Spotlight on Lettering - Mandrake the Magician

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Subject: Lettering


the first daily strip.

In 1939 Phil Davis told [1] that he have found some satisfactory assistants: "a pen and ink draftsman to whom Phil Davis sublets part of his pen work" and "another part time worker does the lettering." "I used to do it all myself," ...

The lettering in most of the twelve first strips of The Cobra looks like done without a proper use of guidelines. Even panels later in the story have letters and phrases that are uneven.

Lettering

Early Phil Davis

If one look at the letters in the first daily:

  • Some letters tends to rise up to right like "B", "D", "G", "O" and "P".
  • The top of "P" and "R" goes below the middle.
  • The right leg of "K" and "R" is away from the left stroke.
  • In the midle the "B" often connect the left stroke falling down left.
letters from the first daily story.


Gradual the letters change and become a bit wider. The characteristic early letters become less characteristic, but still:

  • The top of "P" and "R" goes below the middle.
  • The right leg of "K" and "R" is away from the left stroke.
  • The right leg of "R" also move more right and become longer.
letters from the second daily story.




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References

  1. Marguerite Martyn. "The Man Who Draws Mandrake." St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, Missouri) 30 August 1939, p 3D