Fudge the Elf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 Fudge The Elf Ken Reid The Laura Maguire collection Published October 2019 All Rights Reserved Sometime in the late nineteen nineties, my daughter Laura, started collecting Fudge books, the creation of the highly individual Ken Reid. The books, the daily strip in 'The Manchester Evening News, had been a part of my childhood. Laura and her brother Adam avidly read the few dog eared volumes I had managed to retain over the years. In 2004 I created a 'Fudge The Elf' website. This brought in many contacts, collectors, individuals trying to find copies of the books, Ken's Son, the illustrator and colourist John Ridgeway, et al. For various reasons I have decided to take the existing website off-line. The PDF faithfully reflects the entire contents of the original website. Should you wish to get in touch with me: [email protected] Best Regards, Peter Maguire, Brussels 2019 2 CONTENTS 4. Ken Reid (1919–1987) 5. Why This Website - Introduction 2004 6. Adventures of Fudge 8. Frolics With Fudge 10. Fudge's Trip To The Moon 12. Fudge And The Dragon 14. Fudge In Bubbleville 16. Fudge In Toffee Town 18. Fudge Turns Detective Savoy Books Editions 20. Fudge And The Dragon 22. Fudge In Bubbleville The Brockhampton Press Ltd 24. The Adventures Of Dilly Duckling Collectors 25. Arthur Gilbert 35. Peter Hansen 36. Anne Wilikinson 37. Les Speakman Colourist And Illustrator 38. John Ridgeway Appendix 39. Ken Reid-The Comic Genius 3 Ken Reid (1919–1987) Ken Reid enjoyed a career as a children's illustrator for more than forty years. The variety of comic book characters he created for FLEETWAY, IPC and DC THOMSON have had as much effect on successive generations as the Goons in the '50s, and Monty Python in the '60s. His most unique creation, the serialised strip adventures of Fudge the Elf was begun, "with artistic promise", in 1937, in the Manchester Evening News, but did not reach maturity until Ken Reid's return from the Army in 1945. Unfortunately, the strip was not syndicated and its readership remained largely in the North West of England. In Fudge, Ken Reid created that unique kind of fantasy dream world that appeals both to adults and children, common to classics like Carroll's Alice, Barrie's Peter Pan or Tolkien's Rings. In the comic strip format it is only matched in its consistent excellence and strangeness by Winsor McCay's Little Nemo. Ken Reid's Son, Antony Jacques Reid I have been thinking about a web site for Fudge for years but never got round to it. I am glad Yourselves and Peter Hansen -who I met today- have created such excellent web sites about my Dad. I spent hours reading the 'Strips' in bed as a child and feel somewhat proud to know that his work is still appreciated. Thanks, A.J. Reid (Tony) 4 WHY THIS WEBSITE - INTRODUCTION 2004 For child growing up during the nineteen forties and fifties in the North West of England the arrival of 'The Manchester Evening News' and with it the daily adventures of 'Fudge the Elf' was the event of the day. It is sometimes hard to realize in retrospect just how grey were those years during and after WII. They lacked colour, choices, and for most families there was little spare income to provide children with the kind of distractions that are now taken for granted. Indeed there was a definite sense in which the indulgence of the young and looking upon the needs of the young as a special case was something that was considered undesirable if indeed the notion of the special case was even given any consideration whatsoever. So for many children, 'Fudge' provided a special and daily treat. Both my children loved 'Fudge' albeit only knowing and reading about him in the rather battered hard-cover editions that had somehow survived. This collection belongs to my Daughter Laura, and even though a child of more affluent times, she has found as much delight in the various 'Adventures of Fudge the Elf' just as I did during those earlier and bleaker times of my Salford childhood. We do hope that you enjoy this website and find something to interest you. Best Wishes, Laura Maguire Peter Maguire Brussels 2004 5 The Adventures of Fudge The Adventures of Fudge. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd., London. 1939. First Edition, signed by the Author. An original pencil drawing is attached to the front endpaper. Signed Ken Reid, June 1941. 6 An original pencil drawing is attached to the front endpaper. Signed Ken Reid, June 1941. 7 Frolics with Fudge Frolics with Fudge. