Monday, 1 January 2024

John M. Burns 1938 – 29 December 2023

 


Bristol based artist Paul Ashley Brown wrote:

"Incredibly sad to discover that John M Burns has died. His work on The Tomorrow People and Space 1999 in the pages of Look-In was the very first comic art I remember making me feel a sense of awe and wonder, stunned by the bravado of his colours and the sheer brilliance of his drawing. It made me wish I could draw as well as that, and every page of his was studied as one might study a Leonardo, for both it's technical mastery and for why it made one feel so wonderful. Another glorious shining light in a firmament of glowing stars dims slightly, but never leaves. One of the absolute best ever, from an era of truly outstanding British comic artists. R.I.P. and thank you for such marvellously inspiring art."






6 comments:

  1. Paul said it all. I remember those comics from when I was young. Colour, style, composition. Genius. RIP.

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    1. For me I am hoping someone will stand to "say a few words" and "He said his art was shit and that this would all end badly"

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    2. It's on the will now: "Eulogy to be delivered by Mr Benjamin Robin Merrywether Aldolfus Ladysmith Dilworth" (you might need to change your name as I got a bit carried away)

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  2. Oh my goodness! John's work was terrific. As you say, his work in Countdown, TV Action and Look-in with strips like Bionic Woman, Space 1999 and Tomorrow People, and his layouts, were so dynamically inspirational. He was of that generation of Science Fiction and Adventure strip illustrators that included Martin Asbury and Frank Bellamy, Mike Noble - who also illustrated Space 1999 after John went on to do the other strips and also, if I recall correctly, a graphic novel of one of the James Bond films. Sad day.

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