OCT. -DEC., 1943 No. 14. Vol. 1. Printed and published by Wm. H. Gander, P. 0. Box 60, Transcona, Manitoba, Canada . .........-. -..-�----..-..-..-..-.--.-..-.-........_.._ .. .......... ......,. -- In This Number -- Artists of the Golden Era There Was Magic In Their Names Papers of the Post-1918 Period---Part 2 ;,,........ ..................... -...,,... ••• w....... .-.... ..,,. .. ...._ ... ___ .... ..,. .... .........-. ��@@@@@@Q��a@@@@�@@@@ : : AN AMATEUR MAGAZINE : : 01' GJf Hb EVERY AGE has its gods during this decade: the Aldine and the sentimentalist, cherish­ and Henderson libraries, "Nug­ ing the memory of the books gets," "Boys' Champion Story which brought colour and Paper," "Big Budget," "Boys' romance to his own youth is Leader/' ''Jester," "Boys' Friend," naturally biased in their favour. "Marvel," "Union] ack,""Pluck," So at the risk of appearing pre­ "Boys' Herald," "Boys' Realm," judiced in favour of my own "Gem," 11Magnet1" etc., all fresh boyhood idols, I venture ro and vigorous, untouched in chose assert that the period from 1900 blissful days by the blight of the to 1910, so often referred ro as 1914/18 conflid which was des­ the Golden Age, is the out­ tined to end so many of them. standing period in the history Compared with these, the pres­ of modern boys' literature. No ent-day boys' papers published comparison is intended with prior ro the war, particularly the the older boys' journals and fantastic rubbish spewed from romances, misnamed Penny the house of Thomson, seem Dreadfuls by the bigoted who very poor stuff indeed. condemned the whole for the After the first thrill of seeing worst faults of the few. Indeed, his old favourites once again, comparison is impossible for the the sentimentalist usually finds old Dreadfuls were essentially chat the stories have lost their produds of a more leisurely age, grip and no longer stir his blood varying widely in conception as of old but the illustrations and merit, whereas the modern have become far more interest­ boys' papers bear the scamp of ing and the desire to know more mus produdion. Thus the early of the personalia behind them years of the present century may grows. Unfortunately, not a lot be regarded as the transition is known of the artists them­ period when the individuality selves but a brief survey of their of the old combined with com­ adivities may be of interest to mercial enterprise of the new to collectors. produce papers of range and quality unsurpassed by any since FIRST and foremost comes the produced. evergreen Robert Prowse who Consider the many finepapers started in the far off 'sixties which appeared or were running illustrating "Black Bess," "Char- PAGE 160 By JOHN G-ULDBN ERA MEDCRAFT ley Wag," "Blueskin" and many Turpin" and "Claude Duval" more and who was still active in Libraries. 1920. From 1895 to 1910 he was principal Aldine artist and his O F THE MA Y ARTISTS of cover illustrations of the Claude varying merit who devoted their Duval Library are works of art talents to boys' literature of the of their class, correct to the past hundred years, the greatest smallest detail of Cavalier cos­ were the grand Henderson tume. He illustrated many of artists John Proctor (Puck) and • the covers of "Dick Turpin," W. Boucher. Their fine work "Robin Hood," "Jack Sheppard," appeared in the "Boys' Cham­ "Red Rover," "Spring Heeled pion Story Paper," "Nuggets" Jack," "True Blue," and the later and the final "Giantland" re­ issues of "Tip Top" and "Detec­ prints of the period but all jllus­ tive Tales." Prowse's best work trations were reproduc1ions of was done between 1900 and 1910 woodcuts from "Young Folks" but he turned out some poor of an earlier day so with regret stuff in later years, probably we pass on. through necessity rather than Another notable Henderson choice, but reverted to his best artist was Fritz Braun, a natur­ in the coloured covers of the alized German who developed "BuffaloBill Novels" of post-war his latent ability in the "Young years. Although exclusively an Folks" Literary Tournament, a Aldine artist, Prowse illustrated training ground which produced a few numbers of "Pluck" for many talented men and women, the Amalgamated Press in 1909. and later became a staff artist. F. W. Boyington, who was His early work appeared in responsible for most of the other "Nuggets" and the "Boys' Cham­ cover illustrations, had a similar pion" and is seen at its best in style to Prowse with whom he is the fine coloured covers of the S:)metimes confused but lacked "Wild West Library." Without the latter's individual touches, being quite so versatile or finished both good and bad. His work as Prowse he had a pleasing style is invariably signed, sometimes and l, for one, liked his work in full but more often initials better. Braun was afterwards on only and the best examples the editorial staff of the "South are to be found in the "Dick London Press" but had an un- PAGE 161 PAGE162 THE STORY PAPER COLLECT OR OCT.