A little while ago I picked up a years worth of Australasian Past strips clipping from the Australasian Post magazine over 1985 and 1986. I’m not sure of the complete duration of the strip but presume a year or two as I’ve not seen it in issues from the late eighties. I recall a discussion online about the strip and artist R. Barrington but now I can’t find it because I’m useless. Here’s three pages of finely drafted black and white artwork.
Adventures of Tightrope Tim - R. E. Hicks
Reg E Hicks' Adventures of Tightrope Tim strip ran in the Sunbeams supplement from 1941 to 1949 and to the best of my knowledge was one of the strips that carried through the paper shortage years when the supplement was reduced to a single folded piece of paper. Along with a handful of other Australian strips Tim’s adventures continued for a few years after World War Two. I’d love an enterprising publisher to scan the entire run and publish a book for me and the other three Hicks fans out there.
Mike Manley - Miracle Man by Ivan Southall and Peter James
Mike Manly - Miracle Man was launched in Women’s Day during 1954. Written by Ivan Southall (1921 - 2008) and initially illustrated by Peter James, Mike Manly involved a young Australian scientist who creates a ray that enables him to do anything he wishes, this leads to conflict with evil government powers. Ivan Southall was a prolific and popular writer of young adult fiction and as far as I know this was his only contribution to Australian comics (what I don’t know could fill several large warehouses). I posted some Mike Manley strips five years ago and my rudimentary research skills couldn’t find anything on Peter James at the time. Australian Comics Historian Beast James Zanotto has found a good bit about James’ career and his work in comics and has a profile on Aus Reprints.
George Aubrey Aria (1904 - 1962) cartoons from ABC Weekly
Sydney cartoonist George Aria was a regular contributor from the first issue of the ABC Weekly published 2 December 1939. As well as his regular silent comic strip Mr Tutt he produced gag cartoons and illustrations.
2 Dec 1939
16 Dec 1939
23 Dec 1939
6 Jan 1940
13 Jan 1940
13 Jan 1940
20 Jan 1940
Adventures of Tightrope Tim - Reg Hicks - Saturday Oct 24 1942
Reg E Hicks' Adventures of Tightrope Tim strip ran in the Sunbeams supplement from 1941 to 1949 and to the best of my knowledge was one of the strips that carried through the paper shortage years when the supplement was reduced to a single folded piece of paper. Look at the four colour intensity! The quickly dashed off plate printed off register four colour seperations!
