Mike Noble (17 September 1930 – 15 November 2018)
was a
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
comic artist
A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comic book illustrators in that they produce both the literary and ...
and
illustrator
An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicat ...
, best known for drawing strips like ''
Fireball XL5
''Fireball XL5'' is a 1960s British children's science-fiction puppet television series about the missions of ''Fireball XL5'', a vessel of the World Space Patrol that polices the cosmos in the year 2062. Commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac, ''XL5' ...
'' for ''
TV Century 21
''TV Century 21'', later renamed ''TV21'', ''TV21 and Tornado'', ''TV21 and Joe 90'', and ''TV21'' again, was a weekly British children's comic published by City Magazines during the latter half of the 1960s. Originally produced in partnership ...
''.
Biography
Noble's father was a stockbroker's clerk who had artistic talent himself.
During the war he was evacuated, like many children, but returned to London and endured much of the blitz. After school Noble attended
South West Essex Technical College and School of Art where he studied commercial, rather than fine art. At the age of 17 he joined an advertising studio but found the meticulous reproduction of every day objects limited him in scope. In 1949 he was called up for
National Service
National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.
The l ...
and for 18 months was in the
8th Royal Tank Regiment
The 8th Royal Tank Regiment (8 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1960. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as H Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917.
In the Nort ...
in North Yorkshire after which he spent three years in the
Territorial Army, where his artistic talent came into good use producing graphics of military hardware.
Returning to the same advertising studio he decided to move on and got a job at Cooper's Studio, London in 1950. Noble admits to learning a lot from
Leslie Caswell, an artist whose figure work in 1950s romance magazines such as ''
Home Notes
''Home Notes'' was a British monthly women's magazine.
History and profile
Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet founded ''Home Notes'' with the aim of dominating the penny magazine market. ''Home Notes'' went on to compete with Amalgamated Press' ''H ...
'' and weeklies like ''
Everybody's'' and ''
John Bull
John Bull is a national personification of the United Kingdom in general and England in particular, especially in political cartoons and similar graphic works. He is usually depicted as a stout, middle-aged, country-dwelling, jolly and matter- ...
'', are renowned. Noble's first published comic strip (the field in which he was active for 5 decades) was ''Simon and Sally'', a strip for the comic ''
Robin'' (from
Hulton's line of children's comics). Noble stayed with Billy Cooper's studio and contributed spot illustrations to national magazines, such as ''
Titbits
''Tit-Bits from all the interesting Books and Newspapers of the World'', more commonly known as ''Tit-Bits'', was a British weekly magazine founded by George Newnes, a founding figure in popular journalism, on 22 October 1881.
History
In 1886 ...
'', ''
Wide World
''Wide World'' is a board game published by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. The players are dealt a number of ''Destination'' cards. When a destination is visited, the player takes two ''Product'' cards, which are either worth 1 or 2 po ...
'', ''
Woman
A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
'', ''
Woman's Own
''Woman's Own'' is a British lifestyle magazine aimed at women.
Publication
''Woman's Own'' was first published in 1932 by Newnes. In its early years it placed women's rights and social problems firmly in the foreground. Its first "agony aunt" was ...
'', and ''John Bull'' as well as the regional newspaper ''
Birmingham Weekly Post
The ''Birmingham Post'' is a weekly printed newspaper based in Birmingham, England, with a circulation of 2,545 and distribution throughout the West Midlands. First published under the name the ''Birmingham Daily Post'' in 1857, it has had a s ...
''.
In 1958 he started a long run of regular work in comics, with the strip ''
Lone Ranger
The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws in the American Old West with his Native American friend Tonto. The character has been called an enduring icon of American culture.
He first appeared in 1933 in ...
and
Tonto
Tonto is a fictional character; he is the Native American (either Comanche or Potawatomi) companion of the Lone Ranger, a popular American Western character created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker. Tonto has appeared in radio and tele ...
'' (''
Express Weekly
''Express Weekly'' was a British children's comic magazine, published between 1954 and 1962 under a progression of titles: ''Junior Express'', ''Junior Express Weekly'', ''Express Weekly'', and ''TV Express Weekly''.
The publication was similar ...
