"Scar-Strangled Banger" By Ralph Steadman (published by HARRAP Limited, London 1987) Part 2

 

 

Ralph Steadman (b.1936) is one of the best known British illustrators of the past fifty years. He produced political cartoons for many publications in the US the UK (including Private Eye, Punch, The Guardian, The Independent, Rolling Stone, Radio Times etc) but is probably better known for his long partnership with the controversial American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005). Here is an extensive biography on the artist: http://www.cartoons.ac.uk/artists/ralphsteadman/biography

There are also several related links and publication listings on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Steadmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Steadman

Finally, there is Ralph Steadman's own website for more illustrations and information: http://www.ralphsteadman.com/

"Scar-Strangled Banger" By Ralph Steadman (published by HARRAP Limited, London 1987)

 

 I was planning to feature this book for ages and kept postponing it. This, being the Christmas period, is hardly the right time for it but the recent events in the US highlighting police "heavy-handedness" have prompted me to present it!

The book is a collection of Steadman's political cartoons dating from the early sixties to the mid-eighties. Considering that these were illustrating police behaviour some fifty years ago they are terrifyingly close to the current news!! You would have thought there would be some progress by now, that some one would get punished for such horrible behaviour towards other human beings! But instead, nobody is found guilty! Along with the Police, are the Bankers, Politicians, Corporations etc - the bigger you are the more you get away with. And it is the same in every country - with some variations. My only question is: Why do we bother calling it Democracy?....

 

 

"The Devil In Texas" by Wolf Mankowitz, illustrated by Ralph Steadman - Part 2 (Published by Robert Royce Ltd, London 1984)

 

 

The inimitable and striking Steadman illustrations enhancing the story. Wolf Mankowitz (1924-1998) is better known for his screenplays for the British film industry. Titles include "A Kid For Two Farthings(1955), The Millionairess(1960), Expresso Bongo(1958), Casino Royale(1967) and many others. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0542554/bio  By the way, he was also responsible for bringing together the two original producers of the James Bond films, Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman in 1962. He was then asked to work on the writing team for the first Bond film, Doctor No. Somewhere along the way he became convinced that the film would be a disaster and withdrew from the project, asking for his name to be removed from the credits. Hindsight is a great thing as they say... Here's the Independent obituary: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-wolf-mankowitz-1158253.html

 

 

 

 

"The Devil In Texas" by Wolf Mankowitz, Illustrated by Ralph Steadman (Published by Robert Royce Ltd, London 1984)

 

 

The death of Larry Hagman a few days ago reminded me of this book for some reason... I've had it for twenty odd years now but never got around to reading it despite the exciting illustrations...

  

"Inspector Mouse" by Bernard Stone and Ralph Steadman (Published by Arrow Books, London 1987)

 

This was originally published by Andersen Press in 1980. I bought this book in 1989 as soon I saw it at Waterstones - needless to say it wasn't a present for any child as I didn't have any then!. Great characters, amazing line drawings and colours. Steadman has always been an inspiration to me and this is quite different than the political work he is best known for, which makes it rather special.

 

 

 

"Inspector Mouse" by Bernard Stone and Ralph Steadman (Published by Arrow Books, London 1987)