Classic Wodehouse Illustrations, Part 1: Comrade Bingo

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

I hope I'm not bothering anyone by posting so many times in a row, but I just have to share this with you. This is it for today, I swear!

When I was poking around for Wodehouse covers, something suddenly dawned on me: a lot of the Jeeves and Bertie stories were originally published in illustrated magazines. I found, to my vast delight, that a lot of these magazines are available online, original illustrations at all. I nabbed a bunch of them (they're public domain and everything!), and I figured I'd post them for you one story at a time (albeit not in any particular order).

Without further ado, I give you "Comrade Bingo."


Is that not just about the most wonderful thing you've ever seen? This is an illustration from The Strand, where Wodehouse originally published most of the short stories. The first few that I looked at (from the 'teens) were illustrated by a fellow named Alfred Leete. You'll be seeing some of his stuff in later posts. This is the work of A. W. Mills, who took over the Wodehouse-illustrating duties in the early 1920s.

Most of these stories were published simultaneously in Cosmopolitan, starting in 1922 or so (before that they pretty much stuck to "Archie" stories). The Cosmo artist who handled the Wodehouse stuff was one T. D. Skidmore:



Absolutely stunning! And I seriously adore Comrade Butt back there. He just looks so very put out.

Actually, the reason I decided to start with this story is that, for whatever reason, it seems to have brought out the best in both of these illustrators. It's not even one of my favorite stories, but I just love these illustrations.



I love Mills's work. It's not as lush and realistic as Skidmore's, but it has so much character. I'm also especially fond of the way he draws Bertie. He has a sort of cartoony innocence that's just perfect.

Here's Skidmore's treatment of the same scene, spread across two pages: 




There's your first look at Skidmore's Bertie. An elegant enough chappie, but sporting some story-inappropriate facial hair. In other illustrations, he looks a bit like Howard Carter.



Bertie may be appalled, but Jeeves is downright irate. Look at him back there!


Words simply cannot express how much I love this one.

Finally, I'll leave you with this:


Other entries:
"Bertie Changes His Mind"
"Leave It to Jeeves"
Right Ho, Jeeves
"The Delayed Exit of Claude and Eustace"
"Aunt Agatha Takes the Count"
"Jeeves in the Springtime"

Comments

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

I love how Jeeves is thoroughly staggered and clutching at a bit of furniture in that first one!

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

Was that priceless or what?

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Gods, yes.

[ladymoondancer.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all counts! :D

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Hee, yes! Wait until you see his reaction to Bertie's cummerbund in "Aunt Agatha Speaks Her Mind". Mills's Jeeves is not the comeliest chap, alas, but he is awfully expressive.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

I assure you, waiting will be the most thoroughgoing agony.

[dogwoodblossom.livejournal.com]

I know I've seen Stephen Fry do almost exactly that in the series.

[trista-zevkia.livejournal.com]

I love the disclaimer in the second one!
If you've been told not to laugh, don't read this!
Really truthful, that!
These are great, keep 'em coming=)



and any fic you maybe writing.

[fenriss.livejournal.com]

Oh! I just poked my head in to check the comm, so I'll have to go back and look for your other contributions. This is corking! Many thanks!

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Yes, the Cosmopolitan stories are full of amusing commentary like that! There is definitely more where these came from. :D

(And I'll hopefully have more fic up soon, as well!)

[storyfan.livejournal.com]

Of course, you're not bothering anyone. I'm happy to see such enthusiasm about our corking community.

*hugs*

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you! *hugs back*

[ladymoondancer.livejournal.com]

These are wonderful--and post away, old chum, post away!

I absolutely love the dinner scene where they're stuffing their faces. Jeeves is glaring and Bertie is going :o !

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Thanks, will do! :D

And I love that one as well. Check out how Bingo is holding his beard out of the way as he shovels in the chow. XD

[the-maenad.livejournal.com]

What a perfectly splendid idea this was! I can only say that you should jolly well post some more like these, pretty dashed quick.

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :D More definitely coming soon.

[derien.livejournal.com]

What a find! Wish I had a printer hooked up, these would all be printed and on my walls, or at least serving as something to work from to practice drawing.

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Oh, I was over the moon when I found these! I'm frustrated that I can't access the ones published after 1922, though. I guess I'll just have to track down the paper version at a local library at some point, because I am dying of curiosity.

[dogwoodblossom.livejournal.com]

You find the best stuff. Weren't you the one who posted the link to Barnacle Press too?

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Yes, that was me! :D I love this kind of thing.

[emeraldreeve.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing!

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

No problem! :)

[ironicbees.livejournal.com]

Forgot to comment on these earlier.

While Skidmore's drawings are technically very good, they lack a sense of fun. However, I think this is probably my favorite of his work you've shown us so far, because I do really like his Bingo and Comrade Butt.

Love Mills' Bertie in the 3rd picture. He looks so dapper (and cute)! There's just something genuinely Bertie-ish about him there.

[wotwotleigh.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I feel like Skidmore came out of his shell a bit for this one. There are actual facial expressions and reactions going on! And his Comrade Butt is absolutely magnificent. (He actually did a really good job on Sidney Hemmingway/Soapy Sid, too, as you'll see shortly -- seems like he's better with secondary characters than he is with our dear protagonists!)

I also really love that picture of Bertie. Such a simple drawing, but it captures his personality so well.