'') followed by ''
Range Rider
''The Range Rider'' is an American Western television series that was first broadcast in syndication from 1951 to 1953. A single lost episode surfaced and was broadcast in 1959. ''The Range Rider'' was also broadcast on British television during ...
'' for ''
TV Comic
''TV Comic'' was a British comic book magazine published weekly from 9 November 1951 until 29 June 1984. Featuring stories based on television series running at the time of publication, it was the first British comic to be based around TV pro ...
''. In 1965 he started work on ''
TV Century 21
''TV Century 21'', later renamed ''TV21'', ''TV21 and Tornado'', ''TV21 and Joe 90'', and ''TV21'' again, was a weekly British children's comic published by City Magazines during the latter half of the 1960s. Originally produced in partnership ...
'', illustrating ''
Fireball XL5
''Fireball XL5'' is a 1960s British children's science-fiction puppet television series about the missions of ''Fireball XL5'', a vessel of the World Space Patrol that polices the cosmos in the year 2062. Commanded by Colonel Steve Zodiac, ''XL5' ...
'' in colour and, later, ''
Zero-X
''Zero-X'' (spelling variants include "''Zero X''" or "''ZeroX''") is a fictional Earth spacecraft that first appeared in two of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Supermarionation productions, the 1966 film '' Thunderbirds Are Go'' and the 1967 te ...
'' and ''
Captain Scarlet''. He also contributed ''
Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...
'' to the later incarnation of ''TV21'' but the imminent demise of this comic led him to jump ship and follow
Alan Fennell (his editor at ''TV Comic'' and ''TV21'') in illustrating ''
Timeslip
''Timeslip'' is a British children's science fiction television series made by ATV for the ITV network and broadcast between 1970 and 1971. It was first broadcast on Friday evenings at around 5:10-5:15pm in the ATV region with the other ITV re ...
'' in ''
Look-In
''Look-in'' was a children's magazine centred on ITV's television programmes in the United Kingdom, and subtitled "The Junior ''TVTimes''". It ran from 9 January 1971 to 12 March 1994.Follyfoot
''Follyfoot'' is a children's television series co-produced by the majority-partner British television company Yorkshire Television (for transmission on ITV) and the independent West German company ''TV München'' (for transmission on the ...
'' and ''
The Adventures of Black Beauty
''The Adventures of Black Beauty'' is a British adventure family television series produced by London Weekend Television and shown by ITV in the United Kingdom between 1972 and 1974. It was distributed internationally by London Weekend Internat ...
'' showed his talent for dynamic figure work as well as his ability to draw realistic animals. After a short run of other strips he was asked to draw, in black and white, another creation from the
Gerry Anderson
Gerald Alexander Anderson (; 14 April 1929 – 26 December 2012) was an English television and film producer, director, writer and occasional voice artist. He remains famous for his futuristic television programmes, especially his 1960s produ ...
canon, ''
Space 1999
''Space: 1999'' is a British science-fiction television programme that ran for two series from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, set in the year 1999, nuclear waste stored on the Moon's far side explodes, knocking the Moon out of orbit an ...
''. Although very capable in drawing hardware (from his work in National Service) he was most happy to be asked to draw the ''
Worzel Gummidge
Worzel Gummidge is a scarecrow in British children's fiction, who originally appeared in a series of books by the English novelist Barbara Euphan Todd. '' strip.
Noble retired from illustration but still contributed pieces to the Fennell revival of ''TV21'' strips in the 1990s and also enjoyed using his talents locally in illustrating a millennial celebration poster for his village as well as designing a
lychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, lyke-gate or as two separate words lych gate, (from Old English ''lic'', corpse), also ''wych gate'', is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style ch ...
and stained glass windows for his local church
Bibliography
Sequential comics work and illustrations include:
Strips
* "Simon and Sally" (''Robin'', 1953–58) 1 page, b/w
* "Christine, Student Nurse" (''Girl'', 29 September - 10 November 1954) Single b/w illustration
* "The Lone Ranger and Tonto" (''Express Weekly'', 1958–60, issues 205 to 293) 2 half pages, colour
* "The Lone Ranger" (''TV Comic'', 1960–61, issues 444 to 507) 1 page, duotone.
