DEFINITION OF A CARTOONIST - TERRY BAVE...

 

Original cover to ICJ #32, 1996

Sometimes you just don't realize how lucky you are.  At least not at the time - but, many years later, the truth finally dawns on you that you were in an extremely privileged position to be doing just what you were doing so very long ago, and that you should be more thankful for it.

Case in point: When I was a full-time professional comics calligrapher, my work graced (I hope) the art of many of the finest cartoonists of the day.  Famous names such as TERRY BAVE and - well, loads of others too numerous to mention.  Just think - the actual, legendary Terry Bave, who had taken over drawing SAMMY SHRINK in WHAM! back in the '60s from the strip's original artist DAVE JENNER.

  

I remember sitting in the WHIZZER & CHIPS offices in KING'S REACH TOWER one fine day, lettering an actual Sammy Shrink page, and the enormity (for me, that is) of the occasion was not lost on me.  There I was, around twenty years later, lettering a character I'd read as a seven or eight year-old kid and reconnecting with a childhood moment in a way that's difficult to fully convey in mere words.  (Again - for me, that is.)

The original art to Terry & Shiela's 1996 Christmas card

Then there's the time I lettered a TOY BOY strip in my little bedsit room in Fratton in Portsmouth, amazed at Terry's deceptively simple but effective storytelling mastery that many a modern cartoonist working in comics today would do well to try and emulate.  I also lettered his DOUBLE TROUBLE strip a good few times, and probably many other pages besides.

Actually, my opening paragraph is slightly misleading.  I did actually realize how lucky I was at the time, but the passing of the years has dimmed and diminished the memory of many past glories of which I was once so proud.  (And still am - it's just that the business of living sometimes gets in the way of basking in past accomplishments.)

I got to chat to Terry quite a few times when I was the assistant editor on The ILLUSTRATED COMIC JOURNAL back in the mid-'90s.  As I was then still involved in the day-to-day world of comics, the task fell to me to enquire if he would very kindly write something for BRYON WHITWORTH's little fanzine.  (Which had been started by a fellow by the name of ALAN CADWALLANDER back in the early '80s.)  Terry was always more than generous with his time and attention, supplying not only an article, but also a cover.

The cover to Terry's new book

He even sent me a Christmas card or two 'til I fell off his radar, and I still have the original art for the first one, which he presented to me as he knew I was a genuine fan of his work.  (Don't even ask - not for sale.)  I was fortunate enough to be able to supply him with the issue of Wham! that featured his very first Sammy Shrink strip, and he sent me a bunch of autographed comics he had contributed to over the years in return.  He didn't have to - his thanks were more than enough for me, but that's just the kind of bloke he is - all 'round good egg.

And now, as reported on several sites, Terry has his own blog - and a book currently on sale which is sure to delight the many admirers of this exceptionally decent man and his unique body of work.  (Assisted, of course, by his lovely wife Shiela.  Or Sheila, if you prefer.  Terry could never seem to make up his mind how to spell her name.)  You can access his site here - and can purchase his book here.

What are you waiting for?  Give yourself a treat today!

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To read more about - and from - Terry, click here - and here.