actually says something different.

Page 28-29 showing various Bellamy artworks

So that's all I'm saying about my part in this venture. So what's in the book that I've been raving about for months and months?


Firstly there are two versions:

Authors: Tom Tully, Frank Bellamy, edited and designed by Peter Richardson
Artist: Frank Bellamy
Title: Frank Bellamy's Heros the Spartan
Publisher: Book Palace Books, October 2013
Number of pages: 296
Format: Hard Cover; Full Colour illustrations
Size: 11" x 14" (270mm x 360mm)
ISBN: 9781907081200

Price: £265.00

Only 120 have been published of this version
This version is a leather-bound numbered edition limited to 120 copies with embossed slipcase. It comes with an additional 24 pages of meticulously scanned reproductions of original Bellamy Heros artwork never before seen in public.

and

Authors: Tom Tully, Frank Bellamy, edited and designed by Peter Richardson
Artist: Frank Bellamy
Title: Frank Bellamy's Heros the Spartan Publisher: Book Palace Books, October 2013
Number of pages: 272
Format: Hard Cover; Full Colour illustrations
Size: 11" x 14" (270mm x 360mm)
ISBN: 9781907081194
Price: £95.00
Only 600 copies have been published

Animated view of the editions

CONTENTS
1) Foreword by

• John Byrne (p8)
• Dave Gibbons (p.10)
• Walt Simonson (p.12)
• Ken Steacy (p.14)
• John Watkiss (p.15)

2) Black Sails and Dark Tales: an introduction to Frank Bellamy's graphic novel masterpiece by Norman Boyd (p.16)

3) Lighting the darkness: an insight into the life and work of Frank Bellamy (p.24)

4) The Voyages of Heros the Spartan (p.61)
***Book 1: Island of Darkness (p.62)
***Book 2: Eagle of the Fifth (p.102)
***Book 4: Axe of Arguth (p.172)
***Book 6: Slave Army (p.214)
***Book 7: Cormog and the Wolfman (p.262)

 [Books 3,5 and 8 are by Luis bermejo and not in this volume]

5) Acknowledgements (p.272)

Lastly I need to tell you that many pieces of high quality scans have been used throughout the book that are hard to show here in jpeg format, but are beautiful to see


Isn't it time we nominated these guys for an award for services to 'comickind'? Let me know how and I am happy to provide a testimonial. But let me say a big thanks to Geoff, Peter and all at Book Palace Books. Now what's next?