Questions for John Stokes?

[Niblet]

Final episode Buster 14 April 1979

[Phoenix]

you have a basic talent, but your art is still fairly primitive. Long way to go before you can be regarded as anything other than a dabbler, Peter.

I suspect that the name Peter was intended to address you, Peter, so that second sentence should have been presented in the form I have amended it to above. Otherwise the writer could not possibly be completely anonymous, as he is only suppressing his surname.

[John Stokes]

It's a fair cop, Niblet. That is undoubtedly my work, and now that I see it in black and white I do vaguely remember it. Raven was right all along. Now if some brilliant person can find 'Keen and Mustard' in some dusty internet vault, we will see if that was really mine too, not just a miscredited story, like 'Maxwell Hawke' turned out to be.

Thanks again, Niblet, Prince of Detectives.

[steelclaw]

John this is from 'Buster' December 29th 1979.

Clare from 'Lennie the loner' does look like Mustard.

[John Stokes]

Thanks Steelclaw! You'd think it was impossible to forget drawing footballing dogs, wouldn't you? But I did! They say people who remember the sixties weren't really there, don't they? Maybe I am just a late developer, but I certainly don't remember this, although it is undoubtedly by me. And yes, the characters do look interchangeable, don't they? I must have been on autopilot. The lights were on but nobody was home.

Thanks again for finding that.
J.

[Kashgar]

Keen and Mustard ran in Buster from 2/12/78 to 26/7/80 although not all episodes were drawn by John. By the way apologies for misidentifying you as the artist on the later series of Maxwell Hawke as it was I who did most of the artist identifications for the Buster Index.

[John Stokes]

Hello Kashgar, thanks for your post. I still can't believe that I completely forgot drawing those strips, I am obviously in the prime of my senility. Having said that, I am still pretty sure that I wasn't involved in 'Maxwell Hawke'. It was so early in my career that I'm sure I would have remembered working on it. As far as I recall 'Crisis Carson' was my first weekly strip, but you guys have forgotten more stuff about British Comics than I ever knew, so I am ready to stand corrected.
Thanks for your input, It is wonderful to be reminded of all this stuff (even if some of it is of a pretty low standard, artistically. I should have worked harder! )
J.

[Peter Gray]

Just done Midhurst craft fair and did the best ever..feeling confident about selling my original art I brought them with me..which I normally don't do..glad I did as
I Sold my original drawing of the Pug Dog for £70..
so sold two drawings in one week!!

Hope the critic is eating his hat..it might not be his taste But it is to other people..

[Peter Gray]

I've been busy..


Also I've had my first paypal purchase..someone has bought the Hedgehog smiling A4 print number 2.made £19..

[Peter Gray]

http://petergraycartoonsandcomics.blogs ... d-new.html


Finally got it scanned so can now show as a whole..


Sept 2009..
This is how I got into drawing animals...and it started me into this new avenue up to that point I was a cartoonist..
It was a new skill I didn't really know I had..following in my Dads footsteps who was also a artist..though he drew people more and vintage cars..Jazz..

[steelclaw]

Arrrrr another poor lickle sad Doggie story from Mandy Oct 17th 1981.
But he does find a happy home.

[Peter Gray]

Mr annoymous sent another one..instead of putting it on my blog I'd put it here..I'm sure he reads this forum..
rough quote..
saying my art is flat and no depth, childish and looks like it is drawn by a 14 year old..

well it is more graphic (loved the Mr Men probably comes out..flat colour backgrounds sometimes..)and I'd say its more childlike..and as I say there is room for all types of art..
Buying the Beano and Dandy maybe I am 14 at heart..I didn't grow up in some ways..

Thankfully it is selling..so other people enjoy it..
it would be a boring world if all art was the same..

[Lew Stringer]

Ignore him Peter. If he had any confidence in what he was saying he wouldn't post anonymously.

Your work is improving all the time. Stick at it and don't put yourself down, and don't let cowards who post anonymously get you down.

[Peter Gray]

thanks Lew.I'll delete it straight away next time..

[Peter Gray]

I met up tonight with people from my old school- Park Barn school 20 years ago..great seeing my drama teacher Mr Hunt and form teacher Misses Price..saw other teachers in December..like Mr Wise my Art teacher..thanks to Frances for organising it in her home for me to promote my work and to reminisce..

Anyway I made £115 selling cards and two prints A3 and A4..so that really cheered me up after getting that horrible email..

It is fun and quite emotional seeing old teachers..as long as you liked them at that time