John M. Burns Explained

Birth Place:	Essex, England
Nationality:	British
Area:	Artist
Notable Works:	The Seekers Danielle Modesty Blaise Zetari Nikolai Dante The Bendatti Vendetta

John M. Burns (1938 – 29 December 2023) was an English comics artist, with a career stretching back to the mid-1960s.

Biography

His initial work was as an illustrator for Junior Express and School Friend.^[1] During the 1960s, Burns worked on TV Century 21 and its sister magazines, including the Space Family Robinson series in Lady Penelope.

For a while he drew daily comics strips for newspapers The Daily Sketch, The Daily Mirror and The Sun, including The Seekers, Danielle and, for a period succeeding Enrique Romero during 1978–79, Modesty Blaise.^[1]

Burns moved on to illustrate TV tie-in strips for Look-in, always scripted by Angus Allan. He also worked on the title story for Countdown.

Burns was already well known by the start of the 1980s, but it was when he made the crossover to 2000 AD (along with fellow Look-in alumni Jim Baikie and Arthur Ranson) that his position in British comics was cemented.

In 1991 Burns began by working on Judge Dredd. By his own admission, Burns did not enjoy drawing science fiction strips, and the uniform of Judge Dredd he found unpleasant to draw.^[2] However, in 2007 Burns began working on Nikolai Dante, another science fiction strip.

Burns co-created (with Robbie Morrison) a contemporary adventure strip, The Bendatti Vendetta, for the Judge Dredd Megazine; this was rare for the title in having no science fiction or fantasy elements at all.

In 2008, he finished an adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, whose script was rendered by Amy Corzine, for UK publisher Classical Comics.^[3] He previously worked on similar adaptions of Lorna Doone by R. D. Blackmore and, later, Wuthering Heights by Brontë's sister Emily.

In October 2023 he announced his retirement.^[4] He died in a hospital on 29 December 2023.^[5]

His new series Nightmare, New York, for 2000 AD, is to be published posthumously in 2024.^[6]

