Comments for Comics by Ed Pinsent

Comment on Lord Mustard by John Enright

John Enright — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:41:26 +0000

I worked in a pub in Soho in late 1980′s, and Lord Mustard would occasionally pop in. He was definitely a presence, with the dingy morning suit (I think it was mustard-coloured with green trim) and hand-painted sign. You could not ignore him, because he was so strange-looking. He usually kept fairly quiet but would engage in small talk if you approached him. By this time he was decrepit and unlikely to dance very well.

A customer told me that he had settled a lawsuit with Harrod’s some years back, and part of the agreement was that he was allowed to busk (perform) outside Harrod’s, whilst the store chased everyone else away. Can anyone verify the story I heard?

Makes more sense that he was working on Oxford St. if I saw him in Soho.

Comment on Windy and the Gnostic Crocodile by Nick

Nick — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 20:02:59 +0000

Brilliant. Wonderful stuff, sir!

Comment on John Watson by Bob Lynch

Bob Lynch — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 11:57:12 +0000

I loved John’s work and didn’t know he’d died. Bloody tragic.

Comment on Additions to comics galleries by Ed Pinsent

Ed Pinsent — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:46:30 +0000

> didn’t Penguin publish a Mauretania book? I can’t remember if it was original or a compliation.

They did indeed. It came out in 1990 and was subtitled “A Mystery and a Love Story from a Darker World”. The main (long) story, featuring Susan, Jimmy and Monitor, was all new; I don’t know if it’s been reprinted since. I think Penguin commissioned it as a new “graphic novel”, which at the time was still a relatively new term. There was a small amount of reprinted material at the back of the book.

I’m proud to say that Chris gave me a personally inscribed copy of the book when it was published. His inscription reads “Best wishes, Ed. Without you, this may not have happened. With much affection, Chris.”

Comment on Additions to comics galleries by Tom Murphy

Tom Murphy — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:50:54 +0000

Hi again Ed – I promised about a gazillion years ago that I’d go through my small press collection and scan anything you didn’t have – and here I am promising again!

BTW, didn’t Penguin publish a Mauretania book? I can’t remember if it was original or a compliation.

Comment on Fast Fiction info sheets by Nick Jones

Nick Jones — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:13:04 +0000

Very kind of you to quote me, Ed! I posted another ’80s small press missive earlier today (with links back to you, of course), this time on Merv Grist:

http://existentialennui.blogspot.com/2011/03/notes-from-small-press-9-some.html

Comment on Skeleton Sphinx by Ed Pinsent

Ed Pinsent — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 23:24:55 +0000

Dear Ant

Many thanks for your comment…as to collections of my work, see this page. Had a look at your site and your drawings look very fine, a nice finish to the brushwork. It’s almost as though Charles Burns had a job working for D C Thomson.

Comment on Skeleton Sphinx by vollsticks

vollsticks — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:16:55 +0000

That’s lovely. Any collections of your work been published? Although I’m sure you’d deny it, you’re a bit of a British mini-comics legend, aren’t you (and no that’s not meant to be facetious or sarky–I write with genuine respect for your work)?!?!?
All the best!

Ant

Comment on John Watson by Ed Pinsent

Ed Pinsent — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:44:26 +0000

Hi Kyran!

Yes, I do remember the cereal packet incident. Best forgotten about, if you ask me. The tabloid press were just looking for trouble in a completely innocent drawing of John’s, I think depicting a Pied Piper figure, and he was utterly bemused by the whole affair. It never caused even the slightest blip in his career, of course.

To this day, some people seem obsessed with finding the hidden image of a phallus in cartoons and comics. Just Google “Disney’s Little Mermaid” in this context and see for yourself…

Comment on John Watson by Kyran

Kyran — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:18:52 +0000

…but the thing that comes to mind is some sort of controversy over an illustration JW did for the back of a cereal packet (crunchy nut cornflakes, maybe?) – there was some media coverage over customer complaints about a phallus somewhere in the drawings. I think it was actually an ambiguous coat-tail or somesuch!? This would have been around 1990 but can’t find a mention online