- Ron Turner (artist)
Infobox Comics creator
name = Ron Turner
imagesize =
caption =
birthname =
birthdate = 1922
location =
deathdate =December 19 , 1998
deathplace =
nationality = British
area = Artist
alias =
notable works = "Rick Random"
awards =
website =Ron Turner (1922 –
December 19 ,1998 ) was a British illustrator andcomic book artist .Biography
Early life and career
Ron Turner became interested in science fiction at an early age, with numerous works across several media: the novels of
H.G. Wells ,Edgar Rice Burroughs , andJules Verne ; films and film serials such as Metropolis,Things to Come , and Flash Gordon; andAlex Raymond 's comic strips. He developed a keen interest in American science-fictionpulp magazines , such asAmazing Stories and Astounding Stories (now known as Analog Science Fiction), and Turner first began to develop his talent by attempting to copy the often spectacular cover illustrations.In 1936, at age 14, Turner first got work as an apprentice in Odhams, a London art studio and publishing house. By 1938, Turner was providing illustrations for the British magazine "Modern Wonder". In 1940, Turner's professional art career was interrupted by
World War II , and he was drafted into the British army. He returned to professional illustration in the late 1940s, getting a job drawing comic strips for Scion Ltd.'s "Big" series, mostly centered around the crew of the "Atomic Mole", a subterranean craft, who would explore the habitable spaces beneath the Earth's crust.Odhams eventually began publishing a line of paperback fiction, for which Turner drew numerous covers, notably the "Vargo Statten" series by
John Russell Fearn . Turner's art raised his profile in the illustration world enough that other publishers began sending assignments his way as well. In 1953, Turner left Odhams to try his hand at freelancing and attempt to produce a regular comic strip in the mode of British cartoonistFrank Hampson , an idol of Turner's.olo comics work
In late 1953 he spoke to the publisher of "Tit-Bits Science Fiction Novels" (for which Turner was providing cover illustration) about the possibility of producing his own comic series. The publisher agreed, and began "Tit-Bits Science Fiction Comics", a 64-page monthly comic book written, drawn, and lettered by Turner. It quickly became apparent that the workload was too onerous for just one man, and Turner reluctantly brought in other artists in order to meet his deadlines. Nevertheless, the publication was canceled after just seven issues.
Just after the demise of "Tit-Bits Comics" (or just before; the chronology is unclear) Turner began to write, draw and letter the "Space Ace" strip for the "Lone Star" comic, which required only four pages per month. In 1954, he also started drawing for Amalgamated Press's "Super-Detective Library" comic, which had recently started running a science-fiction strip called "Rick Random: Space Detective". Editor Ted Holmes commissioned Turner to provide art for the strip, leaving the chores of script-writing, lettering and cover illustration to others. Turner worked on "Rick Random" for the next five years.
1960s
As the vogue for pulp science fiction dwindled, Turner found work doing cover illustrations again for numerous publications, such as the popular science journal "
Practical Mechanics ". By the mid-sixties Turner had more or less abandoned the world of monthly publishing, and was producing original paint-by-number paintings for the companyCraftmaster .In 1965, Turner was offered the opportunity to draw his first color comic strip, "The
Dalek s", starring characters from thetelevision series "Doctor Who " but not Doctor Who himself. ["Doctor Who" was copyrighted to theBBC , while the Daleks belonged toTerry Nation ] This strip appeared in the British comics magazine "TV Century 21 " through 1967.Turner again found work with Amalgamated Press (now called
Fleetway ), taking over the black and white "Robot Builders" strip from Carlos Cruz in Fleetway's "Tiger and Hurricane" comic magazine. In 1968, Turner returned to TV21 to draw some strips for its flagship Thunderbirds series, and spent the next several years working on all of theGerry Anderson annual issues, contributing strips for the Thunderbirds, Stingray,Joe 90 andCaptain Scarlet and the Mysterons , among others.1970s
In the 1970s, Turner began working for
IPC Media (which had absorbed Fleetway Publications), drawing strips for theWhizzer and Chips comics magazine, including "Wondercar", "Archie's Angels" and "Danny Drew's Dialling Man", generally oriented towards a youth market. In the late 1970s, Turner drew someJudge Dredd strips for 2000 AD, although his style did not find favour with his editors, and the long-term assignment eventually fell to other artists, notablyMike McMahon ,Brian Bolland ,Ron Smith and, on select occasions,Dave Gibbons . Turner then moved toIPC Media 's war comic magazine "Battle Action" to draw a strip called "Spinball Wars". He also worked on a revival of Rick Random in 2000 AD.The 1980s
Turner began drawing for the new
IPC Media weekly comics magazine "Speed" a strip called "Journey to the Stars", although the magazine was canceled soon afterwards. Turner found work with other IPC comics magazines such as "War" and "Battle Picture Library", but the shrinking comic-book market in Britain in the 1980s soon caused these publications to fold as well, in 1984. At this time, Turner announced his retirement, although not long afterwards he was found drawing strips for an independent small press, including "Nick Hazard" and "Kalgan the Golden".The 1990s and death
By this point, Turner had started regularly doing book cover illustrations again, this time for [http://www.gryphonbooks.com/ Gryphon Books] . Turner also painted another "
Daleks " strip forDoctor Who Magazine.Turner died of a stroke and a heart attack.
Bibliography
Comics work includes:
*"
Rick Random ":
** "The SOS from Space" (withHarry Harrison , "Super-Detective Library", 1955)
** "Riddle of the Astral Assassin" (with Steve Moore, in "2000 AD" #113-117, 1979)*"
Judge Dredd ":
** "Robots" (withJohn Wagner , in "2000 AD" #9, 1977)
** "Robot Wars" (withJohn Wagner , in "2000 AD" #11, 13 and 16, 1977)
** "The Solar Sniper" (withGerry Finley-Day , in "2000 AD" #19, 1977)*"Tharg's Future Shocks":
** "Just Like Home" (withPeter Harris , in "2000 AD" #29, 1977)
** "Beautiful World" (in "2000 AD" #30, 1977)*"
The Amstor Computer ": "854391 - A Modern Christmas..." (withRoy Preston , in "Eagle" #92, 1983)Notes
References
* [http://www.2000adonline.com/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=RONT Ron Turner] at 2000 AD online
*comicbookdb|type=creator|id=6258|title=Ron TurnerExternal links
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gems_from_the_collection/sets/72157600000117243/ Ron Turner cover collection]
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