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RED ROVER
RED ROVER
Created by Ed Furness “Red Rover” and his partners “Skipper” & “Knuckles” first appeared in Grand Slam Comics vol. 3, no. 10, September 1944 along with first appearances by “Commander Steel” and “Dr. Destine”. These features completely replaced the U.S. imports. In this issue Ed Furness asked readers to give them feedback on the new characters.
“Red Rover’s” origin story bares a remarkable resemblance to the “Freelance” origin story in that like “Freelance” he is raised by aboriginals and has no knowledge of the identity of his parents or country of origin. In this story he is a toddler on a yacht with his parents in the South Pacific. A typhoon strikes and everyone is drowned but the youngster. He is found by Polynesians and raised by the King as his son. Although rivals try to kill him several times he survives and grows to manhood. One day he travels to an island far from his own and meets his first white man “Skipper who teaches him English and names him “Red’ for his hair and “Rover” because he roved over to the skipper’s island. At the end of the story we a introduced to “Red Rover’s” second partner “Knuckles”
In “Wings of Adventure” Furness said he used the Canadian bush plane Noorduyn Norseman as the reference, although it is hard to see the similarity.
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY: All published by Anglo-American Publishing Ltd.
Content serial:
| Grand Slam Comics…: “Red Rover …” Contributors unidentified. Black & white . |
| 3- 10, September 1944: “Introducing”: 17-30.
3-11, October, 1944: “… and the Mysterious Call For Help”: 17-30. 3-12, November 1944: ”17-30. 4-2, January 1945: “… The Exploding Seed Pods.”: 19-32. 4-3, February 1945: “… and the Fugitive Dragon”: 33-46. 4-4, March 1945: “… and the Mad Sorcerer of Rakatiwa.” 29-37. 4-6, May 1945: 33-46: “… The Jumpin’ Jive. 4-6 (actually 4-7), June 1945: “… and the Revenge Of Denu Naki”: 33-46. |
| Grand Slam Comics/Three Aces…: “Red Rover ….” Contributors unidentified. Colour |
| IV-45, August 1945: “… Saves Bird Island.” 1-10.
IV-46, September 1945: No story..
IV-48, November 1945: No story. IV-49, December 1945: “… Champion of the South Seas”: 23-32. V-50, January 1946: “… in Wings of Adventure”: 12-21. |
| Grand Slam Comics…: “Red Rover …” Contributors unidentified. Colour. |
| V-51, February 1946: Untitled: 2-10.
V-53, June/July 1946: “… and the Dope Czar of the South Seas”: 32-45. 5-54, August/September 1946: “… and the South Seas School Scandal”: 33-46. 5-55, October/November 1946: “… The Skipper’s Secret”: 28-37. 5-56, December/January 1946: “… and the Planted Pearl Mine”: 2-15. |
Cover front:
| Grand Slam Comics…: Illus., Unidentified. Anglo-American Publishing. | |
| 4-4, March 1945.
V-51, February 1946. |
5-55, October/November 1946
5-56, December/January 1946. |
MERCHANDISE:
Crest Glo.
SOURCE:
Interview:
Telephone with Ed Furness Nov. 27, 1985.
GALLERY:
First Red Rover cover. Grand Slam, 4-4, March 1945: Front cover.
“Red Rover.” Grand Slam Comics, 4-4, March 1945: 33.
Last Red Rover cover. Grand Slam, V-55, October/November 1945: Front cover.
“Red Rover and the Dope Czar of the South Seas.” Grand Slam Comics, V-53, June/July 1946: 43.
RED ENSIGN
RED ENSIGN
Red Ensign has a convoluted past. Before Scott Chantler established the character in the True Patriot books in 2013 & 2014, Mark Shainblum was advertising in Orion 1-2, 1982, that Discovery Publications would be bringing out a character with the same name and fighting in the same time period World War Two. Meanwhile in the same magazine Ian Carr was giving sketches of alternate costume designs.
