Heros - A Quick Update

Before I head out of the office for a weekend spent camping in a field with a bunch of Dead Heads (no giggling at the back please) I'm very pleased to be able to announce that comics legends John Byrne, Dave Gibbons and Walt Simonson have all graciously offered to contribute their memories and appreciation of Frank Bellamy's legendary Heros the Spartan comic strip. The three gentlemen  explain a little of what Bellamy's famous creation means to them and the influence it has had on their own outstanding and award winning work.

These two images come from the rarely seen Eagle Annual from 1966, the very last work by Frank Bellamy on this series to be published in Eagle. Note particularly the use of dramatic contrast in the inking, unusual in artwork of this period designed to be coloured where simple blocking usually sufficed. Also of course the circular panel used to highlight and suspend a moment of dramatic action.

I think this second example really shows Bellamy's layout design and colouring to great advantage.

We are honoured to receive Messrs Byrne, Gibbons and Simonson's contributions for our Heros project and we hope that their insights will enable readers far and wide to more fully appreciate the genius of Frank Bellamy's creation.

Please note scans above are from a copy of the Eagle annual in rough and not our finished work destined for the Book Palace Books edition, thus the bend in the centre of the page where it isn't quite flat.

Right off to camp it up in the mud. See you soon I hope!

Best
Dave