Tip Top art by the great Roy Wilson offered on eBay

By John Freeman on May 23, 2021

Fans of the brilliant British humour comic comic artist Roy Wilson might want to check out this original art from the 1940s British story paper Tip Top, currently being offered on eBay.

On offer are panels of original artwork by Roy Wilson for the Amalgamated Press comic Tip Top No. 460, cover dated 13th October 1945, a copy of the original comic also included in the sale.

This original art is described as pre-production panels for the front cover story “Happy.Andy and his Playful Pets”, reflecting Wilson’s meticulous pre-production methods to get his storytelling as he wanted it, often redrawing panels before submitting the final strip.

On offer are are four panels from the front page drawn in both pencil and indian ink, the differences between these panels and the finsihed front page apparent.

These original artwork panels are.larger than the finished comic art, the single panel on offer measuring approximately 8.5 x 5.5 inches, the three joint panels.measuring approximately 19 x 4.5 inches.

Roy Wilson (1900.- 1965), full name, Royston Warner Wilson, was one of the most important British comic artists, considered the Raphael of between-the-wars humour comics. His artistic Arthurian-Merlin wizardry is legend., creating strips for titles such as Butterfly, Crackers, Funny Wonder, Golden and more, often featuring animal characters, all published by Amalgamated Press.

His work continued to appear in titles like Radio Fun (“Stymie and his Magic Wishbone”) and Tip Top (“Happy Andy”). In his later years, Wilson drew strips about famous personalities for TV Fun and Film Fun.

• Check out the Roy Wilson Tip Top art from Collector-Bug here on eBay

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.