A previously-unpublished artwork by Richard Piers Rayner featuring Marvel UK’s “Dark Angel” and The Punisher.
Time for a quick step back in time to the early 1990s, courtesy of artist Richard Piers Rayner, who found this great piece of art featuring Marvel UK’s Dark Angel giving The Punisher a friendly peck.
Richard’s first work for Marvel UK was the Doctor Who strip written by Andrew Cartmel, Evening’s Empire, originally intended for publication in Doctor Who Magazine but, after some “production delays” finally appeared as a still much sought after Special.
Along the way – and before he gained wider recognition for his amazing work on Max Alan Collins’ Road to Perdition, published under US publisher DC’s Paradox Press imprint – Richard also drew a Warheads cover I commissioned. Between us, we think that this must have prompted a Marvel UK editor to commission this promotional art, perhaps for the Death’s Head versus Punisher mini series announced in early 1994 that was to have been written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning and drawn by Bryan Hitch.
Punisher versus Death;’s Head: art by Bryan Hitch
The mini series never happened (you can read about this and several more unpublished Marvel UK projects here), but Richard’s art offers a tantalising “Might Have Been” snapshot of great times for British creators working with Marvel’s heroes.
Today, Richard is artis it residence at Middlesbrough FC, drawing some incredible art as their long-established Artist in Residence. He’s still doing the occasional comics work, including a recent Doctor Who story for US publisher IDW.
• More about Marvel UK’s unpublished projects
• Richard Piers Rayner is on Twitter
John Freeman
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek Magazine) and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of "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: British Comics, Comic Creator Spotlight, Doctor Who, Featured News
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