Scott’s version is the most original in costume design. In these stories we see the Red Ensign as a grandfather, telling stories about his adventures as a young man even as his grandchildren do not realize that he was the Red Ensign. Was the first story “Whatever Happened To Red Ensign?” a tribute to the efforts of Second World War veterans now increasingly forgotten?
MEDIUM:
PERIODICAL TEXT & GRAPHIC:
Content:
Advertisement:
Orion, 1-2, 1982: “the Red Ensign coming soon From Discovery Publications”: 54.
Folio:
Orion, 1-2, 1982: “Sketchbook: Ian Carr’s Alternate Version of the Red Ensign”: 62.
BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:
Content story:
True Patriot: All New Canadian Comic Book Adventures. Ed., J. Torres. True Patriot Comics, 2013: “Whatever Happened to the Red Ensign.” Car., Scott Chantler: 9-16.
True Patriot: Heroes Of The Great White North. Ed., J. Torres. True Patriot Comics, 2014: “Red Ensign in ‘The Knight of Normandy’.” Car., Scott Chantler: 31-38.
GALLERY:
Advertisement. Orion, 1-2, 1982: 54.
”Red Ensign.” Car., Ian Carr. ,Orion, 1-2, 1982: 62
“Red Ensign.” Car, Scott Chantler. True Patriot: Heroes Of The Great White North. 37.
REBOOT
RAY GLISS
LES AVENTURES DE RAY GLISS
MEDIUM:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content story & Cover front & back :
Les aventures de Ray Gliss: Fraude Électrique. Writ., François Benoit. Illus., Remy Simard. Éditions Ovale, 4e trimestre 1984.
Les aventures de Ray Gliss: Le Cloître de New York. Writ., François Benoit. Illus., Remy Simard. Éditions Ovale, 3e trimestre 1986.
GALLERY:
Léopold Anduro, Ray Gliss, Anna Lyse Anduro, Illus., Remy Simard. Les aventures de Ray Gliss: Fraude Électrique. Éditions Ovale, 1984: Back cover.
RAPIER
THE RAPIER
“The Swash-buckling adventures of the Rapier.” was an intended serial created by cartoonist Clayton Dexter. It involved the search for the golden city of El Dorado during the time of the Spanish conquest of Central and South America. It appeared in Top Flight Comics, 1-1, February 1942, the only issue Hillborough Studio published before ceasing operations. This feature seems to have been the only work done by this author. Rather unfortunate, as he appears to have had talent for this type of work.
SOURCE:
This advertisement appeared on the back cover of Triumph Adventure Comics, 1-5, January 1942.
GALLERY:
Top Flight Comics, 1-1, February 1942: Front cover. Illus., Clayton Dexter. Courtesy Canadian Golden Age Comics.
RANKEL Ben
RANKEL Ben
Frank, May 2018.
A Calgary based cartoonist. His first novel Frank was a murder mystery set within the historic event of the deadliest landslide in Canada when Turtle Mountain buried about half the coal mining town of Frank in the Crowsnest Pass in Alberta in April 1903.
WORK:
CARTOONIST:
BOOK GRAPHIC;
Content novel:
Frank. Let., Ryan Ferrier. Renegade Arts Entertainment Ltd., May 2018.
CO-ILLUSTRATOR:
Cover book front:
Frank. Renegade Arts Entertainment Ltd., May 2018: Co-illus., Ryan Ferrier.
RANGEL Fabian Jr.
RANGEL Fabian Jr.
WORK:
WRITER:
BOOK GRAPHIC ANTHOLOGY:
Content story:
Monstrosity, v.1,2013: “Jack Manzo In: Junk Food.” Illus., Rogers Austin. Let., Phil McClorey..
RANCOURT Sylvia
RANCOURT Sylvia
Born 1959 in northwestern Québec.
She grew up in Abitibi. In 1976, she met her future husband Nick while looking for a job as barmaid in Club Sexi. She moved to Montréal in the early 1980’s where she performed as a nude dancer, first under her own name then Barbie and finally Mélody. While dancing she began cartooning and self-publishing stories for her clientele.