Bibliography

Title	Publication/Publisher	Year
Various strips	Girls' Crystal, School Friend, Junior Express	1954–1957
Champion the Wonder Horse Annual	Daily Mirror	1958
Victor Glory and the French Armada	Express Super Colour Annual	1959
Guardian of the Reef	Express Super Colour Annual	1960
Rev's Ransom	Express Weekly	1961
Wulf The Briton	Express Weekly	1961
Educational book illustrations	Oxford Press	1961–1963
Frontier Circus Annual	Purnell	1962
Laramie Annual	Purnell	1963
Wuthering Heights	Diana	1963–1964
Wrath of the Gods	Boy's World / Eagle and Boy's World Annual 1965 1967	1963–1964, 1964, 1966
The White Mile	Diana	1964
Kelpie the Boy Wizard	Wham and Wham Annual 1966	1964, 1965
Laramie Annual	Dean and Son	1964
Champion the Wonder Horse Annual	Daily Mirror	1964, 1965
Circus Boy Annual	Daily Mirror	1964, 1965
The Silent One	Diana For Girls Book 1965	1964
Steve and Susan	Gibbs Ivory Castle Arrow	1965
Roving Reporter	Eagle	1965
Bids for Freedom	Eagle	1965
The Bronte Sisters - Stars of the Lonely Moor	Diana	1965
Great Expectations	Diana	1965
The Magic Doll	Robin	1965
The Runaway Princess	Robin	1965
The World Beyond	Diana For Girls Book 1966	1965
The Sea Kings Island	Robin	1966
The Magic Coffee Mill	Robin	1966
Lorna Doone	Diana	1966
Space Family Robinson	Lady Penelope and Summer Extra	1966
Catch or Kill	TV21	1966–1967
The Tuckwells	Sunday Citizen	1966
The Pickwick Papers	Sunday Citizen	1966
Edgar Allan Poe Stories	Sunday Citizen	1966
The Wonder Girl	Diana For Girls Book 1967	1966
The Seekers	Daily Sketch	1966–1971
Horse Laughs	Girl's World Annual 1968	1967
Front Page	TV21	1967
Lady Penelope	Lady Penelope	1967
Bonnie and Clyde	Titbits	1967
Vision in the Night	June and School Friend	1969
Flying Fay	June and School Friend	1969
Girl from Space	Daily Mirror Book for Girls 1970	1969
Romance Comics	Newnes	1960s
Illustrations	World of Wonder	1970
Illustrations	Treasure	1970
True Stories of the Wild Frontier	June and School Friend	1970
Children of the Stars	Treasure	1970
Strange Stories	Evening News	1970
Glory Knight, Time Travel Courier	June and June Book 1972 and 1973	1970–1971
Countdown	Countdown and Countdown Special 1971	1971–1972
The Justice of Justine	Sally Annual 1972	1971
UFO	TV Action	1972
Mission : Impossible	TV Action	1972
Danielle	Evening News	1973–1974, 1978
The Tomorrow People	Look-In and Look-in Annual 1976	1973–1976
Kung Fu	Look-In Annual 1974	1974
The Amazing Adventures of Havoc Super Agent	Havoc Super Agent Doll – Daisy - strips on rear of packaging and illustrations on front	1974
Space 1999	Look-In and Space 1999 Annual	1975
The Car that lived Twice	AA Drive New Year magazine	1975
Doctor Who	TV Comic Annual 1976	1975
Police Woman	Daisy Doll – strips on rear of packaging and illustrations on front	1976
The Bionic Woman	Look-In	1976–1977
Damocles	Evening News	1977
Matt Marriott	Evening News	1977
George and Lynne	The Sun	1977–1984
How the West was Won	Look-In	1978–1979
Modesty Blaise	Evening Standard	1978–1979
The Deer Hunter (heading illustrations)	Reveille	1978
Sweeney 2 (heading illustrations)	Reveille	1978
Amsterdam Kill (heading illustrations)	Reveille	1978
The Wild Geese (heading illustrations)	Reveille	1978
George and Jane	National Girobank Campaign	1970s
Tableaux Illustrations	Palladium Cellars, London	1980
Smithie	Evening News	1980
Smuggler	Look-In	1981
The Royals	The Sun	1981
Buck Rogers	Look-In	1981–1982
Call for the Dead	Best Sellers - Viaduct	1982
A Murder of Quality	Best Sellers – Viaduct	1982
The Quiller Memorandum	Best Sellers – Viaduct	1982
The Bridge over the River Kwai	Best Sellers – Viaduct	1982
Magnum	Look-In	1982
Eartha	News of the World Sunday magazine	1982
Modesty Blaise	Best Sellers - Viaduct	1983
Background artwork for Terrahawks promotional brochure	Anderson-Burr Productions	1983
The Fists of Danny Pyke	Eagle	1983–1985
Zetari	2 volumes – European albums – various languages	1984, 1986
Modesty Blaise book covers	Titan	1984–1990
Magazine covers	Investors Chronicle	1985
Jane	Daily Mirror	1985–1990
The Tripods	Beeb	1985
Story so far (Bryan Robson)	Look-In	1985
Dolebusters	Eagle	1986
Nationwide Christmas Figures for shop display windows	Top Shop	1986
Espers	Eclipse	1987
Julia / Lilly	Bild	1987–1989
Flat Mates	Sunday People (Go magazine)	1987
Modesty Blaise Swedish book covers	Berghs	1987–1991
The Polpots	North Cornwall Chronicle	1989
Dan Dare	Eagle	1990–1991
6 x Modesty (Pieces of Modesty) illustrations	Berghs	1991
Love Gamble	The Sun	1991
Captain Trueno	2 volumes – European – various languages	1991, 1992
Judge Dredd	2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine	1991–2013
Wild Cards - Borderlines	Epic : An Anthology 4	1992
Doctor Sin - The Strange Case of the Wyndham Demon	2000AD Action Special	1992
Girl Chat	Daily Mirror	1993–1995
James Bond – A Silent Armageddon (only 2 issues of an intended 4 were published)	Acme (Dark Horse)	1993
Doctor Who – Age of Chaos	Marvel UK	1994
Psycops	The Sun	1995–1998
Vector 13	2000AD	1996
Black Light	2000AD	1996
Abducted by Aliens	Penthouse Comix	1996
Deadlier than the Male	Penthouse Comix	1997
Witch World	2000AD	1997
Nikolai Dante	2000AD	1999–2012
Dracula	Vampires – Informania	2000
The Bendatti Vendetta	Judge Dredd Megazine	2002–2005
The Scarlet Apocrypha	Judge Dredd Megazine	2002
Sable and Fortune	Marvel	2006
Jane Eyre	Classical Comics	2008
Wuthering Heights	Classical Comics	2011
Angel Zero	2000AD	2011
Sinister Dexter	Judge Dredd Megazine	2013
Lady Penelope	TV21	2014
Various sexy spy stories	Heavy Metal	2014–2015
The Order	2000AD	2014–2023
The Spirit	The Spirit of Eisner	2017

