We’re sorry to report the death of artist Kenneth (Ken) Barr, aged 83. He is perhaps best known to downthetubes readers for his Commando covers, but was an innovative artist whose covers for publishers such as Marvel and a wide variety of book publishers are highly regarded, making him one of the most beloved and collected comic artists.
Ken, who had turned 83 a few days ago, retired in 1987, returning to his native Scotland from the United States, where he had worked for much of his career as a film poster, comic and book cover artist.
Born in Scotland in 1933, after serving with the Army in Egypt for his National Service he established himself as one of the top artists in the graphic art and comic industry. Since his first covers appeared on Nebula science fiction magazine in the 1950s, he produced a vast and wide range of subject matter for many of the top companies in many fields, including Star Wars and Star Trek covers, as well as creating film posters and book covers.
Over the years Ken painted many images that have now become iconic cover artwork, delivered in a wide variety of styles ranging from many of the classic early war covers for Commando comics, including the first 14 issues. His last cover work on the title was for Issue 4138, above, commissioned by Calum Laird in 2008.
“It was quite odd working with Ken” Calum recalls, "as we never met face-to-face, I just called his mobile. And his rough was sent in by post… on tracing paper. This was at a time when everybody else was, at least, using the fax machine.”
The print above doesn’t do justice to the red he used on the cover, Calum notes.
“It was the only job he did for me, not because we didn’t want to do more, it just never happened.”
Ken moved to the United States in 1968, where he quickly carved a career as an artist with credits that include fantasy art covers for Warren publications such as Creepy and Vampirella, Doc Savage and Planet of the Apes) and DC Comics (such as G.I. Combat).
He was also the regular penciller/inker and occasional writer of strips for DC’s various war comics under Joe Kubert’s editorship, including Our Army At War, Our Fighting Forces, Battle Album and Star Spangled War Stories in 1969-74.
Comics expert Philip Rushton notes thst apart from all his superb paintings on both sides of the Atlantic people forget that he also earned a small place in comic book history by drawing the first ever story of DC’s Losers series in Our Fighting Forces.
He also worked on several black-and-white comics from Marvel Comics such asDoc Savage, The Rampaging Hulk, Starlord, The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu and Planet of the Apes.
From the 1970s onwards, he created hundreds of book covers for many of the leading book publishers such as Avon and Random House over his long career as a commercial artist; and also drew numerous film posters, those credits including The Wind and the Lion, Terminal Man, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot and several horror and fantasy films.
Fellow artist David Pugh notes Ken drew some really inspiring Conan covers. “Robert E. Howard would have loved his work.”
A trading card set reprinting some of his best fantasy and horror artwork, The Beast Within, was issued in March 1994 and a book featuring a collection of his work, titled The Beast Within: The Art of Ken Barr, was published in 2007.
Barr also produced fantasy artwork for the Danbury Mint.
“I was very lucky to have met him and his wife Kathy at the 1970 New York Comic Convention, and over the years he produced some wonderful work for several of my publications,” says Sal Quarticco, company president of SQP Art Books, in a tribute. “We’ve been friends for over 45 years and I’ll miss him.”
Our sympathies to Ken’s friends and family at this sad time.
• The Dracula Society offers an exclusive postcard by Ken Barr (Ken is a life member of the Dracula Society)
• Ken Barr: Commando Checklist
• Ken Barr art on ComicBookArtFans.com
• Ken Barr Profile on the SF Encyclopedia
- About the Author
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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.
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