Douglas Perry (girls' comics 1970s-1990s?)

[Tonibunny]

Those are fab. Diana's one of the titles that I've never read, but I've started to collect annuals (just old, knackkered copies that I can enjoy reading) and I'll be exploring the ones I've never read before. I'm looking forward to Misty!!

[philcom55]

Misty is great, with lots of excellent John Armstrong artwork, but my favourite serial has to be 'A Leap through Time...' by Eduardo Feito in which a modern schoolgirl is transported back to ancient Crete where she becomes a champion bull dancer!

Diana also featured some outstanding strips over the years, including this spectacular historical series on the Life of Joan of Arc:


- Phil Rushton

[Tonibunny]

Wow, that is fab! Thanks loads for posting it Phil I'm going to try to track down some Misty annuals. They seem to be quite expensive on Ebay and Amazon marketplace though - I guess it's because Misty was so good it's got a large following? I just want knackkered old reading copies so I might put a post up on this forum. I actually prefer it when my annuals have lived a bit, it shows that others have enjoyed them!

[Tonibunny]

Two more examples of Perry's work:

Molly Mills, Tammy annual 1980 (see my Flickr for a larger version):


Molly Mills was the early 20th century maidservant heroine of Tammy, second in popularity only to Bella the gymnast. She was portrayed by two artists, the second being Douglas Perry as above.


Spooky Storyteller, Tammy annual 1980


The teller of strange and spooky stories in Tammy was a distinguished-looking gentleman who was drawn by various different artists over the years; here is he portrayed by Douglas Perry. Interestingly, several strips have Perry's Storyteller introducing a story which is illustrated by a completely different artist.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Perry's work is brilliantly and directly evocative, Toni, and had I been priveliged enough to have seen his artwork at the time of these comic's releases, I would have been gasping for next week's episode as well!

Brilliant atmosphere of the period [Victorian: very late 19th century/early 20th]: MOLLY MILLS reminds me of UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, a popular ITV drama from about 40 years ago: probably before your time!


I love how the Christmas Eve atmosphere still looks so workman-like and skivvy-like.

Perry was also great at composition: everything is so clear.



Scans like these definately help to put the message accross.

[Al]

The Bunty Specials page has been updated to reflect that 1969 was not the first one. I've even managed to upload the 1964 cover.

Thanks for the heads up.

Al

[RuthB]

Toni, I have many Douglas Perry's stories, soome from the Spanish magazines I used to read. One had me thrilled for about twenty years as I never read the end... until a couple of years ago. I did published in our second magazine, though, I will leave you the link in case you know the story, is about a group of gymnastic girls that are summoned to an island and then they start to dissapear and at the same time there is a music box with ballerinas that dissapear too when one of them goes missing. Very obscure...
http://issuu.com/foroesther/docs/foroesther2

[Tonibunny]

Oh how completely fab Ruth! Thanks so much for that, I don't know the story so tomorrow I will sit down with Babelfish and teach myself a bit of Spanish by translating it Do you know when it dates from, please?

[RuthB]

It was first published in the magazine Gina in 1979 in Spain but I say it could be an earlier reprint. It says I.P.C. 1978 so I don't know if it was published over in UK on that date, I suppose so.

By the way, that Mystery Storyteller... We had hundreds of his stories published in Spain as well, done by different artists, and some of them were published here as stories of Gypsy Rose but they would put that man there insted, it was called Uncle Arthur, and the series (no more than 3-4 pages) would be called The Extraordinary tales of Uncle Arthur.

[helsbels]

Ruth, the story you mention illustrated by Douglas Perry is "House of Toys" which first appeared in Sandie comic in either 1972 or 1973(I'll have to check my collection for the exact dates). Do you think there's any hope of Esther y su mundo being published in English in the UK? I used to love "Patty's World" and I'm intrigued to read about Patty/Esther's further adventures!

[RuthB]

Thanks for the Info of House of Toys, helsbels!!
As fas as I know there is no plans for a come back in Uk for the character, but then again things could change in the future. It is a topseller in Spain so it is working and selling perfectly well but maybe they do't think there is a market there anymore. I know at the beginning they were in talks with them but I think it was mainly relating to the ownership of Purita's originals that she never got back and I don't think the outcome left space for publication there.

[Tonibunny]

A little more Perry.....I'm just adding this here for reference as it's the earliest example of his work I currently have, though I'm sure it's far from close to the start of his career.

The Laughing Lady of Hamble Hall - Bunty annual 1972

[RuthB]

I'm sure going to have to start a bounty annual collection pronto!!! I have all Tina, Princess tina, Pink, Girl, Tammy, Mates and Jinty Annuals and some loose from others, Actually I think I have to revise my Tammy collection as I am sure I don't have them all but as I ran out of space I just store them anywhere, will have to put some order this week!!
Im loving Bunty!! Was going to start Mysty but nope. bunty it is and to hell with the others!

[Tonibunny]

Hahaha ace! Misty is wonderful though, I've only got one annual but it's AMAZING.

[RuthB]

Yap. I only got the one too:1980. I also have all Sally Annuals, I really love Sally.