I was a huge fan of the Speed and Power comic as a kid and had every issue until Look and Learn swallowed it up in a merger. A combination of Top Gear, SFX and Popular Mechanics, it delivered all manner of ships, boats, planes and spacecraft every week. Ive still got the original Aircraft of the World poster that came with one of the first issues too.Easily the single most remarkable thing about the mag was the inclusion of the regular Arthur C Clarke story in the back, a cut down version of one of his classics with a large, full page illustration and supporting art in the issue. There were several contributing artists, including Oliver Frey towards the end of the run, but one special place remains with me for the artist who painted the awesome artwork for the bulk of Clarkes stories. Until about three months ago I had no idea who the mystery artist was, until I dug out the pages id saved with the pics on and sent them to the Philosophic Toad. Toads encyclopaedic knowledge quickly came up with the answer - Michael Whittlesea. A quick google reveals that he was a painter and illustrator of childrens books, but the only sci-fi painting I could see was the orange and black alien cruiser seen here on the story 'Secret of the Sphere'. The actual painting waas rather enigmatically titled "Rust Buckle" - whether this is a typo and it should read rust bucket, i dont know!
Whittlesea illustrated about 95% of the S&P stories with a wonderfully colourful array of chunky, toylike spaceships and aliens. Heres just a few. Ill be posting a few of my other favourite space artists work on a regular basis. Incidentally, apologies for the crude scans, pages are a touch larger than the bed of the scanner!
I also liked the inclusion of those Arthur C Clarke stories. One I particularly enjoyed is the one where astronauts have to make and use abacuses when their computer goes down.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to point out that Toad can barely tell one illustrator from another. If it's not Mike Noble or Harry North then Toad is in the dark.
No, the identification of the illustrator as Michael Whittlesea was told to me by Shaqui. To me, they have a kind-of Chris Foss look about them.
Ah - but the Toad is a fellow Speed and Power afficianado and you did solve a decades long mystery for me!
ReplyDeleteWhat mystery Wote and Toadus? Is it top secret?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful artwork. Never had Speed and Power. Such an in yer face title. Makes my Look-In collection seem wimpish!
At least you had the Trigan Empire! I had to make do with World of Wonder "because officers son's don't read comics", ten years later my bro was allowed 2000AD! I had a deprived childhood you know!
ReplyDeleteTalking of these old mags, do any of you remember those part-work info card sets? We had Animals, but I think there was a space one? Little plastic tray and about 750 cards which seemed to come rather intermittently in varying amounts?
'Verels'...Squirrels the size of Badgers!
That does seem unfair, Maverick. Younger brothers, eh? Toad shakes head.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I don't recall the cards you mention.
Woodsy: Speed and Power was macho, but Look-in had style and class. It was brilliant!