EXTRACTS: The Art of Ron Embleton (illustrators special) © 2018 The Book Palace (144 PAGES in Full edition)

22 ABOVE: Although not a great fan of science-fiction as a choice of subject matter, ever the professional, Ron was more than capable of producing a gripping cover as this example reveals. RIGHT: A rare example of Ron's take on a gritty crime-themed book cover is reminiscent of Denis McLoughlin's long- running Boardman Bloodhound series of cover designs. [Editor's note,for an in-depth feature on McLoughlin see issue 1 of Illustrators] FACING PAGE: An example of Ron's superb artistry on 'Don O' The Drums', a comic strip serialised in the UK Mickey Mouse Weekly . His mastery of dramatically placed solid blacks and dynamic panel design is well to the fore here. Text continued from page 13 Text continues on page 26 entertainment but, however inconvenient the two-year interruption might have appeared, the disruption was not a game-changer and when Ron returned he was able to pick up pretty much where he had left off. The 1950s proved to be an era of seismic developments in both Ron’s art and career. His work dominated much of the UK comics market—from regular cover and interior strip assignments in comics such as Lone Star Magazine to weekly strip assignments in Mickey Mouse Comic; culminating in one of his most fondly remembered strips Don of the Drums , which provided the young artist with a platform on which to share his love of history as well as some of the most dynamic and inspired art to see print in a UK comic. In parallel to his commercial art, Ron was developing his painting in both technique and subject matter. Although relatively unfamiliar to the fan-base that grew up around his illustration, his oil paintings were