John Richardson’s artwork in girls’ comics

[Tammyfan]

John Richardson took over from Charles Morgan on "Eva's Evil Eye" (Tammy) from 10 August 1974 and completed the serial 7 September 1974.

[Goof]

Thanks, Tammyfan. As we've started a new page, I may as well post a new copy of the list:





List amended 10 May 2025.

[Tammyfan]

I have scanned "Eva's Evil Eye", the Tammy story that had some episodes drawn by John Richardson. I have also been doing scans of Leopardman episodes drawn by John Richardson. Anyone interested?

[Goof]

I've updated the last list (18/7/21 above) to include a bit more detail on his work for June.

[stevezodiac]

I've just come across some copies of Funday Times the comic that came with the Sunday Times from 1989. There is a John Richardson strip called S.T.A.R.S. St. Andrews Road School. I'm not sure if everything in the Funday Times was reprint or if this was exclusive to that publication. It says adapted from the book by Hunter Davies. It also features a strip called Time and Ms. Jones by Marise Morland which is female lead.

[Goof]

Thanks for this, Steve. It seems that the STARS series of books that Hunter Davies wrote were also published around 1989, so it look as if the Funday Times strip was a contemporary spin-off rather than a reprint. Not the only time that Hunter Davies publicised his books in the Sunday Times.

[stevezodiac]

It was a two page strip in full colour. I have issues 1-18 and it's in all of them. The next issue I have is #26 and it's not in that one so obviously only ran for a few more issues after 18.

[stevezodiac]

eBay seller has issues 1-23 for £14.99 buy it now. Might be the complete run of the story.

[DavidKW]

I'll confirm exact dates when I can set a few minutes to spare, soon hopefully:

John Richardson drew Lucky's Living Doll from around 23 September 1972 to March 1973, with the exceptions of one week in October 1972 and again one in February 1973. Robert MacGillivray drew both these week long story and both of these got the front cover artwork by Rob McG.

The Richardson version of LLD did get one front cover of June in December 1972 ("The Clown With The Broken Heart"). Was this the only time Richardson drew a June front cover?

Robert McGillivray returned full time to LLD in March 1973, staying with it until June's closure and the strips' cancellation in June 1974. McGillivray''s return coincided with the temporary conclusion of "Jeanie And Her Uncle Meanie" in "Sandie", a strip with Richardson briefly drew before Rob McG made it his own. (Incidentally - who was the original artist of "Jeanie..." before Richardson?)

[DavidKW]

Speaking of John Richardson:

I recently purchased a big bundle of Look-Ins from 1979. In its final episodes of the "Bionic Action" strip the artwork looks very much like Richardson's distinctive style. Can anyone confirm this?

[Goof]

Thanks very much for the information, David.

Thanks especially for the details about John Richardson’s contribution to Look-In, which I hadn’t come across before. I don't have the comics, but I've had a dig around online, and I think you are right that he drew some of “Bionic Action”. He seems to have done part or all of the stories “Bionic Rebels” and “Mistaken Identity”, which I think may have been the last two stories in the series. Apparently he also contributed to a later Look-In series “Haircut 100” in the early 1980’s. Here’s an example from “Bionic Rebels”, and one from “Haircut 100” from December 1982, which certainly look like his work (although he may have had a collaborator on "Haircut 100"):




The Bionic Action stories seem to have been published between May and November 1979. Do you happen to have any more exact dates for his contribution? If so, I can add these to the list.

Jeannie and Her Uncle Meanie started in July 1972, and I don’t have the Sandies for that period, but the cover for the first issue which printed the series uses artwork by MacGillivray, so it looks as if he was the original artist. He was certainly the main artist for the most of the series, including its later stint in Tammy.

Richardson’s work for June seems to have started around December 1971. I’ve checked the issues for this month and all of 1972, and can confirm that Richardson did no other covers during this period, so the December 1972 cover that you’ve seen may be the only one.

Any other information which you may come across about Richardson’s work will be gratefully received!

[DavidKW]

I've had a butchers through my 1979 Look-Ins:

The first "Bionic Action" drawn by Richardson was for the issue dated 28/07/79.

I think the final episode of his was in the 13/10/70 edition.