In 1985 Jacques Boivin discovered Stlvie’s stories and began collaborating with her who translated her stories into English and reworking the illustrations for the Anglophone market, in which were sold 126,000 copies.
A compilation of the original Melody stories, published by Ego Comme X, in France, was nominated for the Prix du Patrimoine at the 2014 Angouléme Comics Festival.
Sylvie returned to the Abitibi region and lives on a farm with her second husband and five children.
WORK:
CARTOONIST:
Content memoir & Cover book front:
Archives Mélody 1à7. Les Éditions du Phylactère, 1989.
Melody: Story Of A Nude Dancer. Trans., Helge Dascher. Drawn and Quarterly, June 2015.
ILLUSTRATOR:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC: Published by Kitchen Sink, cover colour, interiors black and white.
Content folio:
Melody, 5, Apr. 1990: Sketch of Gabriel Morrissette & Jacques Boivin.
WRITER:
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC: All published by Kitchen Sink, cover colour, interiors black and white.
Content:
Memoir:
| Melody, …: “…” Translation, inks & letters, Jacques Boivin, Pencils Gabrielle Morrissette: 1-24. |
| 5, Apr.. 1990: “A Father’s Ire: Sylvia’s Abitibi 1979.”
6, Dec. 1990: “Isoscelles.” Trans., In. & Let. (1-9), J. Boivin. Pen. & In. (10-24) G. Morrissette: 7, Feb. 1992: “The Way Out.” |
Melody, 10, 1995: “Birthright.” Translation & Illus., Jacques Boivin: 1-24.
Miscellaneous:
Melody,4, Sept. 1989: “Swingers, Sorrow: 1975 near Sarrela.” Trans., J. Boivin. Illus., G. Morrisette: 26-31.
WRITER & LAYOUT ARTIST:
BOOK GRAPHIC:
Content memoir & Cover book front & back:
The Orgies Of Abitibi. Trans. & finished art Jacques Boivin. Kitchen Sink Press Inc. 1991. Collects Melody issue 1-4.
PERIODICAL GRAPHIC: All published by Kitchen Sink, cover colour, interiors black and white.
Content memoir:
| Melody,…: “…” Translation & finished art, Jacques Boivin: … | |
| 1, May 1988: “Rural Routes: 1979”: 1-24.
2, Mar 1988: “Lunatic Lola.”: 1-24. |
3, Mar 1989: “Sisters in Crime: 1-24.
4, Sept. 1989: “Debauchery”: 1-24. |
SOURCE:
Book:
Melody: Story Of A Nude Dancer. Car., Sylvaine Rancourt. Trans., Helge Dascher. Drawn & Quarterly, June 2015.
The Orgies Of Abitibi. Finished art J. Boivin. Kitchen Sink Press Inc. 1991: Back cover.
Article book:
“A Letter To Sylvie Rancourt.” Writ., Julie Delporte. Trans., Helge Dascher. BDQ: Essays & Interviews On Quebec Comics. Ed., Andy Brown. BDang/Conundrum, 2017: 66-71.
Article newspaper:
Globe & Mail, 20 June 2015: “Draw like no one’s watching.” Writ., Dean Rogers. R21.
National Post, 27 June 2015: “The Lives of Nudie Girls and Women.” Writ., Emily M. Keeler. WP4.
GALLERY:
Melody, front cover. Illus., Sylvia Raincourt. Les Éditions du Phylactère, 1989.
Melody, 5, Apr. 1990: “Sketch.” Illus., Sylvie Rancourt.
RAMPEN Leo
RAMPEN Leo
A book illustrator and a graphic artist.
WORK:
ILLUSTRATOR:
BOOK TEXT:
Content collection Lyrics & Cover book & dust jacket front & back:
Canada’s Story In Song. Ed., Edith Fowke & Alan Mills. W. J. Gage Ltd., no date.
Content novel & Content dust jacket front:
The Boy With An Я In His Hand. Writ., James Reaney. Macmillan of Canada Ltd., 1965.