If you’re a fan of the art of 2000AD, Look-In and newspaper strip artist John M. Burns, there’s a 20% off sale on his original art at The Book Palace.
The art sale dovetails nicely with the release of the absolutely gorgeous limited edition release of Wrath of the Gods, a collection of strips from the short lived Boy’s World weekly, that’s a piece of art in itself in terms of its presentation.
The Original Art offer ends 30th June 2025. Here’s just a few of the items up for sale… full catalogue here…
John Michael Burns (aka John M Burns, 1938 – 29 December 2023) first work was as an illustrator for Junior Express and School Friend. During the 1960s, Burns worked on TV Century 21 and its sister magazines, including the “Space Family Robinson” series in Lady Penelope.
For a while he drew daily comics strips for newspapers The Daily Sketch, The Daily Mirror and The Sun, including “The Seekers”, “Danielle” and, for a period succeeding Enrique Romero during 1978-79, “Modesty Blaise” for The London Evening Standard.
He moved on to illustrate TV tie-in strips for now-defunct title Look-in, always scripted by Angus P. Allan. Burns was already well-known by the start of the 1980s. He also worked on the title story for Countdown.
It was when he made the crossover to 2000AD, along with fellow Look-in alumni Jim Baikie and Arthur Ranson, that his position in British comics was cemented. He began by working on “Judge Dredd” but in 2007 he began work on the “Nikolai Dante” strip, and proved so successful that he is now considered the lead artist on the story. He also co-created (with Robbie Morrison) a contemporary adventure strip, “The Bendatti Vendetta” for Judge Dredd Megazine, this is unique for the title in having no science fiction or fantasy elements at all.
In 2008 he finished an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, whose script was rendered by Amy Corzine, for UK publisher Classical Comics. Having previously worked on similar adaptations of Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore and, which is more, Wuthering Heights by Brontë’s sister Emily, Burns was able to bring considerable experience to the project.
• The Book Palace: John M. Burns Art
Wrath of the Gods
The art sale dovetails nicely with the release of the absolutely gorgeous limited edition release of Wrath of the Gods, a collection of strips from the short lived Boy’s World weekly, that’s a piece of art in itself in terms of its presentation.
Featuring the full “Wrath of the Gods” strip with art by Ron Embleton and John M. Burns and the complete Frank Bellamy‘s “The Ghost World” this one huge volume. A unique deluxe hardcover, all the Embleton and Burns double-page spreads are printed as deluxe fold-outs in this monster full colour volume.
It’s available in Deluxe Collectors’ Limited Edition (£70) or Super Deluxe Collectors’ Edition format (£140).
Authors: Willie Patterson, Harry Harrison
Artists: Frank Bellamy, Ron Embleton, John M Burns
Publisher: Book Palace Books, May 2025
Number of pages: 124
Format: Hard Cover; Full Colour illustrations
Size: 13″ x 10″ (324mm x 253mm)
ISBN: 9781913548599
Code: Limited Edition – GHOSTWRATH | Deluxe Edition – GHOSTWRATHCLAM
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: 2000AD, Art and Illustration, British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds