Reg Parlett on 'Bewitched Belinda' for Whizzer and Chips

[tolworthy]

I got an old "best of Whizzer and Chips" comic from a charity shop, which included several pages of "Bewitched Belinda." I'm ashamed to say I never noticed before (or more likely forgot), but Reg Parlett was an AMAZINGLY good artist. And does anyone know who wrote that strip? The writing seems a cut above the other strips too.

Possibly these were just unusually good examples of his work, or maybe I was tired (it was late at night), but these just shone.

I happened to read this comic through several times (long story). On the first read through, Belinda is just another strip. But on the second or third read it really starts to shine. I have to say that for me, Belinda and Paws are head and shoulders above all the others, and Belinda probably has the edge. Though their styles are TOTALLY different. There are so many things to praise! Where to start?

1. The first thing I noticed was the cleanness of the lines. Impecable draughtsmanship, not a line wasted.

2. The next thing that jumps out is the faces. Every face has something to say, and is so expressive. Such a range!

3. And the bodies. Again, nobody just stands there, everyone is doing something interesting, something that helps to build the story.

4. And even the limbs! Even the arms and hands and legs have something to say.

5. The the layout. Every panel seems full of activity, yet leaves plenty of space. The characters' sizes and positions are so pleasing. Heck, I feel like some pompous French art critic. But he really is that good.

6. And the characters. They each have a personality of their own. There was a stip about a fox hunt, and another about Belinda's mother trying to get a job. And another where she goes to a party. Belinda's mother could be the subject of a long essay just from the two strips where she appeared. There is nothing two dimensional about her.

I could go on and on and on... I wonder how much of this is the writer? It wasn't written by a woman by any chance was it? Belinda seems more moral than other characters, more sensitive to others' feelings, and there are social issues all over.

I've gone on long enough. I've never taken the time before to read Reg Partlett's stuff in any depth. Like I said, on a casual scan it just looks like another comic, but it really gets better and better the closer you look. Maybe I was just lucky to see some unusually good examples, I dunno.

That's just my view anyway.

[Raven]

Reg Parlett was one of the all time greats - he could draw anything *doing* anything and make it look believable. Just look how many expressions and what a personality he gave to Harry - essentially a bedsheet! - in Harry's Haunted House.

Yes, the faces, the limbs, the expressiveness - he could even fill totally non-human characters like Creepy Car with personality and expressiveness.

[NP]

No, Reg was always unusually good, never saw anything he did that I didn't like!

[Peter Gray]

http://uk.geocities.com/pjgregparlett/B ... linda.html

sorry its not complete...


sorry about quality...might go and scan another example...

lets have a look at this in detail..mmmmm

[Peter Gray]

Heres a better example..

[Matthew]

Really nice to see these. Simple backgrounds, focusing us on the strong poses and expressions. Well spotted Tolworthy and cheers Peter for the scans! Great fun to look at.

[Peter Gray]

nice work...like the little funny details..now you have to look at my cartoons..

[Matthew]

Oh dear, one o' mine. A bit of a cold shower for me, your pasting my stuff under that of Reg! So much for simple backgrounds in that example.

Zany, fun stuff in your portfolio - simple backgrounds too!

Back to Reg now, eh?

Cheerz!

[tolworthy]

Heres a better example..

Yes, that's a good example of what I mean! Maybe I'm getting old (OK, there's no 'maybe' about it) but a lot of comic characters seem badly behaved and shallow. I know, Yes, I know, that's the whole point, it's a kids' comic for pity's sake! But Belinda is different. She's intelligent, and always helps people. And the stories are entertaining without the usual "magic goes wrong" easy cop-out used by lesser stories use.

This next strip illustrates her intelligence and sensitivity. She is a good judge of character, and enjoys a joke, and is happy to give her teacher a fright, but knows when the joke has gone too far. Notice how each teacher is an individual. This is a very satisfying strip, a good lesson in morals, yet anarchic simple fun at the same time. Quite an achievement!


This next one illustrates her family. Note the social subtext - single parent, money worries, patriarchal world, the love between mother and daughter, her mother's self esteem. There's a lot more depth to these strips than it seems. A truly great long term family drama could be built from events like this. It's a pity Belinda never got more attention.


I could go on and on, but two examples are enough for now.

[Lew Stringer]

Heres a better example..

Yes, that's a good example of what I mean! Maybe I'm getting old (OK, there's no 'maybe' about it) but a lot of comic characters seem badly behaved and shallow. I know, Yes, I know, that's the whole point, it's a kids' comic for pity's sake! But Belinda is different. She's intelligent, and always helps people. And the stories are entertaining without the usual "magic goes wrong" easy cop-out used by lesser stories use.

