John Gillatt - early influences

Swiped from an ebay sale a while ago is this letter from comic artist John Gillatt all about his formative comic influences

Sjakie & Rob van de Rovers repriints

I've looked previously (here and here) at a few of the Dutch reprints of Billy's Boots that have been produced. That was quite a lengthy series of reprints volumes - stretching to at least 33 volumes. I've got most of those volumes (I'm just missing volumes 23 & 25) but there are a few more things that you could be looking out for once you've collected all those Billy's Boots volumes. This is by no means a complete guide to what's out there, it's just a introduction...

This is a (nearly) A5 sized text novel, approx. 70 pages long. Only one internal illustration.

Tom Kerr style cover for this reprint of the very earliest Billy's Boots stories. A4 size, paperback, full colour throughout. These stories are covered in pages 3-47 of the Billy's Boots reprint from Rebellion.

This is like one of the 'regular' reprint volumes only it's got a bit of extra content in it - quizzes, puzzles, skills etc. A4, full colour throughout, 64 pages.

A4 sized, black & white art throughout. 94 pages - of which 2/3rds is Roy of the Rovers and 1/3rd is Billy's Boots.

80 page, A4 sized, full colour throughout. Half Billy's Boots, half Roy of the Rovers.

A 'double' reprint album - this combines volumes 10 & 11 of the 'classic' album reprints. Why, since it's double album #1, it doesn't reprint volumes 1 & 2 is beyond me. Presumably they had lots of unsold copies of volumes 10 & 11 and this was the best way to get rid of them!

A postcard, art by Tom Kerr.

UPDATED: John Gillatt - original art

Shamelessly lifted (for posterity!) from the always interesting "BOCAC - British Original Comic Art Collectors" Facebook group are these two examples of John Gillatt's work for his Dutch (reprint) publisher.

The lucky owner said...These came into my possession back in 1987, given to me by the owner of an art agency in Chichester Rents, London (long since demolished!)

and now another image has come to light...

the owner says...The Dutch 'Het Stripschap' had ten original covers made by John in their archives. They where returned to John in 2012.

John Gillatt - original art

Shamelessly lifted (for posterity!) from the always interesting "BOCAC - British Original Comic Art Collectors" Facebook group are these two examples of John Gillatt's work for his Dutch (reprint) publisher.

The lucky owner said...These came into my possession back in 1987, given to me by the owner of an art agency in Chichester Rents, London (long since demolished!)

Mike Western on 'Roy of the Rovers monthly'

I recently (here, here, here, here and here) looked at the story / covers of the 'Roy of the Rovers monthly' comic that ran from July 1990 to January 1993 (a total of 31 issues). Plenty of the issues have Mike Western illustrated Billy's Boots strips in them and, on some occasions, covers illustrated by Mike.

So for all fans of Mike's work out there here's my guide to what to look out for...

Roy of the Rovers monthly - August 1990

Roy of the Rovers monthly - October 1990

Roy of the Rovers monthly - November 1991

Roy of the Rovers monthly - February 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly - March 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly - part 4 (of 5)

I've looked before at The best of Roy of the Rovers monthly...

part 1 is here; part 2 is here; part 3 is here; part 4 is here and part 5 is here

...and I always knew that there was a follow-up series entitled Roy of the Rovers monthly. I've recently acquired a partial run of this reprint comic series so I thought I'd document, as much as possible, which characters are in which issues so that you can track down issues of particular interest.

Part 1 of my look at Roy of the Rovers monthly is here; part 2 is here; part 3 is here

Without further ado then...

Roy of the Rovers monthly, January 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly, February 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly, March 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly, April 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly, May 1992

Roy of the Rovers monthly, June 1992

  

Roy of the Rovers monthly - part 3 (of 5)

I've looked before at The best of Roy of the Rovers monthly...

Part 1 is here; part 2 is here; part 3 is here; part 4 is here and part 5 is here

...and I always knew that there was a follow-up series entitled Roy of the Rovers monthly. I've recently acquired a partial run of this reprint comic series so I thought I'd document, as much as possible, which characters are in which issues so that you can track down issues of particular interest. 

Part 1 of my look at Roy of the Rovers monthly is here; part 2 is here

Without further ado then...

Roy of the Rovers monthly, July 1991 

no image to hand - can you help?

Roy of the Rovers monthly, August 1991 

contains City!, Roy of the Rovers, Cup final, Billy's boots

Roy of the Rovers monthly, September 1991

contains Billy's boots, Space invader, Roy of the Rovers, City!

Roy of the Rovers monthly, October 1991

contains Billy's Boots, Space invader, Goalkeeper, Roy of the Rovers, City!, Mighty Mouse

Roy of the Rovers monthly, November 1991

contains The Bobby Clemens story, Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Goalkeeper, Mighty Mouse!

Roy of the Rovers monthly, December 1991    

Roy of the Rovers monthly - part 2 (of 5)

I've looked before at The best of Roy of the Rovers monthly...

part 1 is here; part 2 is here; part 3 is here; part 4 is here and part 5 is here

...and I always knew that there was a follow-up series entitled Roy of the Rovers monthly. I've recently acquired a partial run of this reprint comic series so I thought I'd document, as much as possible, which characters are in which issues so that you can track down issues of particular interest.

Part 1 of my look at Roy of the Rovers monthly is here

Without further ado then...

Roy of the Rovers monthly, January 1991

includes Goalkeeper!, Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse

Roy of the Rovers monthly, February 1991

includes Goalkeeper!, Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse

Roy of the Rovers monthly, March 1991

includes Goalkeeper!,Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse

Roy of the Rovers monthly, April 1991

includes Goalkeeper!,Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse

Roy of the Rovers monthly, May 1991

includes City!, Cup final, Goalkeeper!,Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers,

Roy of the Rovers monthly, June 1991

includes City!, Cup final, Goalkeeper!,Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers,

Roy of the Rovers monthly - part 1 (of 5)

I've looked before at The best of Roy of the Rovers monthly...part 1 is here; part 2 is here; part 3 is here; part 4 is here and part 5 is here

...and I always knew that there was a follow-up series entitled Roy of the Rovers monthly. I've recently acquired a partial run of this reprint comic series so I thought I'd document, as much as possible, which characters are in which issues so that you can track down issues of particular interest. Without further ado then...

Jun 1990

the last issue of the previous title...

July 1990

contains Mighty Mouse, Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Goalkeeper

August 1990

contains Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish, Goalkeeper

September 1990

contains Billy's Boots, Roy of the Rovers, Kevin's chance, Hamish and Mouse, Goalkeeper

October 1990

contains Tommy's troubles, Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Goalkeeper

November 1990

contains Billy's boots, Roy of the Rovers, Hot-shot Hamish and Mighty Mouse, Goalkeeper

December 1990

contains Roy of the Rovers, Billy's boots, Goalkeeper!, Kevin's chance, Mighty Mouse

Rob van de Rovers & Sjakie

I've looked here and here at John Gillatt's unique covers for the Dutch reprints of Billy's Boots...and I've also looked at Dutch Roy of the Rovers reprints in the series here

But that, weirdly, got me wondering if John Gillatt had ever drawn a cover for a Dutch reprint volume that contained Roy and Billy - and, lo and behold, he has... 

There was also at least one other volume featuring Roy and Billy...

and I wonder if this first volume of the Roy reprints is by John? he definitely didn;t do any of the other covers

This looks like another reprint series or comic - from the hair (and artist!) you can tell that this is an early reprint

which comes from here

Billy (or rather, Sjakie) even appears to have had his own football book...

...which is adapted from the cover of volume 13 of the Billy's boots reprints