#john probe

[all-action-all-picture]

An unusual 1977 ad for 2000AD and the Flesh card game that started in No. 8. Flesh artwork is by Ramon Sola, not sure about the card players which look like they may have come from one of the humour titles.

Above and below are two further ads that appeared in the IPC titles in April 1977 featuring images of Dan Dare and John Probe (M.A.C.H. 1).

Below is the fourth ad that appeared for the issue on sale 2 May 1977. It was also unveiled the upcoming return of The Mekon in Dan Dare.

Rebellion.

[vintagegeekculture]

John Probe, MACH 1 - a British comic strip that was clearly based on the blueprint of the Six Million Dollar Man, with more weirdness and brutal violence. 

[2000adonline]

On This Day...36 Years Ago!

The great Brian Bolland art droid weighs in with this instant classic,drawing just his second cover for the weekly(Prog15,4Jun'77).

Featuring John Probe-M.A.C.H 1(Man Activated by Compu-Hyperpower...1!)not so much a secret agent,more a secret weapon!

[skpow]

Saturday Series: A panel from 2000 AD

"M.A.C.H. 1: The Arab", prog 22, 23 July 1977. Art by John Cooper

I always remember John Cooper's work on "One Eyed Jack", which was reprinted in the 1980's relaunched Eagle. This is typical of Cooper's style: lots of knuckle, a jutting jaw and an angled nose.  Cooper had a visual flair for fight scenes, possibly the closest Britain got to a Kirby in that respect, although I'm no authority.

What I do know is that Cooper had a very tight, expressive line, which carries through into the action.  The amount of work he puts into shading is phenomenal, not just on half of John Probe's face, shaded in tight lines, but on the lower half of his arm, where the lines build shade in staccato. And I'm assuming Cooper is responsible for the lettering, especially that exquisite 'S' and '!' at the end of KEEPS!.