
The latest issue of Sweden’s long-running comics anthology, Agent X9, (No. 8/2022) includes a tribute to the late Ian Kennedy.
The tribute issue reprints the Tybalt story “Golden Wings” from 1993, a story highlighted by Ian in an interview as a rare example of a story that he not only drew, but also wrote. The script was co-created with Ulf Granberg, who was editor of the Tybalt stories and the Fantomen magazine that published them.


There’s also a two page article about Ian, written by Swedish comics expert and historian Magnus Sörell.

“Ian’s Swedish career began in 1987, when he became the artist on the comic “Hunter” which was published in the Agent X9 magazine. Norman Worker was the writer,” Andreas Eriksson tells downthetubes.
‘In 1990, after seven stories, the Hunter series was retooled and the main character was renamed and as ‘Tybalt’, and moved into the pages of the Fantomen magazine. Norman Worker was already one of the main writers of the Swedish production of Phantom stories. The regular writers of ‘Tybalt’ were Norman Worker and Mats Jönsson.
“Ian Kennedy drew a total of 32 Tybalt stories, the last in 2002.”
The strip looks terrific, and surely cries out for a British reprint.
The 100 page anthology magazine also contains a Modesty Blaise story by Peter O’Donnell and Neville Colvin, and the French action comic Lady S by Philippe Aymond.
• Egmont in Sweden does not sell single issues of Agent X9, but here are email addresses of some Swedish comic book stores that stock the title, and might be of service if any overseas Ian Kennedy fans want this issue: info@seriersant.se and info@seriekallaren.se
• Cloud 109: Lost in Translation – Ian Kennedy’s Tybalt
With much thanks to Andreas Eriksson
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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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