45 years since the the first appearance of Frankie Stein!

[STARBOY]

That article, stating Reid drew Georgies Germs resulted in me buying so many Odhams comics at Marts etc in order to try and find that strip (which never was of course) - Was it not Willie Thorburn that wrote Frankie Stein ? possibly Ken Reid revised the odd Frankie Script (although no idea what that meant in practice) as he did with the Queen of the Seas strip (which Torburn wrote) - I think the Nervs , under Reid has to be one of the most surreal strips ever. Imagine these were aimed at kids of 10 years old (possibly younger as I was about 7 at the time I read these and loved it) I wonder how todays kids would react to these strips (or would that be todays parents more than the kids!?) creators today are just not allowed to flex their creative juices to be that "weird" it must be frustrating for some of them.

[klakadak-ploobadoof]

The article/interview in Fudge and the Dragon reprint from Savoy Books appears in its entirety here: http://www.savoy.abel.co.uk/HTML/kreid.html. I think the reason why many people believe Reid did Georgie's Germs was that the info is presented as something the artist himself recalled (why would one doubt a claim like that, especially without seeing the actual strip).
Other inaccuracies in the article (also presented as something Reid recalled) include claims about Banger and Masher appearing in Scorcher, which was actually Valiant, Dare-a-Day Davy appearing in Wham, which was actually Pow, Creepy Creations appearing in Whoopee, which was actually Shiver and Shake.
If you scroll down to the bottom of that webpage, you will find a link to the banned episode of Dare-A-Day Davy.
The article also offers a tiny bit of information about competitions in the Irish edition of Sunday Express, mentioning the names of a few series: Horse Clues; Horse Pics; Titles; Inn Signs. Sounds interesting; I imagine Reid produced some interesting variations on the themes! Could someone post some samples, please (I am in mainland Europe, so can't really go to a local library to look for some )?

[STARBOY]

I ve never seen these strips /illos fropm the Irish edition of the Express either, it would be great to see them. I also read somewhere that Ken Reid did a football (or rugby)strip (possibly for Scorcher) called The Triptoe Triers - I seem to recall seeing an issue of this somewhere (can't recall that much about it) but the one I saw wasn't by Ken Reid. I was thinking it may have been an strip that appeared in an annual (or a fill in like Robot Smith etc) like another strip he did about a football player that was a ghost - sorry the name escapes me - (I saw this and never picked it up - darn!) Has anyone heard of these? Also has anyone seen the excellent FOOTBALL FORUM strips that appeared in Scorcher by Ken Reid? I think these are amazing (and Sub of course always makes me smile that strip).

[klakadak-ploobadoof]

Kashgar did an excellent detailed account on this Forum about Ken Reid's football strips in Scorcher during 1970-1974, you can find it here:
http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtop ... 127&t=1846
Mind that the account has one typing error: Harry Hammertoe ended in issue dated 18/8/73 and Jimmy Jinks began in the issue of 25/8/73 (the account says October).
I will show scans of random episodes of each strip under the original post where the account appears, I feel they would be more appropriate there

[klakadak-ploobadoof]

Earlier in this thread I asked if anyone could post some examples of competitions in the Irish edition of Sunday Express drawn by Ken Reid in the 50s and the 60s (Horse Clues; Horse Pics; Titles; Inn Signs, etc.). My general impression is that very few people here have actually seen them (I certainly haven't). I therefore contacted dozens of libraries throughout the UK and Ireland. I received lots of replies and none of the libraries had Irish edition of Sunday Express. Today I got a message from the National Library of Scotland, which conclusively states that searching library sources would be fruitless. Here is the text of the reply I received today:
We do not hold the Sunday Express (Irish Edition). I have checked with the National Library of Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, Libraries N I and the British Library and none of these have a holding. Neither is this title listed in the Newsplan Ireland report published jointly by the British Library and the National Library of Ireland in 1998. This Report aimed to provide a listing of all extant files of Irish newspapers held in the National Library of Ireland, the British Library, public libraries, universities, archives and newspaper offices.
The Sunday Express office informed me that the newspaper archive of their London Edition does not go back beyond1988 and that they are not aware of any archive material being kept for an Irish Edition. Therefore, regrettably, I have no suggestion as to where you can further you enquiry.
Apparently, this art of Ken Reid is forever lost to the World.

[klakadak-ploobadoof]

I was surprised to find this 6-pager of Frankie Stein in Monster Fun 1985 annual. It looks like it was drawn by Ken Reid in his 80s style (Faceache). Were there any other such surprise appearances of Frankie Stein by Ken Reid during the 70s and 80s?

[DaveWhit.]

klakadak,

I had no knowledge of this Frankie Stein strip from Monster Fun Annual.
As you say, it does look like Ken Reid, albeit greatly inferior to the work he produced in the the sixties. If this is Ken Reid, then I'm sure someone here will know. I just hope it isn't his work!

I absolutely love Ken Reid's D.C Thomson and Odhams work -- especially his Odhams work. His drawing style just got better and better with each week. In comparison this Monster Fun strip makes me a little sad, as it is shows this comics genius in decline.

[philcom55]

It certainly looks like Ken's work. I'd guess that he was asked to emulate the 1980s look of the strip rather than his own, infinitely superior, 1960s version - not the sort of assignment calculated to bring out the best in any artist!

- Phil Rushton

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Something about this artwork spells out 'Trevor Metcalfe' to me.

[Digifiend]

Didn't he always sign his work? Unlike Ken Reid.

[AndyB]

100% Ken. I never doubted it.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

How about Metcalfe inking over Reid's pencils, Andy? I agree that much of this work is undoubtedly Reidesque in many places, but there's something not quite authenticly Reid about this strip......maybe Trev harboured a secret ambition to work on a Reid strip....just hypothetical bellyaching and rumbling on my part, of course.


Something about Frankie himself here [he's too streamlined for Reid, who insisted on top quality at all cost] and Professor Cube in particular: he looks way too Metcalfian to ring 'true'. Ironically, the supporting ghost characters are the most Reidesque; usually a dead giveaway regarding ghost-artists [quite literally in this case!]


A real oddity, this strip, hopefully someone with insider IPC knowledge can confirm if Reid actually penned all this himself or not.

[AndyB]

I can't see anything of Trevor in it. Of course, the trick would be to ask Trevor himself

The answer is that Ken was doing his damnedest to ghost Bob Nixon - but apart from Frankie's head, every single facial expression is pure Ken, pencils and inks.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Good theory, Andy, and I'm happy with your assessment.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

I apologize if this had been covered on the site already, but I'm muchly intruiged by these fine-looking special editions currently on offer on e-bay.

Definitely the sort of thing I want to see but sadly a bit too pricey for me:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WHAM-comic-ar ... 027wt_1185

Last night I also saw a collected 'World-Wide Wierdies/Wanted posters etc also by Ken Reid also in a similar volume [in colour].

Also of note [and another gem I would love to own, the collected SCREAM INN and other assorted sweetmeats from Brian Walker, scroll down for details:



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scream-Inn-re ... 288wt_1185


And lastly in this category, more absolute top-quality work by Ken Reid and the collected 'Queen of the Seas' with some NERVS reprints added by way of bonus:


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SMASH-comic-a ... 445wt_1185



Shame about the price-tag of 50 quid, although I quite understand that low print-runs will demand this premium fee.


20 quid apiece and I would have been interested, but this is out of my price-range, I'm afraid.