Mike Noble and John Cooper

Enid used many illustrators in her books. Discuss them here.
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daanton
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Mike Noble and John Cooper

Post by daanton »

Perhaps two illustrators largely missed or not yet documented on the Forums. So I thought I'd document them for the record....


Firstly, Mike Noble. [link] Anyone here who can recall reading the FAMOUS FIVE in comic form in "Look-In" Magazine might appreciate Mike Noble's depiction of the characters. The story progression is fairly swift and the action depicted---whether it's a potential fight or a character(s)' sudden capture---is often vivid and/or gritty. His artwork tends to add an increased modern vitality to the adventures that might have been in previous illustrations by Eileen Soper or Betty Maxey.
Image [link]
SOURCE: An interview with Angus Allan, the man who wrote LOOK-IN [link]


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SOURCE: Mike Noble Archive [link]


Secondly, John Cooper. If nothing more, he may be noted as the illustrator of the "continuation novels" penned by Claude Voilier (born Andrée Labedan) and translated into English by Anthea Bell.
Image


If you can see by the preceding examples, both artists tend to render our J,D,A,G+T in a modern form more akin to their depiction in the 1978 Southern TV series. Might be a little disheartening to "classic FAMOUS FIVE" pundits, but to those of us who grew up with the TV series (along with the books), the artistry serves as a bit of a continuation....!
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Mike Noble and John Cooper

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Interesting stuff, Daanton. The artwork in the 1970s-80s Famous Five annuals is worth a look too - though several different artists appear to have been used, some better than others.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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daanton
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Re: Mike Noble and John Cooper

Post by daanton »

Indeed. Mostly in the Purnell-published annuals.

BTW, Hodder & Stoughton's hardcover versions (featuring TV covers) of FOATI, FGAA, FRAT, FGTST, FGOIAC and FOKIA, and the one-shot TV SPECIAL published by Proost of Belgium, feature illustrations done by Jolyne Knox (as well as TV promo photos and/or stills). They give the main characters a bit of a childlike quality.

But as I mentioned earlier, Mike Noble's modern depictions are more edgy or vivid than John Cooper's, although both styles seem to continue the look of the characters (and the world around them) a la the SOUTHERN TV series.

:!:
[BTW, on this page [link], you mentioned, in the FF ANNUALS section, the TV series was of that by Granada. That is incorrect; in fact it was by Southern....
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Re: Mike Noble and John Cooper

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

daanton wrote:But as I mentioned earlier, Mike Noble's modern depictions are more edgy or vivid than John Cooper's, although both styles seem to continue the look of the characters (and the world around them) a la the SOUTHERN TV series.
Yes, that's true. In Mark Noble's illustrations, Julian in particular looks like Marcus Harris.
daanton wrote:BTW, on this page [link], you mentioned, in the FF ANNUALS section, the TV series was of that by Granada. That is incorrect; in fact it was by Southern....
Thanks for that. I'll let Tony know, though he's offline at the moment and probably will be for another couple of days.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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