Brian Lewis

Who was Brian Lewis?

Brian Moncrieff Lewis was a British science fiction illustrator, comics artist and animator.

Lewis served in the RAF, and became involved in science fiction fandom in the early 1950s. His first professional illustration was for the Radio Times, and he began contributing to New Worlds in 1954, painting forty covers for the magazine. He also painted 21 covers for Science Fantasy, 19 for Science Fiction Adventures and a few for Digit Books between 1957 and 1962. His work was characterised by strong colours laid on thickly, and was influenced by surrealists Paul Klee and Max Ernst and illustrator Richard Powers.

His first work in comics was the strip "Magna Carta" for Lone Star in 1959. In the early 1960s he drew adventure strips "Jet Ace Logan", "The Suicide Six", "Paddy Ryan", "Memorable Moments in Sport" and "The Destroyer from the Depths" for Tiger, "Captain Condor" for Lion, "John Brody" and "Brett Million" for Boys' World, "Planet Z" for Hurricane, and "The Guinea Pig" and "Mann of Battle" for Eagle. He also used a more cartoony style to draw "Pest of the West" and "Georgie's Germs" in Wham!, and "Space Jinx" and "Charlie's Choice" for Smash.