* "The Range Rider" (''TV Comic'', 1961–64, issues 508 to 658) 1 page, duotone & b/w
* "Beetle Bailey" (''TV Comic'', issue 659 to ??, 1964–65) 1 page, b/w
* "Popeye" (''TV Comic'', issue 659 to ??, 1964–65) Front cover, colour
* "Fireball XL5" (''TV Century 21'', 1965–66, issues 6–39, 44–86, 90–100) 2 pages, colour
* "Fireball XL5" (''TV Century 21'', 1967, issues 105–108) 1 page colour
* "Zero X" (''TV Century 21'', 1967, issues 105–130, 135–154) 2 pages, colour
* "Captain Scarlet" (''TV 21'', 1967–68, issues 158–166, 172–179) Colour front page, 2 b/w pages, 1 page colour.
* "Captain Scarlet" (''TV 21'', 1968, issues 182–84, 187–189, 194–196) Colour front page, 3 b/w pages.
* "Project SWORD" (''TV21'', 1968, issues 187) single b/w illustration
* "Zero X" (''TV21 & TV Tornado'', 1968–69, issues 197–241) 2 pages, colour
* "The Justice of Justine" (''Sally'', 1969, Nov 1969) 3 pages, b/w
* "Star Trek" (''TV21 & Joe 90'', 1970, issues 32–41) 2 pages, colour
* "Star Trek" (TV21 & Joe 90), issues 42–57) Front cover & 2 pages, colour
* "Four Alone on the Abandoned Island" (''Cor!'' 1970, issues 1–3) 2 pages, b/w
* "Timeslip" (Look-In, issues 1–26, 1971) 2 pages, colour
* "Freewheelers" (''Look-In'', issues 16–19, 1971) b/w illustrations for text serial
* "Follyfoot" (''Look-In'', issues 27/1971 to 42/1973) 2 pages, colour
* "Follyfoot" (''Look-In'', issues 48/1973 to 18/1974?) 2 pages, b/w
* "The Adventures of Black Beauty" (''Look-In'', 2?/1974 to ) 2 pages, colour
* "The Adventures of Black Beauty" (''Look-In'', 1974–75) 2 pages, b/w
* "Kung Fu" (''Look-In'', issue 6/1975 to issue 12/1975) 2 pages, colour
* "The Tomorrow People" (''Look-In'', issue 44/1975 to issue 5/1976) 2 pages, b/w
* "Space:1999" (''Look-In'', issues 6/1976 to 45/1976) 2 pages, b/w
* "Space:1999" (''Look-In'', issues 49/1976 to 13/1977) 2 pages, b/w
* "The Tomorrow People" (''Look-In'', issue 14/1977 to issue 8/1978) 2 pages, b/w
* "The Man from Atlantis" (''Look-In'', issues 7 to 27, 1978) 2 pages, b/w
* "The Famous Five" (''Look-In'', issues 28/1978 to 45/1979) 2 pages, b/w
Note: Issues 46/1979 to 48/1979 drawn by Keith Watson
* "The Famous Five" (''Look-In'', issues 49/1979 to 06/1980) 2 pages, b/w
* "Worzel Gummidge" (''Look-In'', issues 7/1980 to 38/1981) 2 pages, b/w
* "Into the Labyrinth" (''Look-In'', issues 38/1982 to 51/1982) 2 pages, b/w
* "Star Fleet" (''Look-In'', issues 2 to 33, 1983) 2 pages, b/w
* "When They Were Young" (''Look-In'', various 1982–84) 2 pages, b/w
* "Robin of Sherwood" (''Look-In'', issues 18/1984 to 34/1984) 2 pages, coloured by Arthur Ranson
* "Robin of Sherwood" (''Look-In'', issues 40/1984 to 49/1984) 2 pages, coloured by Arthur Ranson
* "Robin of Sherwood" (''Look-In'', issues 50/1984 to 35/1985) 2 pages, b/w
* "Robin of Sherwood" (''Look-In'', issues 3/1986 to 31/1986) 2 pages, b/w
Annuals/specials
* "Simon and Sally" (''Robin Annual'', 1953–58?) 1 page, b/w
* "The secret of the tower" (''Girl Annual'' No.6) 4 pages, b/w
* "Frontispiece" (''Girl Annual'' No.7) 1 page b/w
* "Connie and the Crocodile" (''Girl Annual'' No.7) 4 b/w illustrations for text story
