Eric Bradbury
Encyclopedia
Eric Bradbury was a British comic artist who primarily worked for Amalgamated Press/IPC
from the late 1940s to the 1990s.
He studied at Beckenham
art school from 1936, and served in the RAF as an rear gunner on bombers during the Second World War. After the war he worked for Gaumont-British Animation, alongside future comic creators Mike Western
, Ron Smith
, Bill Holroyd, Harry Hargreaves
and Ron "Nobby" Clark. When the studio folded in 1949, Bradbury and Clarke took samples to Amalgamated Press, and were offered work at Knock-Out
, edited by Leonard Matthews - Clarke writing, Bradbury drawing. He started out on humour strips like "Blossom" and "Our Ernie", but soon specialised in adventure strips, particularly westerns like "Lucky Logan", on which he alternated with former G-B colleague Mike Western, and "Buffalo Bill", both in The Comet. For the same title, he drew an adaptation of the 1955 film The King's Thief
.
From the 1960s on he developed a dark style similar to Francisco Solano López, and drew strips like "Mytek the Mighty", "The House of Dolmann
" and "The Black Crow" for Valiant, "Phantom Force 5", "The Leopard from Lime Street
" (inking Mike Western
's pencils) and "Maxwell Hawke" for Buster, "Von Hoffman's Invasion" for Jet, and "Cursitor Doom" for Smash!. In 1973 he was the artist on an abortive IPC
superhero comic, Captain Britain (no relation to the later Marvel UK
character). He joined Battle Picture Weekly
in 1976 when Valiant was folded into it, taking "The Black Crow" with it. Other strips he drew for Battle included "Joe Two Beans", "Coward's Brand on Bradley", "Crazy Keller", "Death Squad", "The Fists of Jimmy Chang" and "Invasion 1984". He also drew "Hook Jaw" for Action.
He was described by 2000 AD as one of their "early, unsung heroes", drawing for them from the early issues in 1977 until 1993, including "Invasion!
", "The Mean Arena" and "Rogue Trooper
", as well as numerous "Tharg the Mighty
" stories and "Future Shocks". He also drew Doomlord
for the revived Eagle
in the 1980s. Bradbury died in May 2001.
IPC
IPC may refer to:*International Poverty Centre, of the United Nations Development Programme*IPC International, a shopping center security company*Ikano Power Centre, a shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia...
from the late 1940s to the 1990s.
He studied at Beckenham
Beckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
art school from 1936, and served in the RAF as an rear gunner on bombers during the Second World War. After the war he worked for Gaumont-British Animation, alongside future comic creators Mike Western
Mike Western
Mike Western was a British comics artist. He worked as a clean-up artist for GB Animation after military service in the Second World War, and later at Halas and Batchelor on their 1954 film adaptation of Animal Farm...
, Ron Smith
Ron Smith (artist)
Ron Smith, born 1924, is a retired British comic artist whose career spanned almost almost fifty years, during which time he built a solid reputation as one of the most popular and well respected illustrators working in his field....
, Bill Holroyd, Harry Hargreaves
Harry Hargreaves
Harold 'Harry' Hargreaves was a professional footballer who played for Great Harwood, East Lancashire Regiment, Nelson, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Pontypridd, Tottenham Hotspur, Burnley, Rossendale United and Barnoldswick Town. Outside of football, he was also a keen cricketer and bowls player.-...
and Ron "Nobby" Clark. When the studio folded in 1949, Bradbury and Clarke took samples to Amalgamated Press, and were offered work at Knock-Out
Knockout (comic)
-1939 series:The first ran from 4 March 1939 to 16 February 1963, 1251 issues, when it merged with Valiant. Magnet was discontinued in 1940; but its lead character, Billy Bunter, was thereafter granted his own cartoon strip in Knockout. Comic Cuts merged with it in 1953...
, edited by Leonard Matthews - Clarke writing, Bradbury drawing. He started out on humour strips like "Blossom" and "Our Ernie", but soon specialised in adventure strips, particularly westerns like "Lucky Logan", on which he alternated with former G-B colleague Mike Western, and "Buffalo Bill", both in The Comet. For the same title, he drew an adaptation of the 1955 film The King's Thief
The King's Thief
The King's Thief is a 1955 swashbuckling adventure film directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Released on August 5, 1955, the film takes place in London at the time of Charles II and stars Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, David Niven, and George Sanders.-Plot:...
.
From the 1960s on he developed a dark style similar to Francisco Solano López, and drew strips like "Mytek the Mighty", "The House of Dolmann
The House of Dolmann
was a British comic strip from the pages of Valiant. The serial ran weekly from 1966 to 1973. The serial was among the titles reprinted in Vulcan from 1975 to 1976. Eric Bradbury drew the majority of the strips produced....
" and "The Black Crow" for Valiant, "Phantom Force 5", "The Leopard from Lime Street
The Leopard from Lime Street
The Leopard from Lime Street was a story appearing regularly in Buster comic from 27 March 1976 to 18 May 1985...
" (inking Mike Western
Mike Western
Mike Western was a British comics artist. He worked as a clean-up artist for GB Animation after military service in the Second World War, and later at Halas and Batchelor on their 1954 film adaptation of Animal Farm...
's pencils) and "Maxwell Hawke" for Buster, "Von Hoffman's Invasion" for Jet, and "Cursitor Doom" for Smash!. In 1973 he was the artist on an abortive IPC
IPC
IPC may refer to:*International Poverty Centre, of the United Nations Development Programme*IPC International, a shopping center security company*Ikano Power Centre, a shopping mall in Mutiara Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia...
superhero comic, Captain Britain (no relation to the later Marvel UK
Marvel UK
Marvel UK was an imprint of Marvel Comics formed in 1972 to reprint US produced stories for the British weekly comic market, though it later did produce original material by British creators such as Alan Moore, John Wagner, Dave Gibbons, Steve Dillon and Grant Morrison.Panini Comics obtained the...
character). He joined Battle Picture Weekly
Battle Picture Weekly
Battle Picture Weekly, at various time also known as Battle Action Force, Battle and Battle with Storm Force, was a British war comic published by IPC Magazines from 8 March 1975 to 23 January 1988, when it merged with Eagle...
in 1976 when Valiant was folded into it, taking "The Black Crow" with it. Other strips he drew for Battle included "Joe Two Beans", "Coward's Brand on Bradley", "Crazy Keller", "Death Squad", "The Fists of Jimmy Chang" and "Invasion 1984". He also drew "Hook Jaw" for Action.
He was described by 2000 AD as one of their "early, unsung heroes", drawing for them from the early issues in 1977 until 1993, including "Invasion!
Invasion! (2000 AD)
Invasion! was a series created by Pat Mills and mostly written by Gerry Finley-Day that appeared in the first 51 editions of the weekly comic 2000 AD....
", "The Mean Arena" and "Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper
Rogue Trooper is a science fiction strip in the British comic 2000 AD, created by Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons. It follows the adventures of Rogue, a G.I. and his three comrades' search for the Traitor General...
", as well as numerous "Tharg the Mighty
Tharg the Mighty
The Mighty Tharg is a recurrent character in science fiction comic 2000 AD, one of only two characters to appear in nearly every issue of the comic...
" stories and "Future Shocks". He also drew Doomlord
Doomlord
Doomlord was a comic strip published in the British comic book Eagle during the 1980s, from Issue 1 on March 27, 1982, and nearly continuously until 1991...
for the revived Eagle
Eagle (comic)
Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
in the 1980s. Bradbury died in May 2001.