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. (War-Time address: Bickley, Kent) 1941. First Edition, signed by the Author. 8 9 Fudge's Trip to the Moon Fudge's Trip to the Moon. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. 1947. First Edition, signed by the Author. 10 11 Fudge and the Dragon Fudge and the Dragon. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. 1948. First Edition, signed by the Author. 12 13 Fudge in Bubbleville Fudge in Bubbleville. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. 1949. First Edition, signed by the Author. 14 15 Fudge in Toffee Town Fudge in Toffee Town. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. 1950. First Edition. 16 17 Fudge Turns Detective Fudge Turns Detective. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Published by University of London Press Ltd., London. 1951. First Edition, signed by the Author. 18 19 Fudge and the Dragon Fudge and the Dragon. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Savoy Books, Manchester. Facsimile 1981. First Edition signed by the Author. 20 21 Fudge in Bubbleville Fudge's in Bubbleville. Written and Illustrated by Ken Reid. Savoy Books, Manchester. Facsimile edtion. 1981. 22 23 The Adventures Of Dilly Duckling by Ken Reid Illustrated by Ken Reid Published by The Brockhampton Press Ltd. 1st. 1945 Dilly Ducking Cough Pastilles 24 Arthur Gilbert (died 2015) Member of the International Association of Astronomical Artists Arthur Gilbert with the ledgers he compiled when he was a young boy 25 Letter from Ken Reid 20/02/1948 26 Letter from Ken Reid 17/10/1949 27 Ken Reid's Schooldays 28 National Service Letter to his Parents 29 Ken's Obituary Manchester Evening News. 7/02/1987 30 Manchester Evening News. 31/01/1994. Mike Harding 31 Letter to Arthur Gilbert from Ken Reid 28/05/1949 32 Postcard from Ken Reid to Arthur Gilbert's Mother 27/02/1948 33 34 Peter Hansen Fudge the Elf Cut-Out Book Front-cover illustration from a projected book that was never published. 35 Ann Wilkinson Ann Wilkinson is not a collector as such, but very kindly sent us a photograph of drawing Ken Reid did for her Father when both he and Ken were in the army. 36 Les Speakman In the 1950's I lived 'just up the road' from Ken, my elder brother had 4 of his books Bubbleville, Toffee town, trip to the Moon and Dragon so from an early age I was delighted and thrilled with Fudge and Speck adventures. The Glum Glum bird and Claude Clank Mrs Pinchum etc. My brother still has his books. Other than these and the Manchester Evening News, I had know idea of other books. Then I saw a copy of Frolics in 1963 in a school library and was delighted to realise there were more. the Adventures, Dilly the Duckling and the Detective yet to read. It has taken me 47 years of hunting and bargaining to at last complete the collection. Just this month and what a treasure!! His work along with his contribution to children's comics should be recognised in the same light as Potter and Barry. Good hunting if you are looking for copies or as Fudge would say "Where there's a will there's a way" (back piece Fudge and the Dragon") 37 John Ridgeway Illustrator and Colourist. John worked for many years in the comic book industry including Marvel Comics. This is a panel from Speck’s Inventions. 38 APPENDIX KEN REID - THE COMIC GENIUS (1919 - 1987) KEN REID - BRITAIN'S COMIC GENIUS (c) Peter Hansen 2004 It is difficult to describe the impact Ken Reid had on the British comic book market without first describing briefly what that market is all about. Even to this day the British comic book market bares no resemblance to its American counterpart. It's almost as if they are on two separate evolutionary tracks really. In the UK comics for the most part have always been weekly publications. Historically they have been produced on newsprint resembling the Sunday funnies more than they do a comic put out by DC, Marvel, Dark Horse or any other US comic book publisher. Furthermore not only were they weekly and on newsprint but they were a mixture of humour with adventure strips in serialized form stretching over from one week to the next carrying a single storyline for weeks, sometimes months. So perhaps it would be best to think of them as weekly Sunday Funnies sections with Prince Valiant type adventure pages, and full page Blondie type humour strip stories side by side. Finally on top of this for most comic books there was no colour added except on the cover and back page, and the centre page, with all the interior pages just plain old black and white.