MY LOOK AT THE CLASSIC COMIC STRIP ARTWORK OF JON DAVIS M.B.E. BY SCOOP

I was saddened to hear that artist, Jon Davis passed away in November, last year. For me, he was well known as another of that familiar team of artists who worked on TV21, Lady Penelope and Countdown comics’ during the mid-sixties and early seventies, when, as a youngster my comic reading days were at their peak.

Checking my old comic and annual collection, it seems I have a fair few examples of Jon’s work. Some, as was the norm at the time don’t identify the artist so I have to occasionally use my judgement, but as Jon’s style is reasonably easy to spot, it isn’t too difficult.

Apart from his comic art, I can’t say I knew a lot about Mr Davis, although a quick on-line check tells me he was born on 14th April, 1928, and sadly passed away 29th November, 2020, aged 92. His full name was John Frederick Charles Davis, and he became an illustrator in 1960. In 2013, he was awarded an M.B.E. in the Queens New Year Honours List for his services to Children’s Literature. I remember seeing, and meeting the late, Roger Perry, who worked as an art editor and writer on the Eagle, TV Century 21 and Countdown at an Eagle Convention in Manchester sometime in 2003. During one of his talks about artists, he mentioned Jon, and another artist, the late Ron Turner. He noted that although Ron had what Roger considered quite a small stature, was notable for drawing larger-than-life heroic figures like space detective Rick Random, and Lone Star’s, Space Ace, while Jon, who was by all accounts, a tall, broad, imposing man and happiest drawing little Elves and Pixies, inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Roger light-heartedly concluded that artists appear to sub-consciously prefer to draw their physical opposites! I’m sure there’s no real truth in that conclusion, but I mention it as it’s the only anecdote I have concerning Mr Davis, who sadly, I never got to see in person.

For this post, I’m deliberately not going to use the easy option and just use Google, apart from that earlier very brief on-line check. I want to simply use memory, and my own collection of comics, with the occasional comic reader image.

It’s not my intention to chart a definitive timeline of Jon’s comic book work; just a small celebration of what I personally feel is notable.

The earliest examples I have of his comic work are probably in my collection of Boys' World magazine from 1963. Boys' World was similar to Eagle, both sharing the same publisher, Odhams. In that, Jon illustrated some of ‘The Hand of Fate’ true life comic strips.

As a fan of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s TV series, TV Century 21, which began in January, 1965 was an integral part of my enjoyment of the TV shows. Within that comic’s pages, that’s where I would have begun to recognise the different artists and their styles. (If they signed their work, I might even know their names)

Jon had a distinctive and easily recognizable style, although not totally dissimilar to another TV21 artist, Rab Hamilton. Both artists worked at different times on the Agent 21 strip in TV21, including the specials and annuals, and their similar styles maintained an artistic status quo to the strip.

My personal thoughts are that Jon was very much a’ journeyman’ artist, as he’s only the regular artist on one particular comic strip, The Angels. I saw him more as someone who was able to easily cover any existing strip where needed, which he seemed to do on several occasions.

As I mentioned, that one exception to this rule is The Angels comic strip for Lady Penelope. The Angels strip which began in January, 1967 was another perfect adventure strip for an Anderson inspired girls comic, and there to eventually replace the Marina strip in the comic, which was, coincidently illustrated by the aforementioned Rab Hamilton.

Jon was able to illustrate the Angels strip in full colour for most of its run, with his clean, uncluttered style giving a unique look to the strip. The Angels strip began with the story of how the team of female pilots were formed into Spectrum’s elite flying fighter squadron.

The Century 21 Angels story book did feature art that was certainly similar to Jon’s; though I’m not 100% sure it’s him as no artist is credited.I'm told the artist is Gerry Wood.

Although, not Anderson related, it’s worth mentioning that Jon also illustrated the colour Daktari strip in Lady Penelope comic.

Jon illustrated the 1966 TV Century 21 Thunderbirds hardback story book, a sort of pseudo- annual with comic strip as well as text stories, similar to the previous 1965 TV Century 21 Stingray story book. Again, Jon followed Rab Hamilton who had illustrated the Stingray book.

He also contributed to the 1966 & 1967 Thunderbirds annuals with the comic strips , ‘Deep Sea Pirates’, (1966) and ‘River of Destruction’, and ‘The Trap’ (1967)

During 1967, Jon drew the ‘Dinky Driver’ comic strip advertisements for Dinky toys which appeared on the back page of the short lived ‘Solo’ magazine.

During 1968, Jon illustrated several Project SWORD text stories, and worked on the Stingray strip towards the end of its run in TV21.

Another example I’ve got of Jon working on Century 21 publications from that same year, is one of the four Joe 90 story books. The others all look like they are illustrated by Jim Watson.

In January, 1969, for the Joe 90 (Top Secret) comic Jon worked on The Champions comic strip for the first three issues. I still have a soft nostalgic spot for the relatively short lived Joe 90 (Top Secret)

As most Anderson fans eventually parted company with TV21 not long after it became TV21 & JOE 90, and it slowly became a shadow of its former self, another Anderson inspired comic was soon to arrive – Countdown!

Countdown, published in February, 1971 was a worthy successor as the editorial staff had previously worked on TV21. For the premier edition, Jon illustrated the complete UFO story, while the centre spread had a chart showing an introductory breakdown on the men and machines in the UFO TV series.

For the second edition, Jon began illustrating the first instalment of a Joe 90 strip story, and more significantly, a complete Secret Service strip story, the first time the rarely seen The Secret Service TV series had been seen in a comic strip form. The story was a prequel to the series showing how Father Stanley Unwin had been bequeathed the Minimiser invention by the late Professor Wilhelm Humbert , and the B.I.S.H.O.P. organisation’s attempts to steal it!

Jon continued on and off to illustrate in Countdown, doing the Joe 90 strip including a complete story in issue 8. He returned to the regular Countdown UFO strip, and this time had a brief stint in colour from issue 35, completing ‘The Snatch’, a strip story in which readers got a glimpse of the Aliens’ home planet, started by the resident UFO artist, Gerry Haylock. Jon completed illus ‘The Snatch’ story in issue 37. He returned to black & white in issue 40 drawing the complete UFO story, ‘The Trojan Horse’.

Jon continued to work on a lot more black & white complete UFO strip stories, ‘Catch of Doom’ in issue 42, ‘Alien Espionage’ in issue 45, ‘The Alien Ally’, in issue 48, ‘A near Thing’ in issue 50, ‘The Kidnappers’ in issue 55, and ‘Alien Brainwave’ in issue 58, which was the final Countdown issue before the comic was retitled TV Action.

As well as the comic, Jon also contributed to the Countdown annual and summer special illustrating the UFO strip. He drew ‘The Alien Totem’ in the first Countdown Holiday Special, and ‘The Circus’ in the first Countdown annual. He also provided the illustrations for the Joe 90 text story.

And that’s pretty much all I have featuring Jon’s comic work. Although I only really collect British adventure comics, I have seen examples of his artwork for D.C Thompson’s, ‘juvenile’ Sparky comic drawing ‘I-Spy’, ‘Klanky’ and ‘Mr Bubbles’.

Another example of Jon’s sci-fi comic art, I do have, but can’t put my hands on is one of the D C Thompson Starblazer pocket book comics. Jon painted the front cover of ‘Terror Tomb’ which would have been published in the early eighties. If I find it I’ll add a photo.

As an added bonus, here is a photo I took at one of the Fanderson conventions showing an original piece of Jon’s Agent 21 artwork from a TV21 special. John Frederick Charles Davis M. B. E. 1928 -2020