Artist Neil Cole, curator of The Museum of Classic SciFi in Allendale Northumberland, has just published his latest retrospective – a short guide to the history of that most marvellous space hero, Flash Gordon, created by Alex Raymond.
“I really enjoyed doing a deep dive on the entire history of Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon,” says Neil, who, in addition to his art and museum duties, is currently working on a second volume of It Belongs in a Museum (Volume One available here). “Well as much as I could time and space allowing!”
“Some aspects, like Mike Hodges 1980 movie, receive a lot more attention than other productions, and it was nice to look at the entire history.”
Neil’s new book will automatically sent to fans who become a Friend of the Museum by making a donation to its running costs (find out more here), but you can also find out how to get a copy by emailing classicscifimuseum@gmail.com. All proceeds go into running the museum and keeping its lights on.
Alongside the popular small museum’s many Doctor Who exhibits, Neil has several Flash Gordon related artefacts, including several fascinating examples of original artwork from Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All, the fabulous animated series produced by Filmation back in 1979.
“I’ve been able to collect some original hand drawn animation cels and background paintings from the nostalgic Filmation adaptation, that I remember watching fondly as a little person,” Neil noted last year. “As an artist myself, I find it both magical and incredible to see just how much work went into a brief shot.”
Neil himself is a huge admirer of the painted cel animation process, “another technique now tragically long gone with the advent of CGI,” he’s previously noted.
The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi, based at Osborne House, Allendale Town, Hexham, Northumberland, is a meticulously curated small museum, packed with fascinating unique items from the worlds of science-fiction history and classic era Doctor Who.
Despite its “small museum” tag, you will actually find far more exhibits on display than in many much larger establishments – and every item has been painstakingly researched, preserved and displayed by museum creator/curator Neil Cole, a life-long science-fiction fan, artist and musician.
Neil Cole has created original art since childhood, beginning with comic book characters and developing his own ‘inner-psychological landscapes’ during the 1990s.
Since building and opening The Museum of Classic Sci-Fi, he’s returned to his childhood roots, enjoying the creative thrill and challenge of developing, creating and drawing new, fresh science-fiction imagery. Several of these have been inspired by Doctor Who, but in addition, Neil has found developing a new illustration style for his “Worlds of H.G.Wells” series particularly satisfying.
Neil is a true multi-media artist, alternating between sculptural, painting and drawing. He draws very much direct from “his head”, a practice he developed in the creation of his ten-year “mindscape” series of works – allowing imagery to flow and weave together organically. He does not use computers.
Becoming a Friend of the Museum not only means will you be helping the team meet the museum’s running costs – whilst also enabling Neil to continue restoring and preserving classic props and for the future – you
also receive a plethora of exciting, exclusive benefits that includes free entry.
• The Museum of Classic SciFi is at Osborne House, Allendale Town, Hexham NE47 9BJ | Web: museumofclassicsci-fi.com | Facebook | More on becoming a Friend of the Museum here – or simply email classicscifimuseum@gmail.com
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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.
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