Evan Jenkins with his mystery Colin Wilson Dan Dare mural
Several years ago comic fan Matt Emery, who writes the Pikitia Press blog dedicated to the work of Australian and New Zealand cartoonists, had the opportunity to have a rummage through artist Colin Wilson‘s studio.
“Amongst his fine collection of European comics and art I found a folder of clippings from Frank Bellamy’s run on Dan Dare from the Eagle in the late fifties,” he notes in a recent post he’s kindly allowed us to share here at downthetubes. “Colin professed to being a big fan Bellamy’s work particularly another serial from Eagle, Fraser of Africa.
“Recently Colin was contacted by Evan Jenkins in New Zealand who had bought a residence Colin rented in the late seventies. Jenkins discovered a large mural on one of the walls of the house, a recreation of a panel of Bellamy’s Dan Dare.
A 2012 Dan Dare commission by Colin Wilson
“Someone told Jenkins ‘some comic guy’ did it and Jenkins liked the painting so much he had it removed when he sold the house and it now resides in his garage down the other end of the country in Queenstown.
“Colin remarked on the painting, ‘It’s obviously me copying a Bellamy Dan Dare panel from Eagle – November 7, 1959 to be exact – but how the hell could I have done this and not remember anything about it? And it turns up 35 years later in some guy’s garage!'”
• Matt has just posted a new interview with Colin Wilson, talking about the past year and his upcoming projects for French publisher Delcourt on his blog, which you can read here: http://pikitiapress.blogspot.com.au/2012/12/2012-in-review-colin-wilson.html
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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. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 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 Art, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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