indeedsir_backup | Classic Wodehouse Illustrations, Part 1: Comrade Bingo

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."

"Holy crap, sir!"

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:

So that's what rougish slapping looks like.

So that's what rougish slapping looks like.

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:

Even with illustrations, I'm still not sure what the "motor mascot" thing is about.

Wait . . . what's that on his upper lip? Has Jeeves heard about this?!

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.

Is Jeeves going to have to choke a comrade?