EXTRACTS: Illustrators Crime Comics Special © 2020 Book Palace Books (144 pages in full edition)

3 wealthy enough and literate enough to avail themselves of this novel source of souvenirs. The pamphlets would be illustrated with portraits of those about to meet their maker and lurid depictions of the crimes committed. From these impromptu beginnings, the depiction of murder and mayhem via the medium of graphic storytelling gathered pace as advances in print technology and improving literacy increased the demand for such ABOVE: The tawdry tale of Charles Peace, the Banner Cross Murderer. One of the many ‘execution broadsheets’ which first appeared in the 18 th century and were sold in advance and on the day of public hangings. ABOVE LEFT: Public executions were a potent reminder of the power of the criminal justice system. Both a deterrent as well as stimulator of a grisly form of schadenfreude, they were a favourite theme for much of the illustrated accounts of crime in the 19 th and early 20 th centuries. This example comes from Famous Crimes , edited by the illustrator Harold Furniss (not to be confused with the Punch artist Harry Furniss). The illustration of the hanging of Captain Kidd appears to be the work of Furniss.