The Copper's Art of Diving

Here's a couple of quick items from the pages of Jag, both featuring police divers. I'm not sure who the artist is on the second piece but the first is by Art of Diving favourite Mike Western.

The Dangerous Art of Diving

In 1968, Fleetway Publications launched their third boys' comic named after a big cat, Jag. Unfortunately it couldn't replicate the success of Lion and Tiger and it was merged with the latter after just 48 issues. Those 48 issues did provide some material for this blog though and I'm sharing some today.

This first piece from issue seven is illustrated by Tom Kerr, a prolific contributor to Fleetway/IPC's range of comics. Regular Art of Diving readers will recognise the story told in the last few panels! (Click for a larger image).

These next three pieces also feature real-life incidents.

You can read more about "Operation Struggle" here.

You can read more about the loss of the S4 here.

Three of a Kind - Harry E. Rieseberg

 Harry E. Rieseberg wrote a number of books with "treasure" in the title, all mixing fact with a healthy dose of fiction! Here are some examples:

1942

I've featured this 1954 paperback cover before but thought I might as well include it again here as a bonus:

1957

I'm assuming the title of this one reflects his minimalist phase!

Artwork by Albert Orbaan whose other work includes The Real Book About Mountain Climbing, No Room for a Dog, Battles and Bloodshed and the Mike Mars Astronaut series.

1962

Cover by Donald M. Yena (b.1933), an artist primarily known for his western paintings.

Two of a Kind - Red Sea Diver's Guide

My first visit to the Red Sea was in 1998 and I returned in 2000, with many subsequent visits. I remember having a copy of the second volume here on some of those early trips. I've dived the wreck on the cover, the Giannis D, many times but I don't think I've ever seen a diver quite as colourful as the one portrayed! I particularly like the way the artist has depicted the reflections on the surface. The first volume is a recent discovery for me. The diver's pose is somewhat unusual but it's certainly a striking design.

Spin Again for the Art of Diving

When our American cousins got tired of playing with their G.I. Joe figures they could play this game instead. Sadly I don't think there was ever an Action Man version for the UK.

This inner packaging features a familiar looking figure...

Two of a Kind - Bill Bryan

Author and playwright Willard Manus is probably best known for his 1966 novel Mott the Hoople. Record producer Guy Stevens read the book while in prison for a drugs offence and later persuaded a newly-signed band to adopt the book's title as their name.

A few years earlier, Manus had written a pair of what would now be called "Young Adult" novels featuring the adventures of skin-diver Bill Bryan. Sea Treasure was published in 1961 and was illustrated by Lee J. Ames.

The Mystery of the Flooded Mine followed in 1964, with illustrations by James Dwyer.

Lee Judah Ames (1921-2011) worked as an advertising artist, fine artist, cartoonist, designer, animation in-betweener, illustrator, and as an artist-in residence at Doubleday. He's best known for his Draw 50... series of instructional books (Draw 50 Dogs, Draw 50 People, Draw 50 Boats etc.)

I haven't been able to find out much about James Dwyer (1898-?) but he appears to have had an extensive career working in book and magazine illustration.

The Art of Diving with Modesty - Bonus Blaise!

 Just a quick one today. I wasn't expecting to post any new Modesty Blaise material but the latest issue of Sweden's Agent X9 features the story Dossier on Pluto and comes with this lovely cover artwork.

Rip Kirby also seems to be getting in on the underwater action. I've previously featured one of his stories on the blog and look out for another one coming soon.