Tributes had been paid within the mainstream British media and on social media following the information of the passing of longstanding British cartoonist David Sutherland late final week after a brief sickness, aged 89. Sutherland had barely weeks in the past been awarded an OBE, a British civic award, for companies to Illustration having labored for over 60 years on the weekly Beano youngsters anthology comedian – maybe one of many longest tenures within the title’s 84-year historical past. His ultimate Bash Avenue Children strip – produced previous to his sickness – will seem on this week’s situation of the Beano (#4170).
The information was first damaged on the afternoon of January 19 by John Freeman, veteran comics editor and journalist of the British comics scene through his Down The Tubes weblog, saying:
“We’re very sorry to report the passing of legendary comedian artist David Sutherland, finest recognized for his work on The Bash Avenue Children in Beano.
“The information has simply damaged, and comes shortly after the announcement [of] an OBE for companies to Illustration. He had drawn The Bash Avenue Children for the Beano for 60 years.”
Later his former publication the Beano formally broke the information through social media, saying:
“At present now we have the unhappy job of telling the world that our expensive good friend David Sutherland OBE has handed away.
“David joined Beano in 1959 as a contract contributor and over the past 63 years has develop into some of the essential Beano artists in its historical past.
“At present we share with you a Biffo the Bear story wherein the modest David drew himself as Biffo’s neighbour. We couldn’t consider higher tribute to have a good time the lifetime of this unimaginable man
“David considered himself as a resident of Beanotown, residing alongside our characters that he liked and he’ll dwell on there eternally, and all the time be within the hearts of Workforce Beano and the thousands and thousands of children who’ve loved his strips each week.
“RIP David Sutherland OBE”
At present now we have the unhappy job of telling the world that our expensive good friend David Sutherland OBE has handed away.
David joined Beano in 1959 as a contract contributor and over the past 63 years has develop into some of the essential Beano artists in its historical past.
— Beano (@BeanoOfficial) January 19, 2023
David considered himself as a resident of Beanotown, residing alongside our characters that he liked and he’ll dwell on there eternally, and all the time be within the hearts of Workforce Beano and the thousands and thousands of children who’ve loved his strips each week.
RIP David Sutherland OBE
— Beano (@BeanoOfficial) January 19, 2023
The British press additionally took observe of his passing – it being reported on public broadcasters the BBC, ITV, STV tv channels and web sites, and on the Guardian and The Mirror web sites, to call just a few. On social media extra tributes had been paid.
David Sutherland OBE, who died yesterday, was an illustrator famed for his work with The Beano. In 1995, he spoke to Round Scotland on his course of in bringing Dennis the Menace and the Bash Avenue Children to life every week. pic.twitter.com/wpftegJn1f
— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) January 20, 2023
RIP David Sutherland. So many youngsters began studying and drawing due to him (together with me I reckon! Actually cannot keep in mind a lot studying pre-Beano) https://t.co/u31sVmo4qR
— Stephen Collins (@stephen_collins) January 19, 2023
Unhappy to listen to about David Sutherland O.B.E and B.A.E (Beano Artist Extraordinaire). Drew the Bash Avenue Children from 1962 to right now. Took me years to understand Dennis, Bash Avenue and Billy The Cat had been all the identical bloke. #RIPDavidSutherland pic.twitter.com/JZouSNwkIl
— Chris Williams (@ChrisDWilliams) January 19, 2023
Shocked to listen to of the passing of David Sutherland. I am certain it has been stated 100 occasions already, however he was the person behind so lots of our childhoods. Not solely was he some of the long-running artists The Beano has ever had, he was top-of-the-line, and he’ll be missed. pic.twitter.com/0rtyLEOyE8
— nia ! (@NiasNook) January 20, 2023
Very unhappy to listen to of the passing of #DavidSutherland of the #Beano comics. He was a great good friend of my gran’s, they usually performed golf collectively. We misplaced my gran on New Years Day, a disgrace to lose David so quickly after. This is a card he despatched her when she was in hospital in Ninewells… pic.twitter.com/oAAX10FL7N
— Carla (@CarlaR_14) January 20, 2023
Legendary artist of the Beano David Sutherland has died. He was the artist on the Bash Avenue Children since 1962 and for me he gave that faculty and people kids, together with Dennis the Menace actual life. Sure I nonetheless learn the Beano. Adore it Adore it Adore it. RIP David pic.twitter.com/aXSLege0sf
— Joan Armatrading (@ArmatradingJoan) January 21, 2023
The beloved artist, who resided in Broughty Ferry – a suburb of Dundee, Scotland – initially got here from Invergordon, within the Scottish Highlands. He entered an artwork competitors organised by Dundee’s main British publishing home DC Thomson in 1959 and regardless of not successful the highest prize was scouted to work on the Beano (which is right now referred to as the world’s longest constantly operating weekly title) by its then-editor Harold Cramond. His versatility as an artist meant he was able to serving as a backup ghost artist mimicking the types of the Beano’s huge names of the time – notably Leo Baxendale and David Regulation – on the comedy strips and he additionally labored on the Beano’s journey strips (because the title was a combined anthology comedian earlier than it will definitely devoted itself fully to youngsters gag strips).
