Comics UK

Today's Beano (No.3480) contains a nice surprise, - the long running reprint series Fred's Bed has been given a revamp and Hunt Emerson is the artist for a brand new series of the time-travel strip. Two pages of Emerson grooviness. Fantastic!

Lew

I'd like to see a story explaining how Fred got that alarm clock which controls his destination. It used to be random. Note that they've dropped the "I wonder what's under" part of the title.

Also, Rasher's back too, albeit as reprints from over 20 years ago! It originally ran from 1984 to 1988, and I think the first one has already been in a Dennis annual.

Excellent news Lew, thanks for this- although not a reader of the Beano I'll pick this up as I am a masssive fan of Hunts work.

STARBOY wrote:Excellent news Lew, thanks for this- although not a reader of the Beano I'll pick this up as I am a masssive fan of Hunts work.

I assume you're aware that Hunt has been a regular on The Beano (drawing Ratz) for the past few years? (Ratz is now going to be drawn by Laura Howell, who I think still writes the strip too.)

Lew

I'm on a bit of a break from writing Ratz at the mo, although there's still a handful of my stories that have yet to run in the Beano. (In case anyone's wondering about Ratz being missing for the last several issues, it's not gone away, I think there's just been a bit of a hiatus to coincide with the handover from Hunt to me.)

Also FYI Starboy, it seems Hunt's Little Plum strips are now running in the BeanoMax again, so there's another thing for your shopping list

Don't know why they needed to do that - you use very similar art styles. If the strips weren't signed it would be difficult to identify who drew what. No offence.

Thanks for confirming that Ratz hasn't been dropped.

Blimey, I think theres a huge difference between Lauras work and Hunt Emmersons work. Laura, do you just ink Hunts work (isn't that how you started?) on Ratz or have you been ghosting it? Will you be doing Ratz in your style or carrying on with Hunt Emmersons style?

Both are great!

Thanks Lew, I was aware of Hunts work on Little PLum and Ratz altohugh I thought he was onyl drawing a few of these - I have several issue of the Beano with his (and Lauras) Ratz work, but I stopped buying Beano (for Hunts work) a while ago for some reason . However, this new Hunt drawn strip looks excellent to me (I saw some art on your blog) so need to get it

Didn't realise that Fred's Bed first started in the Beezer...

Nice to see some new stories - It's certainly a different style...

I dont want to knock it, but I do miss the Calamity James-esque artwork with additional things going on in the background, squelchy things, odd signs and strange shop names - the added detail - it always makes me laugh.

'suppose I'll get used to it.

Lew, you mentioned Fred was popular, do you think such a different approach in style could affect that, or will the kids not notice as much as we do?

Steve Henderson wrote:Blimey, I think theres a huge difference between Lauras work and Hunt Emmersons work. Laura, do you just ink Hunts work (isn't that how you started?) on Ratz or have you been ghosting it? Will you be doing Ratz in your style or carrying on with Hunt Emmersons style?

Yeah, I started off as a kind of assistant to Hunt inking Ratz, but as time went on and I actually started working on my own strip, it ultimately made more sense for me to help him out by just drawing the whole thing on the odd week when he was too busy. I'd inked enough to have a fairly good handle on the style of it by then. Having said that, Hunt's style is so uniquely his that it would be pointless to try and properly ghost it, so I aim for something that you could tell was designed by him, but you would know it hadn't been actually drawn by him, if that makes sense (I guess there are a few exceptions to that, as Digifiend proved!)

Hmm, I tried to attach a sample panel from the latest page I did to this post but it says the board attachment quota has been reached, so I guess you'll just have to wait until they're in print...

intune wrote: Lew, you mentioned Fred was popular, do you think such a different approach in style could affect that, or will the kids not notice as much as we do?

It seemed to be doing well in the poll when I looked yesterday. I suspect it'll depend on the subject matter too. You can't go far wrong putting a dinosaur in a strip at the same time that Primeval is on tv. Tapping into the mood of the times is comic magic, sometimes coincidental, sometimes deliberate.

Lew

Back from my Portland sunny holiday with Wife...great time..feel like I've been in Spain...lovely tan..well burned to a tan..

Bet Fred will visit Robin Hood next!!!!

Lew Stringer wrote:

intune wrote: Lew, you mentioned Fred was popular, do you think such a different approach in style could affect that, or will the kids not notice as much as we do?

It seemed to be doing well in the poll when I looked yesterday. I suspect it'll depend on the subject matter too. You can't go far wrong putting a dinosaur in a strip at the same time that Primeval is on tv. Tapping into the mood of the times is comic magic, sometimes coincidental, sometimes deliberate.

Lew

Bit of a coincidence that your Super School and Hunt's Fred's Bed featured dinos in the same week, eh? Don't suppose Most Haunted (mentioned in the Dennis strip on the cover) is currently on air as well?

This week's issue features, for the first time I believe, two Hunt Emerson strips! One is Fred's Bed, and the other is a Ratz co-produced by Laura Howell. There are other changes too. Billy the Cat is absent, and Ball Boy is now a reprint.

Re: Rasher - the strips used so far have previously appeared in the Dennis the Menace Book 2000. That makes it their third appearance.

I loved Fred's Bed this week very good..love the zany eye popping out and the crowd all looking the same...reminds me of Popeye Segar strip..a great new fun feature...excellent..

Ball Boy is just a one off I'd say..the artist might be on holiday...unwell etc..

Ratz is only drawn by Laura now in a Huntish style..