Here the full email......Trevor said I could post it in full..now he is no longer at D.C Thomson
Hello Peter,
I hope you're managing to keep busy, now you're a full-time 'toonist.
If you ever get any adverse criticism, don't let it put you off. I had
some rather nasty comments when I was starting out, by people who
would've actually enjoyed to see me fail.
I read a fairly recent post of yours on the comics UK forum where you
started a topic about artist's first published work. You mentioned that
mine was Our Great Grandpa. Not quite correct, Peter, that strip was my
first for Fleetway/IPC. My very first published strip in a UK comic was
for the Dandy and it was called The Babes 'n' Bullies, characters I
'invented' myself and submitted to D.C.Thomsons in 1962. It was
accepted by the then editor Albert Barnes as you can see from the scan
of his acceptance letter enclosed. I also enclose a scan of the first
published strip. I drew about 18 strips for the weekly Dandy comic and
several annual pages that were published in the 1964 book. During the
same period I wrote and drew 2 or perhaps 3 Smasher strips that were
accepted and published, though I was never paid extra for the
self-written script!
My full-time job was in the printing trade as a litho artist, so comics
was only a part time activity. Wishing to go full-time, I thought I'd
dream up another comic character and try to get it published too. That
character was Our Great Grandpa which I duly sent to Albert at the
Beano. He declined it but thanked me politely for letting him see it.
So I sent it to the only other big publisher of UK comics, Fleetway/IPC
and it was accepted. It was published as a half page strip in Buster
comic, within a few short weeks.
Looking back, I'm pretty sure Albert Barnes saw it because a few days
after it appeared in Buster, he wrote to me. It was one I wish I'd
kept, but I'm sure you'll understand why I tore it up. The letter was
as much as 3 pages of A4 paper (we called it's nearest size 'foolscap'
in those days) and it's content was roughly as follows:
Dear Mr. Metcalfe,
I have decided not to use you as an artist on the Dandy and none of the
other publications at this company would contemplate using you either.
You're drawings show no sense of fun. Your line-work is weak, typical
of a would-be amateur. You show no understanding of perspective or even
basic figure drawing, proportions are ugly. All your so-called pictures
have a crowded look and totally lacks drama and atmosphere.
The letter went on and on like this and ended:
I am able to recommend a course of action that I think you should take,
it is this. With the very limited aptitude you have as an artist, a
career as a painter and decorator might suit you,
Signed,
Albert Barnes.
Nice, eh? After 45 years doing comic strips and other styles of
artwork, I really do wish I'd kept that letter!!! Now you know why I
gave my advice to you at the start of this email. All the weekly Babes
'n' Bullies that Albert had paid me for must've been gathering dust on
a shelf in his office until he decided to publish them in 1969, seven
years after I drew them!
The very best of luck to you and always have faith in yourself, Peter.
I'd be pleased to see your stuff at any time and I'll keep looking at
your web-site and Comics UK from time to time.
Trevor
Just a quick note on myself...........I'm having to look for part time work (receptionist etc..) though I am doing some cartooning work....just not enough yet...Peter
