British Cartoonist Brian Walker – RIP
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British cartoonist Brian Walker has passed away.
Brian H. N. Walker
March 22, 1926 – May(?) 2020
cartoonist, author, illustrator
From Brian’s daughter Jo writing for The Guardian:
My father, Brian Walker, who has died aged 94, was a cartoonist and illustrator whose work appeared across a span of 50 years in comics such as the Beano and the Dandy, in humour-led publications such as Punch, serious magazines such as the Countryman, and in more than 80 books.
His association with the Countryman was particularly strong, and from 1970 onwards there was rarely an issue to which he did not contribute. Known for being quick, versatile and brilliantly effective at delivering on his brief, he was always much in demand. As result he reckoned to have drawn 5,400 pages’ worth of comic strips and illustrations by the time he retired in 2009.
At the age of 14 he enrolled in correspondence art course with Pitman’s Press, and at 16 joined the Bristol Evening World, where he drew cartoons and war maps. From 1944 to 1947 he served in the RAF, after which he studied at the West of England College of Art and won a Punch scholarship.
Also in the 1970s he drew a regular strip, Ar Little ‘Uns, for the Bristol Evening Post.
From Brian’s Lambiek Comiclopedia entry:
[Walker] returned to the College of Art. In 1967, he illustrated the humorous book ‘How To Be A Motorist And Stay Happy’. The Scottish publishing house D.C. Thomson offered Walker trial work on several strips. He drew the popular series ‘I Spy’ in Sparky for almost three years.
A friend introduced him to the Thomson rival Amalgamated Press (IPC), for which he drew ‘Three Story Stan’ in Whizzer & Chips, ‘Fun Fear’ in Whoopee!, and ‘Plane Jane’ in Buster, among others. His most popular work was ‘Scream Inn’ (1973-1979), which he drew in Shiver & Shake for about six years.
More comic pages from Brian and his mates at Lew Stringer’s blog.
Sadly this is how we too frequently learn of Senior Strippers – through their obituaries.
RIP Mr. Walker.
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