Many, many thanks are due to Buddy Lortie. Buddy tells us:-CHRIS WELKIN PLANETEER #1 from publisher New Century, is the first of 3 issues, though the only one in the NLA Library. The original file lacked a cover, so one from James Zee's AusReprints web site is used.Jet Starr story:-JET STARR is by Yaroslav Horak, who, after a move to England a decade later, became best known for his work on the newspaper comic strip JAMES BOND.STARR evolved from the American comic SKYMAN, that appeared in comic books from Columbia. beginning with Big Shot Comics #1 in 1940. SKYMAN was a goggled high tech, crime fighting aviator created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney. See https://www.comics.org/issue/1180/cover/4/Horak then created a copycat character, also named SKYMAN, in the 40s for the Australian ACTION COMICS from Leisure Productions. See https://tinyurl.com/59ekcha2When the artist moved over to Pyramid. the feature was christened as the more famous JET FURY. Researcher John Ryan only says â??For Pyramid, Horak created a costumed hero, Jet Fury, who looked like his Skyman character.â?? See https://tinyurl.com/frnb2ux4Moving on to New Century, the feature's name again changed, this time to JET STARR, even retaining Jetâ??s assistant Blackie.The 18 page Chris Welkin science fiction origin story originally ran in the United States as a daily comic strip, Monday through Saturday, from November 5, 1951 to January 12, 1952. The large splash panel is REDRAWN from a promotional ad.The writer is long time multitalented author Russ Winterbotham; art is by Art Sansom, most famous for his BORN LOSER comic strip.The backup JET STARR story is EDITED by the publisher (by resizing panels) down to 6 pages from the original 8 pages that first ran in CURLY KAYOE #41 (April 1954), also from New Century Press Pty. Ltd.. See http://ausreprints.net/issue/54910#170438 There is more information about this book at the bottom of the page
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Interesting find and a nice addition to CB+
I like the JETT STARR better than the Planeteer story.
It's very 'Captain Midnight' Do we have any idea who the artist was?
Thanks to all involved.
By Jerry V
Thank you, paw broon, for uploading this very cool early 1950s newspaper sci-fi strip! The artist is Art Sansom. I've found some of his later Chris Welkin, Planeteer strips HERE: https://newspapercomicstripsblog.wordpress.com/2016/01/12/chris-welkin-planeteer/
By OzMan
@ Australian Panther.
Jet Starr is just JET FURY renamed. I'd say the artist is creator Yaroslav Horak - it looks like his style to me.
By Andrew999
Great stuff - I found the art a little static but it does have a classic rocket ship!
By The Australian Panther
Yes, Jet Starr is Yaroslav Horak.
However, when I first looked at the book, I was put in mind of Paul Norris's work on Brick Bradford, quite popular about that time. Many of the design elements and costumes perhaps indicate Norris was an influence.
I mostly associate Horak with his James Bond albums, and as you can see, by that time, his work had changed and matured considerably.
Yaroslav Horak on James Bond
https://davekarlenoriginalartblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/yaroslav-horak-on-james-bond.html
Beautiful work - which, now i see it that way, really needs to be blown up big to fully appreciate.
Paw, I can see why you are enthusiastic about these collections.
Cheers!
By paw broon
Well of course, you're correct, it is Horak on Jet Starr. I've posted Buddy's info on Jet Starr/Jet Fury/Skyman here and in comic talk.
Intriguing connections.
By OzMan
Hey Paw, can you tell me where I can find this post?
By The Australian Panther
Ozman,
Paw will have been referring to the information in the
NOTES section above the comic.
Cheers!
By nenslo
Welkin was one of the strips that appeared in Australian Women's Weekly in th 60s when they expanded their comics section. It can be found at archive.org if you wish to compare.
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