Rare Near Myths art by Tony O’Donnell offered on eBay

By John Freeman on January 25, 2021

Fancy some early comic art by Orkney-based comic artist and illustrator Tony O’Donnell for your collection? Well, now’s your chance – and it’s in a good cause.

Tony’s mainstream comics credits span titles that include Spike, Starblazer, Star Romance, Redfox and The Real Ghostbusters in the 1980s. But his break into comics came with contributions to the independent comic Near Myths. a title that also featured the first professionally published work of Grant Morrison and Graham Manley, and saw the start of Bryan Talbot‘s seminal graphic novel The Adventures of Luther Arkwright.

Now, the acclaimed artist, who’s credits in the 1990s and early 2000s include The Beano, The Beano Library, Summer Specials and Annuals, is selling a page of “Thiirania”, a fantasy strip written and drawn by Tony in 1978, published in Near Myths #4, in 1979.

Thiirania by Tony O’Donnell, for a near Myths

This is the first page from that story to be offered for sale, with a percentage of the sale going to the Disasters Emergency Committee, which in major crises brings together 14 leading UK aid charities to raise money to help save lives and rebuild shattered communities.

The DEC’s Coronavirus Appeal will protect people – often living in refugee camps and war-torn countries – who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus.

When not selling comic rarities on eBay, Tony is usually concentrating on building up his freelance work, drawing caricatures and working as an illustrator for the Graham-Cameron Illustration Agency. His art has been exhibited in recent years alongside the work of Jim Baikie, Cam Kennedy and Alex Leonard.

• Check out the page of “Thiirania” for sale on eBay here

• Check out Tony O’Donnell’s other eBay items

• Find Tony O’Donnell on Facebook

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. 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.