In Review: David Sutherland - Comics Genius Exhibition and Talk

The University Of Dundee has presented some unique comics events and exhibitions over the last five or six years under the auspices of Dr Chris Murray of the School of Humanities and Mathew Jarron of the University's Museum Services. At the request of the local community festival, West Fest 2012, this year they took on an exhibition of the work of, and a talk and Q&A session with, an artist who, despite working for decades on some of the best known British humour comic characters, is not that well known himself.

David Sutherland took on art duties for The Bash Street Kids in 1962 when their artistic creator, Leo Baxendale, left DC Thomson's Beano to work on Odham's Wham!, and fifty years later he is still drawing the same characters week in, week out for The Beano. In addition to Danny and his gang from Class IIb, he has also illustrated Beano cover stars Dennis The Menace and Biffo The Bear.

Located in Dundee University's Tower Building, the Baxter Suite has recently become a dedicated exhibition space for the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies (SCCS) based at the University. The exhibition consisted of around 20 pieces of original artwork, both colour and black and white, sourced from the DC Thomson archive mainly covering The Bash Street Kids and Dennis The Menace. The university has previously used the Lamb Gallery for these sort of exhibitions which is a much smaller space and, while the number of pages on display was similar to the number on display for, say, the Beano 70th Birthday exhibition in 2008, the large Baxter Suite did feel a little empty in comparison. However as people started to gather for the talk on the evening of 13 June 2012, the room began to fill-up.

Chris Murray introduced David Sutherland to the stage along with Beano editors Euan Kerr, Alan Digby and Iain McLoughlin and, as David took his pencils to the flip chart, Euan (above left) began to describe David's life and career with David initially adding a few comments as he drew various "Bashers" and then longer recollections as he relaxed into the format of the evening.

David Sutherland was born in Invergordon, Ross-shire in 1933, and attended Glasgow School of Art. After National Service in Egypt, and working for an advertising agency in Glasgow, he began working for DC Thomson in 1959 illustrating adventure strips for The Beano including The Great Flood of London, Danny on a Dolphin and Billy the Cat. Since 1962 he has illustrated over 2000 Bash Street Kids strips in the weekly comic as well as in annuals and summer specials.

In 1969, after the death of Dudley D Watkins, he was asked by then Beano editor, Harry Cramond, to finish the page of Biffo The Bear page that Watkins had started. Initially reticent to complete the work begun by the man that he considered to be the best all round comic artist ever, David would go on to illustrate the Biffo strip for the next 25 years while, in 1970, he also took over the art chores on Dennis The Menace from Dennis' artistic creator David Law when he took ill. Biffo was displaced from The Beano's cover by Dennis in 1974 and David was the artist on the strip as Dennis became the comic's most popular character with his run on the strip lasting 28 years until 1998.

With various DC Thomson editors, writers and artists in the audience, as well as the Beano editors on stage, there was no shortage of comments and other reminiscences from them as David paused to recall something from decades before beforehand or to finish off a particular character sketch. The university even had a video message from Aardman animator Nick Park expressing his love of and appreciation for David's work. Indeed with his colleagues as well as his wife and one of his daughters in the audience, the friendly atmosphere seemed to help the reminiscences flow and we heard not just about his work for DC Thomson but also how his daughters had developed an eye for good artwork in The Beano, how his wife had to wash shirts with Indian ink on the sleeves, and how he had almost killed Beano editor Harry Cramond by throwing a flaming chip pan at him - not deliberately of course, as he was at pains to point out.

The evening ended with a selection of questions from the audience followed by a choice of wine and soft drinks as the attendees got the chance to examine the selection of artwork on display, chat to the participants and, for a lucky few, get quick sketches from David himself.

For someone who has probably never spoken about his career in front of an audience before, David Sutherland was a delight to listen to, sometimes thoughtful, often funny, always animated and it was a real treat to get the opportunity to watch him draw his familiar and beloved characters.

This was the second comic art exhibition in the University's Baxter Suite, the first being the launch exhibition for UniVerse's Anthology One publication, and it was the first comics event there open to the public. While there were a few minor technical hitches to amuse the audience, the evening worked well and its success can hopefully be used as a blueprint to entice other DC Thomson creators to talk about their careers in front of an audience there in the future.

The exhibition of David Sutherland's artwork remains open in the Baxter Suite, room 1.36 of the Tower Building, until 15 August 2012 and is free. The corridor outside the Suite also has a selection of original comic artwork by other artists on display including pages from Dudley D Watkins, Roland Davies, Ken Reid, Elizabeth Stott, Gary Erskine, Henry Flint and Colin MacNeil.

There are more details of the David Sutherland: Comics Genius exhibition on the University of Dundee Museum Services website which includes the exhibitions reduced summer opening hours.

There are more details of the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies and comics studies in general at the University Of Dundee at the university's website.

