Friday 6 June 2008

Ken Reid



When i were a nipper, too young to be thinking about the folk that were writing and drawing the things i was lapping up, somethings i did understand:

Carmine Infantino was the ONLY artist for Batman, Curt Swan for Superman. If the artist changed on any of my favourite UK characters it wouldn't usually be as good, i could spot a Baxendale strip a mile off even if i didn't know his name at that point.

Ditto Ken Reid. The man was a genius at bizarro stuff although it was reigned in on strips like Rodger The Dodger and Jonah. Crept in on affairs like Jasper The Grasper and more so with Frankiestien and went into overload on the excellent Face Ache.

But it was with these one-off pin-ups that i feel he really went to town. I poured and poured over the detail in these for hours and hours. The man was an undisputed genius, waaaay ahead of his time, and he needs far, FAR more in the way of acknowledgement of his place in UK comics history.

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