Malcolm Judge's The Numskulls The Beezer 31st March 1962

This is a very early Numskulls probably the second one?

Its interesting the page layout of an upside down L surrounding Dudley D Watkin's Ginger. In 1962 Beezer there was a lot of pages with more than one character strip to give even better value for money. The problem with this layout is it seems to restrict the artist..the Head closeup is always shown to the right. Its also hard to vary the size of the panel.

Its funny seeing the Numskulls actually causing harm to the man on purpose!
Malcolm Judge also drew The Bad Lads for The Beezer.
Billy Whizz and Ball Boy for The Beano from the beginning to 1989 when he died.

The big dog pulling the milk float cover of the latest Classics..see the whole story here!

Heres the story from the front cover of Classics from the comics in response to Lews post on wanting to see the whole story..it was in Classics from the comics number 51 in the year 2000.

Blimey! It's another blog about comics!: UK superheroes featured in the latest Classics

Have a Beezer of a Guy Fawkes night

Tom Bannister- Pop, Dick and Harry and Colonal Blink..
remember don't smoke a firework..:))
I love the title panel of Guy Fawkes reading The Beezer on the Bonfire!!:))




Some Dudley D Watkin's magic..



Leo Baxendale sure can celebrate Guy Fawkes night in style..

Late 50's and 1960's Beano fun logo mastheads

A nice logo by Dudley D. Watkins. Has some echos to the new Lord Snooty the Third logo by Nigel P.



I like this one a lot by Leo..:)






Leo Baxendale has of course done some very good logos..mastheads..



Jim Petrie did some great logos different every week as well..sometimes the logo blended into the background of the picture.



A lovely fat horse..


Davy Law did some nice logos changing every week...this is when the logo showed a bit of the story.









Ron Spencer has done some super Little Plum logos.









David Sutherland has done some wonderful Bash Street logos and still drawing a different one today. The king of logos!!




Always liked the spinning top logo...










The Three Bears had some very memorable logos..maybe its because it made you hungry...drawn with relish by Bob McGrath.

What is fun about logo mastheads is it gives the artist a chance to be surreal...wacky..fun..
Maybe Todays Beano can bring back some mastheads fun...Ball Boy...Minnie the Minx..for example look a bit samey and could do with a change.
Lord Snooty the Third is good...Johnny Bean and of course Fred's Bed..
The Bash Street kids has the best logos in The Beano.

George and Dudley drawing together!!

from Beano book 1969.

I reckon that WATKINS drew this entire strip, and simply left blank spaces for BOB Mc GRATH to fill in his own unique bear characters later: the fact that you see these two seperate styled-characters actually sitting at the same table remains one of the most unique, original diversions in the history of comics----- in the UK 'funnies' field at least-------[through a fairly simple idea];: a full 40 years later.

WATKINS, for all his great talent, was never that great at doing BAXENDALE-styled characters [BOB'S '3 BEARS' was originated by LEO, obviously] so perhaps it was a concious decision that led to this 'happy accident'.

I bought the 1969 annual at the time [I was very young then, of course!] and I noticed it was a collaboration, but that's probably because I spent so much time of my younthful years absorbing these childhood books. thanks Spy for the fun info

quote from comicsuk forum-
http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=127&t=2430&p=18689#p18689

Grey squirrels are taking over!!!

In the original version it was red squirrels...the reprint comic Classics from the comics number 152- Nov 2008.. show instead grey squirrels...
Greys are even taking over reds in our comics...they must be stopped!!! :) Bring back the reds!!


Shame the colouring is different..

Dudley D Watkins King of perspective

click on both halves to see the whole page in full.

Every panel is full of depth...height...different angles..depth...and fun!

The last panel with all the item Mickey climbed is a great payoff.

Perspective should be used more in comics. It is so powerful.
Also the use of distance.

So get your rulers out..

An early Mickey the Monkey by Dudley D Watkins

a quote from Spy
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT A DIFFERENCE seeing the real Mc Coy like this: 'CLASSICS from the COMICS' does this work noreal justice.........many thanks for seeing these excellent historical works, PETER......

from Beano and Dandy forum..
http://tiptopgolfy.proboards101.com/index.cgi

I agree with Spy its great to see these images as large and in colour. With all the detail intact. Some of the red wording or anything red is lost in the black and white of Classics or Best of Topper.

Studying the picture.
Dudley is great at making the picture alive. So many angles like top or bottom point of view. Also characters going in and out of the frame..perspective. If I was drawing this I would of made it flat...left to right...But Dudley has inspired me with his depth he has in each frame...nothing is flat!!! Every frame is different another amazing thing. The wheels on the chair are different each time the same with the open book...different angles a real feeling of movement (frame 7,8,9). I love frame 10....Mickey coming towards us...figures in background. Frame 4,5,6 is great animation of someone swimming. Also the room slowly spins at the same time of the push off by Mickey.

So much in one page to study and learn.....also to laugh and admire.

Dudley D Watkins Adventure books in picture form.

These exciting books are brilliantly drawn in picture form by Dudley D Watkins. It really makes you want to read the actual book. These were not only in the 50's Topper But also shown in the Weekly News also in published books. Love to see these reissued in the Weekly News or in book form again.

My craft fair is tomorrow at Woking sports centre all day. See you there...with lots of cartoon Birthday/Christmas cards drawn by me and the chance to commission me for any cartoon work needed.