In Memoriam: Cartoonist and Wildlife Artist Phil Baber

By John Freeman on May 16, 2024

We’re sorry to report the passing of longtime comic creator and wildlife artist Phil Baber, whose many credits over 30 years in the business spanned a slew of comics, newspapers, animation and much more.

Phil, who lived in Pembrokeshire, was also an accomplished wildlife artist, occasional angry poet, bird watcher, photographer, video maker, and campaigner, his Twitter profile dominated by terrific wildlife photography, and he made many contributions to BirdForum, the internet’s largest birding community.

His family have asked friends and fans of his work donate to the homelessness charity, Shelter, in his memory, via this JustGiving page. Phil was, sadly, victim to cancer.

*This cartoon gained Phil Baber a Runner-Up place in the BBC Wildlife Cartoonist of the Year competition in 1993*

Animal Conservation art by Phil Baber — *Art by Phil Baber*

Drawing professionally for over 30 years, Phil worked for many well-known names, including Badly Drawn Boy; Tina Turner and Barry White, and companies such as Aardman Animations, BBC Wildlife, Cadbury’s Crème Eggs, Eaglemoss, Oxford University Press and the World Wide Fund For Nature. His work also appeared in The Bristol Evening Post, the adult men’s magazine Knave, and in humour magazines such as GAG and UT, one aspiring rivals to VIZ.

"The Woeful World of Cat Stephen", the trials and tribulations of a six-foot tall blue man-cat, by Phil Baber (Episode 1) — *The first episode of one of Phil’s many strips, “The Woeful World of Cat Stephen”, the trials and tribulations of a six-foot tall blue man-cat. Click the images for larger size*

Bristol Zoo Gardens Poster by Phil Baber — *Advertising work by Phil Baber for Bristol Zoo Gardens and Worldwide Fund for Nature*

WWF Shark Swim strip by Phil Baber — *Advertising work by Phil Baber for Bristol Zoo Gardens and Worldwide Fund for Nature*

Rabbit Cartoon by Phil Baber - "It says here they've got a warren to search this place"

Blag Issue 8, March 1991 - cover by Phil Baber — *Phil’s covers for Blag Issue 8, published in March 1991, and Gag Issue One*

Gag Issue 1 - cover by Phil Baber — *Phil’s covers for Blag Issue 8, published in March 1991, and Gag Issue One*

“Fans and alumni of the humour comics of the 90s will remember Phil from his genius strip ‘Funny Bunnies’ which ran, amongst other magazines, in UT comic,” notes fellow cartoonist Kev Sutherland, who wrote many scripts for various publications Phil drew, including Kev’s own character, Captain Clevedon.

Funny Bunnies: everyday tales of rabbit-folk ran as a regular strip in the 1990s, in two adult comics, Blag and UT, and occasionally, later, in Knave magazine. Phil published a digital collection just last year which features 15 classic Funny Bunny stories, all digitally resurfaced from the original historic artwork, and salvaged scraps and pieces.

“His was a unique talent that never got the breaks or the exposure he deserved, and I know he had a lot of struggles along the way,” Kev continued.

“Phil Baber was a thoroughly nice bloke and one of the best artists I’ve ever known.”

While Phil’s comics career may have been haphazard, he was clearly successful as an illustrator for various advertising promotions, and his devotion to wildlife, particularly birds, earned him a loyal following through the TeamPB100WildlifeFilms channel on YouTube, where he built a following of over 3500 subscribers in at least 12 years of film making.

*Eurasian Woodcock, art by Phil Baber (2013)*

Bird identified as a Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus). Photo: Phil Baber — *Two wildlife photos by Phil Baber, of a rare Great-tailed Grackle visiting the UK and an otter at Pembroke Castle Pond, plucked at random from his wildlife dominated Twitter profile*

Otter at Pembroke Castle Pond, 2023. Photo: Phil Baber — *Two wildlife photos by Phil Baber, of a rare Great-tailed Grackle visiting the UK and an otter at Pembroke Castle Pond, plucked at random from his wildlife dominated Twitter profile*

His Twitter feed and Bird and Wildlife Art site remain testament to his deep love of nature, Phil explaining how he had watched birds and other wildlife since an early age, most of my artwork is based on UK birds and wildlife.

Our sympathies to his family and friends at this time.

• Donate to Shelter in memory of Phil here on JustGiving

• Funny Bunnies: Everyday Tales of Rabbit-Folk: The Almost Complete Collection is available here as a digital edition

The Almost Complete Collection. 62 pages of Lagomorphic Laughs. 15 Life-Endangering stories + extras. Authored, drawn, digitally-resurfaced & shamelessly promoted by Phil Baber

• Phil Baber’s official site is currently still live at phil-baber-cartoons-and-illustration.weebly.com

• Phil Baber – Bird & Wildlife Art

• TeamPB100WildlifeFilms on YouTube

About the Author
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John Freeman

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.