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Ian Kennedy (comic artist)
Encyclopedia
Ian Kennedy is a UK
artist who worked initially for D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd
, then later for Amalgamated Press
, both in Dundee, Kennedy was employed after leaving school by D. C. Thomson & Co. He was taken on as a trainee illustrator in their Art Department in 1949. He recalls that his first published work was inking
the black squares in the weekly Sunday Post crossword
.
In 1953 having become married, Kennedy managed to get work in Amalgamated Press's Knockout
via a local agent. In 1955 he began working for D. C. Thomson again, this time as a freelance artist.
During the 1950s Kennedy mainly illustrated war comics such as Thriller Picture Library and Air Ace and his work appeared in a range of comics including Hotspur, Buster
, and Wizard.
From the 1970s onward, Kennedy began to specialise in science fiction
comics, regularly producing work for IPC
's 2000AD and Star Lord
. He also worked for Battle Picture Weekly
, Buddy, Blake's 7
, Eagle
(Dan Dare
), M.A.S.K., Victor Summer Special, Wildcat and D. C. Thomson's pocket books (including Commando
).
Kennedy has also over the years produced many covers for different comics and annuals, working mainly in acrylic paint
. In the late 1980s and 1990s Kennedy began creating the covers for the annual RAF Leuchars
Air Show's programmes.
He went into semi-retirement in 1997.
As of 2011, he continues to draw covers and features for Commando
.
A definitive career-spanning interview with Kennedy appears in the Spring 2009 edition (Vol.11, No.1) of the "International Journal of Comic Art
"
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artist who worked initially for D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd
D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd
D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, is a publishing company based in Dundee, Scotland, best known for producing The Dundee Courier, The Evening Telegraph, The Sunday Post, Oor Wullie, The Broons, The Beano, The Dandy and Commando comics...
, then later for Amalgamated Press
Biography
Educated at the Clepington Primary School and then at Morgan AcademyMorgan Academy
-History:It was designed in 1862 by the Edinburgh architects John Dick Peddie and Charles Kinnear, opening in 1868 as the Morgan Hospital, a charitable institution providing accommodation and education for "sons of tradesmen and persons of the working class generally whose parents stand in the need...
, both in Dundee, Kennedy was employed after leaving school by D. C. Thomson & Co. He was taken on as a trainee illustrator in their Art Department in 1949. He recalls that his first published work was inking
Inking
Inking is the process of using a liquid known as ink, which contains natural or man-made pigment.* Inking is work done by a Inker, one kind of commercial artistIn biology:...
the black squares in the weekly Sunday Post crossword
Crossword
A crossword is a word puzzle that normally takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer...
.
In 1953 having become married, Kennedy managed to get work in Amalgamated Press's Knockout
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...
via a local agent. In 1955 he began working for D. C. Thomson again, this time as a freelance artist.
During the 1950s Kennedy mainly illustrated war comics such as Thriller Picture Library and Air Ace and his work appeared in a range of comics including Hotspur, Buster
Buster (comic)
Buster was a long-running British comic which carried a mixture of humour and adventure strips, although the former increasingly replaced the latter...
, and Wizard.
From the 1970s onward, Kennedy began to specialise in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
comics, regularly producing work for IPC
IPC Media
IPC Media , a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.- Origins :...
's 2000AD and Star Lord
Starlord
Starlord was a short-lived weekly British science fiction comic published by IPC in 1978 as a sister title to 2000 AD, which had been launched the previous year in anticipation of a science fiction boom surrounding Star Wars....
. He also worked for 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...
, Buddy, Blake's 7
Blake's 7
Blake's 7 is a British science fiction television series produced by the BBC for its BBC1 channel. The series was created by Terry Nation, a prolific television writer and creator of the Daleks for the television series Doctor Who. Four series of Blake's 7 were produced and broadcast between 1978...
, 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...
(Dan Dare
Dan Dare
Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories, that is, the Venus and Red Moon stories, and a complete storyline for Operation Saturn...
), M.A.S.K., Victor Summer Special, Wildcat and D. C. Thomson's pocket books (including Commando
Commando Comics
Commando For Action and Adventure, formerly known as Commando War Stories in Pictures, and colloquially known as Commando Comics, are a series of British comic books that primarily draw their themes and backdrops from the various incidents of the World Wars I and II...
).
Kennedy has also over the years produced many covers for different comics and annuals, working mainly in acrylic paint
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
. In the late 1980s and 1990s Kennedy began creating the covers for the annual RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews.-Operations:...
Air Show's programmes.
He went into semi-retirement in 1997.
As of 2011, he continues to draw covers and features for Commando
Commando Comics
Commando For Action and Adventure, formerly known as Commando War Stories in Pictures, and colloquially known as Commando Comics, are a series of British comic books that primarily draw their themes and backdrops from the various incidents of the World Wars I and II...
.
A definitive career-spanning interview with Kennedy appears in the Spring 2009 edition (Vol.11, No.1) of the "International Journal of Comic Art
International Journal of Comic Art
The International Journal of Comic Art is a peer-reviewed journal about comic art, published twice a year. It was established in 1999 by John Lent , who is also the editor in chief. The journal is independently published and does not maintain an online edition, although tables of contents are...
"
Covers
Covers work includes:- 2000 AD #96, 446
- StarlordStarlordStarlord was a short-lived weekly British science fiction comic published by IPC in 1978 as a sister title to 2000 AD, which had been launched the previous year in anticipation of a science fiction boom surrounding Star Wars....
#20 - TornadoTornado (comic)Tornado was a short-lived weekly British comic published for 22 issues by IPC Magazines between March 1979 and August 1979. After the cancellations of the Starlord and Action titles IPC launched Tornado as a way to use up stories already commissioned for the other titles. Like Action it was a mixed...
#5-6, 10, 13, 16 and 18 - EagleEagle (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...
#42, 47, 50-83