There are more details of West Fest on the West Fest 2012 website.

Beano Artist David Sutherland Exhibition and Talk

DC Thomson artist David Sutherland, who often signs his work simply as "DS", has been drawing The Bash Street Kids in The Beano since 1962, a remarkable 50 years. In addition to Bash Street, he was also the regular artist for Biffo the Bear for 17 years, from 1969 to 1986, and Dennis the Menace for 28 years from 1970 to 1998.

To celebrate his golden jubilee of working on The Bash Street Kids, the University of Dundee, in association with D C Thomson and the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies, are putting on an exhibition of his work at the University's Tower Building, home of the Dundee Comics Day, from 11 June to 15 August 2012. The exhibition will feature a selection of his original artwork from the DC Thomson archive.

In addition to the exhibition, on Wednesday 13 June 2012 at 7pm the University will host David Sutherland in conversation with former Beano editor Euan Kerr followed by a question and answer session for the audience. Admission to this talk is free with no need to book, simply turn up on the night.

The exhibition is taking place in the Baxter Suite, Room 1.36 of the University of Dundee's Tower Building and the opening times vary: 11 - 22 June, Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm (except Wednesday 20 June, 10am - Noon) while during the summer recess, 27 June to 15 August, the exhibition will only be open on Wednesdays from 1pm to 3 pm.

There are more details of the exhibition and talk at the University Of Dundee's Museum Services website.

Images (c) DC Thomson and Co Ltd

DC Thomson Bids Farewell to former Beano Editor

Comics artist Lew Stringer picks up on news that broke over at web site Comics UK that Euan Kerr, DC Thomson's Deputy Manager of Children's Publishing and former long-standing editor of The Beano and other titles, is to retire.

Dismissing wild rumours that he had been sacked (but making no comment about that DC Thomson is engaged in a serious 'rationalisation' of its workforce at the hands of consultation company Pricewaterhouse Coopers, which include offers of voluntary redundancy), Euan told comics fans that while he was tempted to make up an exciting and intriguing reason for his departure, "I'm going by my own choice and didn't negotiate any special deal.

"After 40 years in the business and with my health and sanity almost intact, the lure of the golf course was too much!," Euan, who edited The Beano for 22 years before handing over to his Chief sub-editor Alan Digby in 2006 explained.

"I've loved my time in comics and hope to do some part-time writing," he added.

As editor of The Beano, Euan was intstrumental in keeping The Beano at the top of the UK comic sales chart for years, often appearing on TV to promote it. His credits also include The Crunch, where he worked as 'agony uncle' Andy (pictured above), as revealed in our Bill Graham interview last year.

He's always said he enjoyed his time on The Beano, and leaving the hot seat on the title back in 2006 was a wrench. "I was left a wonderful legacy of great comic characters by my two predecessors in the Beano hot seat, George Moonie and Harry Cramond," he revealed in an interview for the Forbidden Planet International blog back in 2006. "Over the years I tried to introduce new characters to topple Dennis the Menace from the top of the readers’ popularity polls.

"I’d have to admit that I didn’t even come close to achieving that aim," he admits. "I’d put this down to Dennis’s striking design and simple philosophy on life to pack in as much fun as he possibly can during waking hours. This allows the writers to unleash him into contemporary situations. I’ve often been quoted as saying that Dennis was the original Punk."

Alan Digby moves up to become what Euan describes as "Commander in Chief" of both The Beano and BeanoMAX, the monthly comic/magazine hybrid Euan launched in February 2007 as an 'older brother' to The Beano.

"Euan did a fine job both as an editor and as the media 'face' of The Beano for decades," notes Lew Stringer on ComicsUK. "The task of an editor can be a subtle one, as far as the readers are aware. We immediately notice art changes for example but the editorial guidance to a comic is often under the radar.

"It's fascinating to see how editors put their own stamp on a comic and Euan guided The Beano through some difficult periods in comic history when lesser titles fell by the wayside."

Not least of his problems during his time as editor was an instance in 2005 when an entire print run of 200,000 copies of The Beano was scrapped after its publishers noticed a cartoon character was rather too similar to Arsenal striker Thierry Henry. "In the cold light of day we felt it might cause offence and we did not want to do that so we replaced it," Kerr told the Metro newspaper at the times. "We thought it was safer as we always try not to offend anyone.'

Here at downthetubes, we wish Euan all the best on his retirement and every success in his endeavours beyond DC Thomson's Dundee HQ. These include an already sold out-event at for the Edinburgh International Book Festival in August where he'll be joining former Beano writer Morris Heggie and artist Jim Petrie in "bringing The Beano to life as you've never witnessed before." The event will involve the audience in inventing a new Beano-inspired character and watching it develop.

Right: Euan Kerr giving The History of Beano talk at the Glasgow Aye Write book festival in March this year. Picture: Jeremy Briggs