Hadn't really noticed that before as I haven't read many Belinda strips but you're right. Some other IPC strips also probably had more depth than one would initially expect I imagine.

Lew

[Matthew]

Tolworthy, thanks for sharing those latest scans. There's a lovely, soft, fluid line to Reg's work. Peter, I've just noticed that it's your site I've been looking at to put names to artwork!

http://uk.geocities.com/pjgregparlett/

I was looking at the little bio of Reg on that page and noticed he was born in 1904!

Did these artists do their own colour work? I like the colour example above and the double page spread on Peter's site. I'm sure they did their own inking, although it's not always necessarily the case (US comics for example).

How come you don't have the link to your "fansite" in your post signatures Peter? It's an interesting site - I can't even get started on your blog - yet!

[Raven]

I was looking at the little bio of Reg on that page and noticed he was born in 1904!

Parlett started drawing for comics in the 1920s, so when he started Bewitched Belinda for Whizzer and Chips in 1979, he'd already been at it for well over 50 years.

[Lew Stringer]

Did these artists do their own colour work? I like the colour example above and the double page spread on Peter's site. I'm sure they did their own inking, although it's not always necessarily the case (US comics for example).

If it's spot colour / overlays for newsprint the colour was probably added in the office. Yes, the vast majority of humour & adventure artists would ink their own work (unless they were so busy they'd use an assistant, but that's rare), unlike those softies in America.

Lew

[Peter Gray]

How come you don't have the link to your "fansite" in your post signatures Peter? It's an interesting site - I can't even get started on your blog - yet!

Well most people here already know my websites...there is 20 to see so my domain name would be very long...

NEW! Nov 2005 Robert Nixon....Roger the Dodger.....Ivy the Terrible....

NEW! Nov 2005 Gordon Bell website showing Pup parade...Spoofer McGraw.....Nipper.....Flapper.......Doodlebug.....Tuff and Tiny....etc...

NEW! Mike Lacey...X Ray specs...Bumpkin Billionaire's...Sid's snake...Shiner..etc..

NEW! Bill Ritchie...Baby Crockett...Sweet Sue...Barney...2 gun Tony etc..

NEW! John Geering.Bananaman..Sporty...Number 13...Smudge...

NEW! Brian Walker... Mike's Bike, Smasher, Go Granny Go

NEW! Leo Baxendale fansite...Bash Street Kids...Little Plum...Minnie the minx...Biff...Swots and the Blots...Footsie the clown etc...NEW for Feb 2005!

NEW! Ken Reid fansite..Faceache...Roger the dodger...Jonah...Wanted posters...etc..

NEW! Reg Parlett fansite...Buster..Creepy car...Creepy Comix...Bonehead...Billy Bunter...Fright School...etc...For Sept 2004!

NEW!My Dad's paintings For Aug 2004!

NEW! For July 2004!
See Weird and wacky comic characters like Laser Eraser, Little Monkey, The Wabbits, Pobbles, Mr Bubbles...etc..

NEW! for May 2004 My Newest cartoon comic strip BILLY BIRD.....Check it out!

NEW! For May 2004 Steve Bright website with Steve helping!- Showing his cartoons and comic work Bad Max, Prambo, Brad Break, Dandy Days in Beanotown, Rex and Tex...etc..

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See Jack.Edward Oliver's comic work...another great British cartoonist! Website created by me!! Cliff Hanger, Mastermind, Vid Kid, My Snoozy dog Woozy, The Champ, Teeny Sweeny, Tv Quiz kids, Robin Good..etc...plus input from the cartoonist himself... Jack talks about his work.

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My cartoon work!

My Mr Men web site! etc...etc..
the websites were NEW at the time... ..

www.pgcartoons.co.uk has all my websites and links at the bottom of page...I'm not making any new websites just working on my blog...which is like many websites in one..

BACK ON TOPIC-
Joker in Whizzer and chips had many layers as well...family members...school friends...pets...running stories...

[Matthew]

Cheers, Raven. I'd always pictured Reg as an older artist because of his style but hadn't reckoned on him starting in the twenties!

Lew, I guess "spot" colour is block colour applied to accent certain areas of a panel rather than producing a full blown painting. Regarding the latter, I've recently been looking back at Bill Ritchie's colour strips in 60s Beezer annuals and really liked them. I imagine he painted those himself because they're quite subtle with some background objects described with just paint rather than with an ink outline and block colour.

I'd like to get a copy of the "Comic Art of Reg Partlett" at some stage. Saw an old (supposedly) signed copy on Abe books if anyone's after one.