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Monday 15 August 2011

LEO'S LAST STAND...

The 1st issue of Monster Fun

MONSTER FUN COMIC was released on June 7th, 1975 (dated the 14th) and heralded the start of renowned creator LEO BAXENDALE's swan-song in British comics, with his series of BADTIME BEDTIME STORYBOOKS being given the entire centrespread of the weekly comic. (Other artists also contributed from time to time.) After this, he would go on to create his 3 volume WILLY The KID run before fading from high-profile comics consciousness - his madcap, anarchic drawing style being kept alive by the likes of artists TOM PATERSON and Leo's son MARTIN.

Click second image to enlarge text

(FRANKIE STEIN, who'd first appeared back in 1964 in the fourth issue of WHAM! illustrated by the legendary KEN REID, was the comic's figurehead editor, an obvious choice given its 'comedy-horror' theme. He was 'resurrected' in 1973 in SHIVER & SHAKE, this time drawn by the amazingly prolific ROBERT NIXON, before moving over to WHOOPEE in 1974 when S&S was merged into it.)

Sadly, Monster Fun comic lasted for only 73 regular issues before being merged with BUSTER in October, 1976. By that time, however, Leo's Willy The Kid was about to explode onto an unsuspecting British public. Here, then, is the first of Leo's last weekly comics output - enjoy. And be sure to visit his website by clicking on the link in the right-hand side (from your point of view) column.

5 comments:

Simon B said...: Ah, Monster Fun! I loved that comic back in the day. I was 8 years old and the blend of monsters and humour suited me down to the ground. I didn't keep the actual comics but I did pull out some of the ( wonderful ) Badtime Bedtime Storybooks, which I've still got somewhere. The Mr. Punch story in particular always gave me the creeps...; 15 August 2011 at 20:36
Kid said...: Yup. It should've lasted a lot longer than it did.; 16 August 2011 at 00:22
Mr Straightman said...: I was really disappointed when I found out that a lot of the stuff I thought Leo Baxendale was responsible for was actually ghosted by Tom Paterson, Dave Sutherland, Jim Petrie and Mike Brown.; 12 September 2011 at 17:18
Kid said...: Shows you how good they were to be able to fool you. Imagine...most people from over the last 30-odd years nowadays would think a Leo Baxendale page was by Tom Paterson. He's become so associated with Bax's style, people think it's his. He does a great job with it 'though.; 12 September 2011 at 17:52
Mr Straightman said...: Graham Allen was another artist with a Bax-ish style.; 13 September 2011 at 16:12

About the artist:

From 1985 to 2000 A.D. (little joke there), I contributed to a variety of high profile comics and magazines for various companies.

For IPC/FLEETWAY/EGMONT, I freelanced as a lettering and logo artist on various weekly comics and monthly magazines, and also as a resize comic artist and spot illustrator on pocket books, summer specials and annuals.

For MARVEL U.K., BLACK LIBRARY, REDAN and USBORNE BOOKS, I again freelanced as a lettering artist, also working as a restoration artist for MARVEL U.S., restoring and re-creating certain pages of JACK KIRBY art for their MARVEL MASTERWORKS editions.

I also lettered the MARVELMAN sample pages submitted to MARVEL U.S. when they were considering acquiring the character, which - as we all now know - they DID.

Supplied comic strips, cartoons and illustrated advertisements for local business campaigns and newspaper publication on a professional basis since the age of 16. Did my first paid art job for publication at 14 or 15 for Lanarkshire Education Board.

Have also made TV appearances as a collector of memorabilia.

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Just some of the titles I worked on are:

2000 A.D. * JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE * DICEMAN * SONIC The COMIC * JUDGE DREDD, LAWMAN Of The FUTURE * CRISIS * REVOLVER * EAGLE * TIGER * BATTLE ACTION-FORCE * BUSTER * WHIZZER & CHIPS * WHOOPEE * NIPPER * SCHOOL FUN * ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE * The REAL GHOSTBUSTERS * DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE * COUNT DUCKULA * RUGRATS * The TRANSFORMERS * DEATH'S HEAD * THUNDERCATS * GALAXY RANGERS * DRAGON'S CLAWS * SINDY * MARVEL MASTERWORKS * The TROLLS * LOADED * INFERNO * WARHAMMER * ROSE BLACK.

Copyright Notice:

Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used here only for the purpose of review, promotion, and nostalgia.

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And while you can credit this blog if you like, it's not mandatory. Who has time to make notes of every casually visited site during an idle browse of the internet?

In the case of anyone copying images of my own artwork and calligraphy, I affirm my right to be identified as the creator, and any such copying should not be for the purpose of monetary or material gain. (Unless it's mine.)

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