·DEc .. 1943 fortunate time during the last latter paper he created a humor­ war on account of his German ous character named Dreamy antecedents. He died around Daniel who regularly each week 1921-22. fell asleep in circumstances which induced a ridiculous Phil Ebbutt was responsible dream adventure with the awak­ for the exrra illustrations to the ening as an anti-climax. l recall final Henderson reprints of one such adventure which never '"Giantland" and similar stories. fails to raise a chuckle at the He copied Proctor's style very mere thought. At the srart of well and the youngsters liked Lloyd George's Old Age Pension them better until their immarure scheme Dreamy Daniel falls judgment grew more discerning. asleep reading about it and Ebbutt illustrated the covers of dreams that he visits countless the short-lived "Rob Roy Lib­ Post Offices in numberless dis­ rary" and many of the "Nugget" guises and amasses a huge pile and "Lion" Libraries, while his o of money only to be aroused to earlier work can be f und in stern reality by his landlady with " uggets" and the "Boys' Cham­ a bill for overdue room rent pion." Sound but lacking in in her hand. Nonsensical, of versatility, he was at his best course, but funny. Dreamy in school story illustrations. Daniel outlived Henderson's, Two other widely dissimilar and first Hearst and later the Henderson artists come to mind, Amalgamated Press tried to con­ one whose human subjects were tinue his somnolent adventures lean and angular, hungry look­ via another artist, but the ing individuals with prominent George Davey touch was lack­ Adam's apples, yet attractive in ing and Dreamy Daniel expired. their way; the other with a oMIC PAPERS of 1900-10 style reminiscent of the old faker C were things of joy and far more artists-short stocky characters, adult than their modern infan­ almost dwarfish, invariably clad tile prototypes which, to be quite in what appeared to be rough fair, are more suitable for chil­ tweeds. Who these two artists dren. What old boy can ever were l could never discover. forget Airy Alf and Bouncing Then George Davey, primarily Billy whose adventures ran a comic artist, whose work ap­ throughout the eleven year run peared frequently in "Scraps," of the "Big Budget," Happy Ike, "Pictorial Nuggets," "Comic Gloomy Gus and the Bunsey Life" and "Lot-o-fun." In the Boys in the "Jester," Happy OcT.-DEc .. 1943 THE STORY PAPER COLLECTOR PAGE 163 Harry and Neglecl:ed Jim in their novitiate on the staff of "Comic Cuts," Professor Radium comic papers. in "Puck" and, above all, the evergreen Weary Willie and THE Amalgamated Press pa­ Tired Tim in "Chips." The pers or, to be exact, the papers late Tom Browne created Willie afterwards controlled by this and Tim and was paid fourteen giant combine, introduced and pounds for each weekly front developed from crudity to com­ page of six pictures. After a petence many artists of varying few years his creations became ability. None reached the pin­ something of an obsession and nacle of their profession bur all Browne began to dream of them knew their job and did it well. -they got on his nerves-so he As boys we recked little of dropped them and another ar­ artistic technicalities, of line and tist carried on in his stead. Bur shade, depth and background­ the foundation laid by the arr we wanted thrilling, dramatic of Tom Browne lasted and ro­ and humorous illustrations de­ day, despite rigours and restric­ picting rhe characters and inci­ tions of wartime, Weary Willie dents with reasonable skill and and Tired Tim survive, purile accuracy. And this, brightened travesties of their former selves by the rosy glow of boyhood bur still running after 45 years. memories, is all that the senti­ To ascertain the identity of mentalist seeks today. the majority of the old comic As a purely personal expres- paper artists is sion of opinion, difficulr,forrheir 1 rare Arthur work was rarely This article, written in Eng­ Clarke and J. signed - r hat land at about the same time Abney Cum­ stage of compar­ "Writers and Illustrators" mings as the out­ ative affluence in our last issue was being standing Harms­ had nor yet been printed in Canada, is along worrh artists of reached, and somewhat similar lines to Mr. the period. only the style H. A. Puckrin's contribution. Clarke illustra­ affords c 1 u es However, as Mr. Medcraft ted widely dif­ ro the identity. writes of artists only and ferent types of But it is certain covers more territory, it has stories in the that many well been thought desirable to "Boys' Friend," known b 1 ack print it in this issue, rather "Boys' Realm" and white artists than hold it over until later.