EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 29 © 2019 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

50 Wilson on as his assistant. So began one of the most successful partnerships in the history of British comic art. For the next few years, Wilson cycled the mile or so to Newhouse’s home every working day—and very often on Sundays as well. Sometimes he would draw the basic pencil roughs and at other times he would ink in those done by Newhouse. All the drawings were done under Newhouse’s name and therefore it was important that the finished product had a uniformity of style. Even when it was Wilson who had actually executed the complete set of drawings, it was Newhouse who lettered the word balloons. As an artist’s lettering is practically a signature, Wilson’s own lettering style would have raised questions at Fleetway House, the London headquarters of the Amalgamated Press. The Newhouse/ Wilson team lasted for over a decade, during which time Wilson’s technique became markedly superior to that of his colleague. On 9 August 1924, RoyWilsonmarried Gertrude Bryant, a young teacher, who was to prove a most sympathetic colleague, helping him with ideas and scripts for many of his comic strips. Just over a year later, their first daughter, Jill, was born and the couple decided to move to a large rented house on a private housing estate just across the road from where Newhouse lived. This move was to benefit the partnership enormously. Although Wilson didn’t colour his comic strips, he did paint the covers he did for the various annuals he produced. ABOVE LEFT: C over for Funny Wonder Annual ,1939. ABOVE RIGHT: Cover for Funny Wonder Annual 1941.