Sutherland is credited with having labored on traditional common comedy strips together with Biffo the Bear (1969-1986), Britain’s Dennis the Menace (1970-1998), Gnasher and extra. He would often work on Beano stablemate The Dandy however his main affiliation was the Beano and The Bash Avenue Children strip which he took over following the departure of creator Leo Baxendale in 1962, and made it his personal.
Throughout his sixty-year tenure on The Bash Avenue Children (in regards to the escapades of a category of delinquent faculty college students) he was in a position to remodel it into one of many Beano’s most memorable comedy serials. Previous to his quick sickness in December he had accomplished the primary strips to be printed in 2023, along with his ultimate one about to be printed this coming Wednesday.
Sutherland was bestowed an OBE, a British civic honour ceremonially granted by the monarchy, within the New Yr honours listing at first of 2023. He would have formally acquired the insignia of the award from the present reigning British monarch – King Charles III – at a ceremony within the presence of his shut household and buddies. Whereas that didn’t happen, he stays a recipient of the OBE and his ultimate Beano credit score this week will state his identify as ‘David Sutherland OBE’.
In DC Thomson-published newspaper and web site The Courier, Beano editor John Anderson stated:
“Nobody will ever repeat what David achieved over 60 years. He was considered one of a form, a real legend. It’s the finish of an period.
“On condition that David began working for DC Thomson in 1959 and had been drawing The Bash Avenue Children since 1962, he’s the only most essential illustrator in Beano historical past.”
It’s unsure what his precise strip depend was however it’s believed that – taking into consideration the annuals, particular and the common weekly – he might over properly exceeded 4 thousand strips to the title. And he remained a gradual and dependable artist into his later years.
Editor Anderson notably famous his dedication, saying:
“David, even when he was in his late 80s, was nonetheless delivering a Bash Avenue Children caricature each week. Throughout such a stretch of time David has labored via many life occasions, together with working from Australia for a number of weeks whereas visiting his household. His pages had been delivered weekly through airmail with solely the occasional squashed mosquito making the journey. Dave additionally had some well being points that might have pressured even youthful artists to hold up their pencil.”
Margaret, Sutherland’s widow, stated:
“David solely put his pen down final month when he took ailing. Drawing was his life; it made us neglect the age he was. He was getting older however we by no means observed it. He simply saved going and the editors remained completely satisfied along with his work.”
The Chairman of DC Thomson, Christopher Thomson, additionally stated to The Courier:
“He introduced pleasure to our beloved audiences – kids and adults alike – and to those that had been lucky sufficient to work alongside him. He will likely be a lot missed and his legacy will undoubtedly have an enduring impression for a few years to come back.”
On the BBC’s morning information on Saturday (January 21), present Dennis the Menace artist Nigel Parkinson spoke about Sutherland, saying:
“He might attract any model and he was meticulous. His linework was lovely. One of many issues I favored about him was that you simply all the time got here away having loved what he’d accomplished. I believe that’s essential – that you simply get pleasure from what you might be studying in a comic book, that’s what it’s for.”
Parkinson additionally revealed that he briefly served as Sutherland’s personal ghost artist in the course of the interval between his official retirement from the Beano and his return as a freelancer,
“If the common illustrator for a strip is on vacation (that doesn’t occur fairly often) or is sick or decides to maneuver on to one thing else, you want somebody to take their place in order that the readers don’t discover there was a change. That’s what Dave began as and that’s what I began as. Actually I’ve ghosted Dave. I did just a few Bash Avenue Children when he retired a few years in the past and I did the Bash Avenue Children for him for just a few months – however he loved drawing a lot that he got here again as a freelancer.”
Parkinson then stated:
“He labored for sixty years on Bash Avenue Children and over sixty years on the Beano; each week, virtually. The Beano’s essential declare to fame is that it employed Dave Sutherland as a result of each time you consider the Beano – we’ve all learn it whether or not you’re a giant fan or not – you consider Dave Sutherland’s artwork. That’s the picture that you’ve got in your thoughts. That’s the Beano look.”
