About

I’ve read comics all my life, since the 1960s, when I practically learned to read with them. The Rover was my first love – an adventure comic which was all-text. Every week it held stirring stories about everything from cyclists in the Tour de France to soldiers in The Second World War. The paper it was printed on was uncoated newsprint – I loved the way it felt in my hands. It was also well designed – I loved the way it looked, and loved the pictures.

Now I’m a screenprinter. I discovered about 15 years ago that comics were a perfect fit for screenprinting. The medium is good at producing flat vivid colour and bold outline – just right for the stylised nature of comics.

Soon after that, I was lucky enough to be the first screenprinter to gain permission from Britain’s top comic publisher, DC Thomson, to use its fabulous archive of images in my screenprints. So I am the first to produce screenprints of such icons as Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and my old favourite from The Rover (and then The Victor), Alf Tupper, The Tough Of The Track – and I’m proud of that.

All the images – or versions of them – have started life in comics. I present the panels or details of panels to be appreciated in their own right, independently of the stories they spring from and were created for.

You’ll find images from several categories of comic:

• British classics from the UK’s top comic publisher DC Thomson, including such icons as Dennis the Menace, Desperate Dan, Minnie the Minx and the Bash St Kids from The Beano and The Dandy.
• American stars Popeye and Olive Oyl
• Scottish favourites Oor Wullie and The Broons, also from DC Thomson, but this time The Sunday Post
• Boys’ own adventure heroes
• French creations Asterix, Obelix and the hound Dogmatix.

The paper I’ve used is cotton, mould-made paper milled in Somerset – I use a soft paper which soaks up the ink. It also reminds me a bit of the old newsprint that British comics used to be printed on.

I usually produce editions in three formats – from 19x26cms to 38x48cms and 56x76cms. I am also happy to print commissions.

I hope you enjoy browsing the site.
John Patrick Reynolds