The book that never was! Author Alan Clark recently sent downthetubes this cover of a planned Centenary Edition of The Comic Art of Roy Wilson. It would have been bigger, better and and more complete than his earlier edition. “But sometimes, things just don’t work out,” says Alan. Darn!
Born in Kettering, Roy Wilson (9th July 1900 – June 1965) was one of the most important British comic artists during the 1930s. We previously documented his career here, and his original art continues to be in demand, two preliminaries recently offered at auction by Phil-Comics on eBay.
The original The Comic Art of Roy Wilson by Alan Clark and David Ashford was published in 1983 by Midas Books. Well worth tracking down via AmazonUK (Affiliate link) or your favourite secondhand bookshop.
It’s a superb book, lavishly illustrated in both black-and-white and colour, packed with information and details regarding one of Britain’s greatest comic creators who, as one reviewer notes that amongst other skills, “was second-to-none in his ability to portray in a comedic way a multitude of various animals exhibiting human traits, characteristics and emotions.” Highly recommended.
Comics historian Alan Clark is currently putting the finishing touches to an updated edition of of Sugar-Plum and Tootletum – The Work of C.H. Ross. Alan tells me the New Edition is more complete, running to 184 pages and featuring all the C.H. Ross Variety Papers. Keep an eye on his eBay store for its release. Be aware all his books, which are strictly non-profit, sell out very quickly.
Alan, who now lives in Italy, has written articles for a number of publications, as well as organising exhibitions of comics and comic art. He has occasionally given talks and participated in seminars on comics and comic art in the UK and Europe.
He was the editor and publisher of the magazine Golden Fun (1974-1989) and The Sloperian (2012). The raison d’être of both was to promote the merits and value of the British comic and its contributors.
During the 1980s, Alan was a regular scriptwriter for comics, writing for some of the most popular characters of the day and for top artists such as Robert T. Nixon, Ken Reid, Reg Parlett, Brian Walker and John Geering. He is the author of several books on comics, including The Comic Art Of Roy Wilson (with David Ashford, Midas Books, 1983) The Comic Art of Reg Parlett (Golden Fun, 1986), The Children’s Annual, A History & Collectors Guide (Boxtree, 1988), The Best Of British Comic Art (Boxtree, 1989), Comics, An Illustrated History (Green Wood, 1992), and The Dictionary of British Comic Artists, Writers & Editors (British Library, 1998).
Under his own imprint, Half-Holiday Publishing, he’s released Photographs & Images of Artists, Writers & Editors of 19th & 20th Century British Comic Papers (2020), Edwardian Comic Papers (2021), A Life With Comics (by G.M. Wilson; Alan Clark, Editor, 2021), The Fun Factory of Farringdon Street (2021), Sugar-Plums & Tootletum, The Work of C.H. Ross. (2021/ 2023), Ally Sloper His Life And Times (2021), Comic Papers of The Platinum Age (2022), Laughs of a Nation, The Publications of Gerald G. Swan (2022), Comic Papers Between The Wars 1919-1939 (Book One, 2022) and Comic Papers Between The Wars 1919-1939 (Book Two, 2022) and Harmsworth’s Comic Paper Rivals (Half-Holiday Publishing, 2023).
Alan is also a writer of short stories and the author of a novel. In Paris, in the early 2000’s, he edited and published a short story magazine dedicated to new fiction and new writers.
Head downthetubes for…
• The Comic Art of Roy Wilson by Alan Clark and David Ashford (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
• Comics historian Alan Clark – eBay store
• Richard Sheaf recently compiled a very useful list of Alan Clark’s many books about British comics and story papers, available here on his Boys Adventure Comics Blog.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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: Art and Illustration, British Comics, British Comics - Books, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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