"Valentina And The Magic Lantern" by Guido Crepax (first published in 1976, this edition is published by Headline Publishing Group, Great Britain, 2012), Part 3

 

 

 

Crepax famously modelled Valentina's image on the legendary 1920's actress Louise Brooks (the pictures below are from her 1928 film, "Pandora's Box").  Considering that she first appeared in his comics from the mid sixties, she must have been at odds with the hairy, hippy youth trends of the day. It captures her Italian elegance and sophistication perfectly.

 

"Valentina And The Magic Lantern" by Guido Crepax (first published in 1976, this edition is published by Headline Publishing Group, Great Britain, 2012), Part 2

 

The deliberate absence of any dialogue or text in the entire book makes it quite unusual and drives the focus directly on the sequence of the drawings and the meaning within them. The story is a journey through Valentina's dream world, revealing her deepest erotic fantasies, passions and, sometimes, fears. The settings change all the time, from science fiction to the world of fashion, costumes and objects from past centuries. Even Crepax himself makes an appearance behind his drawing board, adding to the surrealist effect. Not to be confused with cheap, sleazy pornographic comics - this is a serious and complex story that is designed to work on many levels.  

 

 

"Valentina And The Magic Lantern" by Guido Crepax (first published in 1976, this edition is published by Headline Publishing Group, Great Britain, 2012)

 Now, these comics are different. Italian artist Guido Crepax (1933-2003) added a new dimension to the world of comics in the 1960's and 70's with his unique vision and sophistication. Here's a short biography on the great artist and writer:  http://www.designboom.com/portrait/crepax_bio.html

 

"Forever People", #9, July 1972, Written and Illustrated by Jack Kirby (published by National Periodical Publications, INC, New York 1972) - Part 2

 

 

I picked up this and several other issues of "Forever People" at a car boot sale last year and was so pleased with their immaculate condition and how great the artwork looked! Jack Kirby(1917-1994) was a prolific artist, responsible for the creation of so many comic superheroes - Captain America, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Hulk, the Silver Surfer, Iron Man to name but a few! The American comics industry just wouldn't be the same without his enormous input over a period of some sixty years. The "Forever People" were probably lesser known characters but the drawings are so full of energy, brilliantly composed for maximum suspense, and with classic sound effects! This Wikipedia article on his life and work is quite extensive but there are many other websites dedicated on his work and many books: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kirby

 

"Forever People", #9, July 1972, Written and Illustrated by Jack Kirby (published by National Periodical Publications, INC, New York 1972) - Part 1

 

 

"Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" By Lewis Carroll, Illustrated By Anthony Browne (First published by Julia MacRae Books in 1988; this edition published by Walker Books Ltd, 2003) Part 3

 

Many references from the great surrealist artist Rene Magritte(1898-1967) but still Anthony Browne's imagination and humour are unique and limitless! There is no official website by the artist unfortunately, but here's a link for the Wikipedia entry which has a comprehensive list of his books as well as links for articles and galleries with his work:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Browne_(author) 

 

 

 

"Alice's Adventures In Wonderland" By Lewis Carroll, Illustrated By Anthony Browne (First published by Julia MacRae Books in 1988; this edition published by Walker Books Ltd, 2003) Part 2

 

I wanted to buy this book ever since I saw the above illustration published in a magazine article, around 1989, but never got the chance. I was so thrilled to discover this - very well priced - immaculate edition at a charity shop in Edinburgh a couple of weeks ago. I am still stunned by the depth, detail and imagination of these illustrations by the incredible Anthony Browne. I've been collecting his books for a long time now, and had fun watching my kids trying to discover the hidden characters within the illustrations and figuring out the various surreal narratives.

I have scanned some close-ups from this picture to show the level of detail this artist can produce, and to show the endless visual narratives within almost every object.