* "Frontispiece" (''Girl Annual'' No.8) 2 pages b/w
* "Bridge of the Brave" (''Girl Annual'' No.8) 3 b/w illustrations for text story
* "The Indian Fighter" (''TV Comic Annual'' 1962) 6 pages, duotone
* "The Range Rider" (''TV Comic Holiday Special'' 1963) 5 pages, duotone
* "The Range Rider" (''TV Comic Annual'' 1963) 4 pages, duotone
* "The Range Rider" (''TV Comic Annual'' 1964) 4 pages, duotone
* ''Fireball XL5 Annual'', 1966 Front cover, colour
* ''Boys World Annual'', 1972 Front cover, colour
* "The Tomorrow People" (''Look-In Annual,'' 1975) 5 pages, b/w
* ''The Wind in the Willows Annual'', 1986 b/w illustrations
''Note: Some Look-In annuals & specials reprinted abridged versions of Mike Noble strips:''
* "Timeslip" (''Look-In Summer Extra'', 1974) ? pages, b/w
* "Black Beauty" (''Look-In Annual'', 1989) 10 pages, b/w
* "The Famous Five" (''Look-In Annual'', 1990) 9 pages, b/w
* "Robin of Sherwood" (''Look-In Annual'', 1991) 8 pages, coloured by Arthur Ranson
Covers
* "Apollo" (''Look-In'', issue 2, 1972) Front cover, colour
* "Timeslip" (''Look-In'', issue 11, 1972) Front cover, colour
* "The Tomorrow People" (''Look-In'', issue 15, 1975) Front cover, colour
* "Thunderbirds 1 & 2" (''Thunderbirds'' issue 44, 1993) colour
* "Stingray" (''Stingray'' issue 8, 1993) colour
* "Spectrum Passenger Jet" (''Captain Scarlet'' issue 6, 1994) colour
* "Captain Scarlet" (''The New Thunderbirds'' issue 80, 1994) colour
Magazine illustrations
* "Tickled by a tiger" (''Wide World'', November 1956 p 26-27) b/w
* "The gold of Bat Island" (''Wide World'', November 1956 p 34-35) b/w
* "Death of a trapper" (''Wide World'', November 1956 p 40-41) b/w
* "Sally Says" series of spot illustrations (''Woman'', c. 1957) b/w with ink wash
Miscellaneous
* Decimal (Various, 1970–71) b/w illustrations for the press trade
* 'Explorer 12' (1987) colour strip for toy range – BHS London
* Piggy Press (1990s?) colour illustrations for Nat West Bank
* Fireball XL5 (1990) b/w limited edition art print for Fanderson
* Thunderbirds (1990) b/w limited edition art print for Fanderson
* Nuclear Freighter Emergency (''Thunderbirds'' issue 31, 1992) colour spread
* Tracy Island (''Thunderbirds'' issue 44, 1993) colour spread and b/w sketches
* HOTOL (''Thunderbirds'' issue 57, 1993) colour spread
* Captain Blue (''The New Thunderbirds'' issue ??, 1994) colour
* Thunderbird 3 (''Thunderbirds Poster Magazine'' 3, 1993) colour
* Canadian Trestle Disaster (''Thunderbirds Poster Magazine'' 6, 1993) colour
* Doctor Fawn (''Thunderbirds Are Go'' issue 3, 1995) 1 page, colour
Notes
References
Mike Nobleat
Lambiek
Galerie Lambiek is a Dutch comic book store and art gallery in Amsterdam, founded on November 8, 1968 by Kees Kousemaker (, – Bussum, ), though since 2007, his son Boris Kousemaker is the current owner. From 1968 to 2015, it was located ...
's Comiclopedia
*
*
External links
The Gerry Anderson Complete Comic HistoryTimeslipAn interview with Mike Noble by Chris Thompson(12:12 length)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Noble, Mike
British comics artists
1930 births
2018 deaths