EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 13 © 2015 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

36 ABOVE & FACING PAGE BOTTOM RIGHT: One of Scott's first commissions for Leonard Matthews was to illustrate a swashbuckling comic strip titled, 'Captain Flame'. A brief that the septuagenerian artist responded to with great aplomb. ABOVE RIGHT: Panels from Scott's treatment of 'Jane Eyre', reveal his painterly approach to inking his art. Working with a brush and ink, he would then add in dabs of white gouache to "sculpt out" details such as the smoke from a candle or folds on a dress. The story was published in Thriller Comics Library No. 31, published in February 1953. trumpets: “The editor takes great pride in announcing that next week he will present a new picture-story entitled: ‘Captain Flame’… It is told to you by Septimus E. Scott, R.I., the world-famous artist whose works have been exhibited in the Royal Academy. Tell your parents – tell your school-teachers! For the very first time, Mr. Scott enters the realms of the picture-story. You must not miss his truly magnificent pictures! Watch out for ‘Captain Flame!’” The editor, Leonard Matthews, knew what he was doing. He recognised full well that he had obtained the services of an artist who was very special indeed and he wanted everyone to know about it—including schoolteachers! When I got to know Leonard Matthews in the late 1980s, he told me how, shortly after assuming the mantle of editor of Knockout comic, he made an offer that was to set Sep Scott off in an entirely new direction.