CRIVENS! COMICS & STUFF!: PART TWO OF BLUE PETER BOOK COVER GALLERY...

Monday, 16 December 2013

PART TWO OF BLUE PETER BOOK COVER GALLERY...

As promised, here's the second part of the BLUE PETER BOOK cover gallery, none of which (I have to confess) I bought at the time of publication. No, I didn't really get into the BPBs until around the early '90s, I think (but can no longer remember with anything even approaching accuracy). Why? Pure nostalgia. They were a means by which I could revisit my past, having been a semi-regular viewer of the programme over the years - particularly when BLEEP And BOOSTER were a feature of the show.

Talking of Bleep and Booster, in 2008 there was a lavish Blue Peter 50th Anniversary book which explored practically every aspect of the programme's history, but apart from a one-line mention of Bleep and Booster, it was as if they'd never existed. The author of the book (and former editor-in-chief of the programme), RICHARD MARSON, later explained to me in an email that he was pressed for space and couldn't include everything, but for kids in the '60s, B & B were probably the main draw of the show. At least they appeared in the first fourteen books and had three annuals of their own back in the '60s.

I have a few other Blue Peter Books, but the ones featured in these two posts represent the programme in its heyday when the show was broadcast from BBC TELEVISION CENTRE (which should never have been sold off), and where the spirits of many a Blue Peter pet no doubt still romp around the spot of the famous (and original) BP garden.

"Get down, Shep!"

Comments welcome, so get typing.

Interestingly, the above cover came in for a bit of attention, as related in BIDDY BAXTER's book, DEAR BLUE PETER. Letter follows:

6 comments:

Gey Blabby said...: Thanks for making me look at something I never wanted to see again, Kid. Can you imagine being confronted by the cover of the fifteenth book on Christmas Day? That's the sort of thing that could scar kids for life. It isn't often that the scantily clad female is the tasteful part of the equation.; 16 December 2013 at 04:31
Kid said...: Oh, I dunno - I usually always find that a scantily-clad female suits MY tastes (unless it's Jo Brand). Now that you mention it 'though, Pete and John are probably showing a bit too much in the chest department. They must've felt like a right couple of pillocks, eh?; 16 December 2013 at 09:47
Mr Straightman said...: The fifteenth book is like something that will greet you when you arrive in Hell.; 16 December 2013 at 14:45
Kid said...: Just as well I have no intention of ever visiting the place then, eh, Lee? Not that it matters much as I have the bloody book. Anyway, who's going to look at Pete and John with Lesley flashing her pins like that? (Not counting Graham Norton, obviously.); 16 December 2013 at 14:58
Crispynev said...: Book 10 page 42 has a pancake recipe that I still turn to every year. The only book recipe I have ever followed. Tasty!; 19 December 2013 at 07:05
Kid said...: See? Worth their weight in gold, aren't they, Chris?!; 19 December 2013 at 12:03

About the artist:

From 1985 to 2000 A.D. (little joke there), I contributed to a variety of high profile comics and magazines for various companies.

For IPC/FLEETWAY/EGMONT, I freelanced as a lettering and logo artist on various weekly comics and monthly magazines, and also as a resize comic artist and spot illustrator on pocket books, summer specials and annuals.

For MARVEL U.K., BLACK LIBRARY, REDAN and USBORNE BOOKS, I again freelanced as a lettering artist, also working as a restoration artist for MARVEL U.S., restoring and re-creating certain pages of JACK KIRBY art for their MARVEL MASTERWORKS editions.

I also lettered the MARVELMAN sample pages submitted to MARVEL U.S. when they were considering acquiring the character, which - as we all now know - they DID.

Supplied comic strips, cartoons and illustrated advertisements for local business campaigns and newspaper publication on a professional basis since the age of 16. Did my first paid art job for publication at 14 or 15 for Lanarkshire Education Board.

Have also made TV appearances as a collector of memorabilia.

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Just some of the titles I worked on are:

2000 A.D. * JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE * DICEMAN * SONIC The COMIC * JUDGE DREDD, LAWMAN Of The FUTURE * CRISIS * REVOLVER * EAGLE * TIGER * BATTLE ACTION-FORCE * BUSTER * WHIZZER & CHIPS * WHOOPEE * NIPPER * SCHOOL FUN * ACE VENTURA, PET DETECTIVE * The REAL GHOSTBUSTERS * DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE * COUNT DUCKULA * RUGRATS * The TRANSFORMERS * DEATH'S HEAD * THUNDERCATS * GALAXY RANGERS * DRAGON'S CLAWS * SINDY * MARVEL MASTERWORKS * The TROLLS * LOADED * INFERNO * WARHAMMER * ROSE BLACK.

Copyright Notice:

Images remain the property of their respective copyright owners and are used here only for the purpose of review, promotion, and nostalgia.

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In the case of images culled from my own collection where copyright of an item isn't mine, I impose no copying restrictions on fellow bloggers.

(Although, if you don't allow copying on your own site, then you really shouldn't be copying from others, should you?)

And while you can credit this blog if you like, it's not mandatory. Who has time to make notes of every casually visited site during an idle browse of the internet?

In the case of anyone copying images of my own artwork and calligraphy, I affirm my right to be identified as the creator, and any such copying should not be for the purpose of monetary or material gain. (Unless it's mine.)

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Please also note that this blog is not sponsored by, affiliated with, or connected to, any organisation, business, or group, and is wholly independent.