I haven't got that edition yet, but I've got the 27/10/79 one, which has an adventure already running, but this time not drawn by Richardson. The 06/10/70 edition I have got has a not yet finished adventure drawn by Richardson.

The final "Bionic Action" was on 17/11/79, but I don't know who drew it. It was replaced the following week by "Charlie's Angels".

Thanks for mentioning that Haircut 100 strip, I'd forgotten about those but has got my photographic memory going. I did uses to get Look-In regular in 1982, but I sold most of my 81-84 collection on, keeping just a few issues (I found there is very little demand for Look-Ins post summer 1981; it was a shadow of its former self come late 1984).

I did manage to keep a 06/11/82 edition, of which the Haircut 100 strip was called "Danger On The High Seas" and was drawn by another artist. I have no further 1982, but this story was still running at the end of that week.

It think it would be around circa 20/11/82 that the final Haircut 100 strip, drawn by John Richardson started, which was the one you've pictured. I do remember noticing the strip had been drawn by another artist back then and that it was about the group going to an American's ranch whose daughter fancies singer Nick Heyward, causing them problems. The group eventually find another man for her to fall for and forget them. I think the strip ended late 1982.

There had been plans around the time of the strip starting for Haircut 100 to features in a Monkees style Tv series, but this never happened, and anyway by the time the strip had finished in Look-In the group was ready to implode.

In fact I can remember when that Richardson strip started Haircut 100 were featured in the colour centre with the announcement that Mark Fox was leaving the group. In fact this was not true, although their record company had wanted to dump both Mark and Phil from the group. In fact, come early 1983, singer Nick Heyward announced his departure from the group, whilst Mark Fox took over as lead vocalist and the group signed a deal with another label. Heyward had modest success solo, whilst the new Fox led Haircut 100 could only muster one minor hit single, in spite of making what today sound some fantastic records.

[Goof]

Many thanks for all the very helpful information, David. I've amended the latest copy of the list (above) to include the Look-In details.

[jim244]

I've had a butchers through my 1979 Look-Ins:

The first "Bionic Action" drawn by Richardson was for the issue dated 28/07/79.

I think the final episode of his was in the 13/10/70 edition.

I haven't got that edition yet, but I've got the 27/10/79 one, which has an adventure already running, but this time not drawn by Richardson. The 06/10/70 edition I have got has a not yet finished adventure drawn by Richardson.

The final "Bionic Action" was on 17/11/79, but I don't know who drew it. It was replaced the following week by "Charlie's Angels".

Thanks for mentioning that Haircut 100 strip, I'd forgotten about those but has got my photographic memory going. I did uses to get Look-In regular in 1982, but I sold most of my 81-84 collection on, keeping just a few issues (I found there is very little demand for Look-Ins post summer 1981; it was a shadow of its former self come late 1984).

I did manage to keep a 06/11/82 edition, of which the Haircut 100 strip was called "Danger On The High Seas" and was drawn by another artist. I have no further 1982, but this story was still running at the end of that week.

It think it would be around circa 20/11/82 that the final Haircut 100 strip, drawn by John Richardson started, which was the one you've pictured. I do remember noticing the strip had been drawn by another artist back then and that it was about the group going to an American's ranch whose daughter fancies singer Nick Heyward, causing them problems. The group eventually find another man for her to fall for and forget them. I think the strip ended late 1982.

There had been plans around the time of the strip starting for Haircut 100 to features in a Monkees style Tv series, but this never happened, and anyway by the time the strip had finished in Look-In the group was ready to implode.

In fact I can remember when that Richardson strip started Haircut 100 were featured in the colour centre with the announcement that Mark Fox was leaving the group. In fact this was not true, although their record company had wanted to dump both Mark and Phil from the group. In fact, come early 1983, singer Nick Heyward announced his departure from the group, whilst Mark Fox took over as lead vocalist and the group signed a deal with another label. Heyward had modest success solo, whilst the new Fox led Haircut 100 could only muster one minor hit single, in spite of making what today sound some fantastic records.

Hi David
Mike White drew the last installment of "Bionic Action".

[jim244]

Just to clear things up David and Goof;
There were 3 untitled "Bionic Action" strips.
John Richardson drew the second story and also the first 7 parts of the third story.
I'm currently still reading through and posting on Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman in "Look-In" section but I will be covering this strip.