SIGNED PEN & INK STORYBOARDS • ORIGINAL PUBLISHED COMIC ART

On offer are the two original artwork boards for an episode of Doctor at Sea, hand-drawn by noted British comic artist John Cooper for publication in Look-in magazine during the mid-1970s. Executed in pen & ink with wash on large artist's boards, these are the actual production pages from which the comic strip was printed.

Details

• Title: Doctor at Sea.
• Artist: John Cooper.
• Publication: Look-in magazine.
• Date: Circa 1974.
• Medium: Original pen & ink with wash on stiff artist's board.
• Format: Two complete comic strip pages.
• Signature: Signed by John Cooper at the foot of the first board.
• Production features: Upper panel of the first page intentionally left blank for the printed title, as issued. Editorial corrections and production markings in red ink and pencil.
• Size: Each board approximately 47 × 37 cm.

Description

These impressive original boards were created for Look-in, Britain's hugely popular weekly television magazine, which introduced millions of children to specially commissioned comic-strip adaptations of favourite television programmes. Rather than printed reproductions, these are the actual hand-drawn pages used by the magazine's production team.

Rendered with confident pen work and subtle grey wash, the artwork demonstrates the craftsmanship that lay behind British comic production during the 1970s. Every panel, speech balloon and caption has been drawn by hand, while the editorial annotations and printer's markings provide an authentic insight into the publishing process before the artwork went to press.

The first board has been signed by John Cooper, whose work appeared regularly in Look-in and other British comics. As was standard practice, the upper panel has been left blank so that the magazine's title lettering could be added mechanically during production.

Doctor at Sea, adapted from the well-known British television comedy series, was one of several popular television strips featured in Look-in, making surviving original artwork increasingly sought after by collectors of British comics, television memorabilia and published illustration.

Large-format original comic artwork of this quality is becoming increasingly difficult to acquire, particularly complete multi-page stories retaining their editorial markings and artist's signature. The boards display exceptionally well and offer a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of comic production during the golden age of British weekly magazines.

Condition

Near Fine to Very Good. Bright, clean and remarkably well preserved. Light wear to the board edges and corners together with a few small surface blemishes. Original editorial markings in red ink and pencil. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or examine the gallery images closely.