Friday 29 April 2022

Stand by for the STINGRAY COMIC SPECIAL!

Oink is back... but probably not the one you were expecting!

I'm very pleased to hear the Stingray Blu-Ray boxset from Network is finally out and I can now talk about the comic strip I did for the exclusive new official STINGRAY COMIC SPECIAL that's one of the extras in the set! I was commissioned to write/draw a new page featuring Oink the Seal, a comedy character that appeared in a couple of the TV episodes back in the 1960s. It's just a one-off but it was an absolute pleasure to do as Stingray was a favourite show of mine when I was a child (and it's still an impressive show even today).

Cover art by Steve Kyte.

There were a couple of Oink the Seal strips in a TV21 Stingray Special back in 1965 drawn by the marvellous George Parlett but I doubt he was given appropriate photo reference as he drew Oink as a standard seal, not the distinctive furry puppet as seen on TV. I've attempted to make Oink look more like his television version.

My Oink the Seal page is just a part of the 32 page Stingray Comic Special and you can read more about the comic and the impressive box set over at John Freeman's Down The Tubes blog at this link: https://downthetubes.net/stingray-stingray-a-new-comic-part-of-upcoming-network-blu-ray-release

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lew,
I have fond memories of watching Stingray in the 1990's.
I really like your Phones, but as for Troy... it is probably harder to make a cartoon of a handsome symmetrical face. That is just my opinion on the one panel you showed, but you may have captured Troy with your other drawings.

Lew Stringer said...

You'll be pleased to hear that's the only panel he appears in.

Manic Man said...

So.. Fireball XL5, Stingray.. which one is next?

Lew Stringer said...

No idea, but I'd be up for doing a comic strip for any of the Gerry Anderson series from Supercar to UFO. Not that there's much comedy potential in UFO or Captain Scarlet!

Manic Man said...

Ah, So no Space: 1999, Terrahawks, Space Precinct or Dick Spanner (Lavender Castle was nothing much to do with Gerry Anderson, despite the name.. Basically, Rodney Matthews created it, Gerry Anderson was extremely supportive and while they said it was 'Gerry Anderson's Lavander Castle', he mostly just helped Matthews and gave it alot of support.. Ashame what happened to the show..

Lew Stringer said...

They were all after my childhood so I never felt a connection with any of those shows. I've never even seen Lavender Castle. If I was asked to draw something I'd research it and do my best though.

Manic Man said...

^_^ true. Lavender castle was fairly modern, being.. well.. 97/99 sadly not really given as much a chance as it deserved.. Though i'm a little suprised with UFO and not space 1999 with the link between them.. though it was.. 5 years i'm gonna say, between them..

Lew Stringer said...

I watched both seasons of 1999 (just because I'd watch ant SF TV)and wanted to like it but I found it very dull I'm afraid. Star Trek had shown how to do charismatic exciting live action space adventure and Space:1999 seemed a weak comparision.