• Judge Dredd

• • "Garbage Disposal" (with Garth Ennis, in 2000 AD #738, 1991)
  • "Twilight's Last Gleaming" (with Garth Ennis, in 2000 AD #754–756, 1991)
  • "The Art of Geomancy" (with Alan Grant, in 2000 AD #762–765, 1991–92)
  • "Raider" (with Garth Ennis, in 2000 AD #810–814, 1992)
  • "Virtual Unreality" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD Yearbook 1994, 1993)
  • "Part Exchange" (with Dan Abnett, in 2000 AD #903, 1994)
  • "The Exterminator" (first two episodes, with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #919–920, 1994)
  • "Horror House" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD Winter Special, 1994)
  • "Statue of Judgement" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #954, 1995)
  • "The Cal Files" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #959–963, 1995)
  • "Lonesome Dave" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #1031–1032, 1997)
  • "Holiday Special" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #1053, 1997)
  • "Sleaze" (with John Wagner, in Judge Dredd Megazine vol. 3 #40, 1998)
  • "Stone Killer" (with John Wagner, in Judge Dredd Megazine vol. 3 #43, 1998)
  • "The Scorpion Dance" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #1125–1132, 1998–99)
  • "Cheating Drokkers" (with Robbie Morrison, in 2000 AD #1272, 2001)
  • "Bad Manners" (with John Wagner, in Judge Dredd Megazine vol. 4 #4, 2001)
  • "First Blood" (with Alan Grant, in 2000 AD #1277, 2002)
  • "Necrophage" (with Gordon Rennie, in Judge Dredd Megazine vol. 4 #11, 2002)
  • "Revenge of the Chief Judge's Man" (with John Wagner, in 2000 AD #1342–1349, 2003)
  • "Bite Fight!" (with John Smith, in Judge Dredd Megazine #224–225, 2004)
  • "Master of Fear" (with Alan Grant, in 2000 AD #1375–77, 2004)
  • "All is Bright" (with Michael Carroll, in Judge Dredd Megazine #331, 2013)
  • "Sealed" (with Michael Carroll, in 2000 AD #1816, 2013)
  • "Shotgun" (with Michael Carroll, in Judge Dredd Megazine #335, 2013)
  • "Ferals" (with Emma Beeby, in 2000 AD #1858–61, 2013)
• Doctor Sin: "The Strange Case of the Wyndham Demon" (with John Smith, in 2000 AD Action Special, 1992)
• Black Light: "Survivor Syndrome" (with Dan Abnett/Steve White, in 2000 AD #1001–1005, 1996)
• Vector 13:
  • "Thrillkill" (with Brian Williamson, in 2000 AD #974, 1996)
  • "Screaming Friar" (with Brian Williamson, in 2000 AD #993, 1996)
• Penthouse Comix

• • "Abducted by Aliens" (with Eliot R. Brown/George Caragonne/Buzz Dixon, in Penthouse Comix #17–20, 1996–1997)
  • "Zheena: Deadlier Than The Male" (with Ian Edginton, in Penthouse Comix No. 26, 1997)
• Nikolai Dante (with Robbie Morrison):
  • "Cruel Seas" (in 2000 AD #1148–1149, 1999)
  • "Requiem for Lost Love" (in 2000 AD #1150, 1999)
  • "Rudinshtein Irregulars " (in 2000 AD #1183–1190, 2000)
  • "Love and War" (in 2000 AD #1200–1207, 2000)
  • "One Last Night in the House of Sin" (in 2000 AD prog 2001, 2000)
  • "The Romanov Empire" (in 2000 AD #1250–1262, 2001)
  • "Hell and High Water" (in 2000 AD prog 2003 & #1322–1328, 2002–2003)
  • "The Sea Falcon" (in 2000 AD prog 2004, 2003)
  • "Agent of Destruction" (in 2000 AD prog 2005 & #1420–1427, 2004–2005)
  • "How could you believe me when I said I loved you when you know I've been a liar all my life?" (in 2000 AD #1428–1431, 2005)
  • "Primal Screams" (in 2000 AD #1433–1436, 2005)
  • "Devil's Deal" (in 2000 AD prog 2006, 2005)
  • "Usurper" (in 2000 AD #1487–1489, 2006)
  • "The Depths" (in 2000 AD #1500–1501, 2006)
  • "Dragon's Island" (in 2000 AD #1502–1507, 2006)
  • "The Road of Bones" (in 2000 AD prog 2007, 2006)
  • "Deadlier than the Male" (in 2000 AD #1518–1520, 2007)
  • "The Beast of Rudinshtein" (in 2000 AD #1532–1535, 2007)
  • "The Dissenter" (in 2000 AD #1537, 2007)
  • "The Chaperone" (in 2000 AD #1560–1564, 2007)
  • "Destiny's Child" (in 2000 AD prog 2008, 2007)
  • "The Tsar's Daughter" (in 2000 AD #1578–1580, 2008)
  • "Prisoner of the Tzar" (in 2000 AD #1612-1616, 2008)
  • "Bring me the Head of Nikolai Dante" (in 2000 AD prog 2009)
  • "Hero of the Revolution" (in 2000 AD, prog 2010, #1666-1675, 2010)
  • "The Master of Krondstadt" (in "2000 AD", #1705-1708, 2010)
  • "The Dante Gambit" (in "2000 AD", #1774-1779, 2012)
• The Scarlet Apocrypha

"Necrocultura" (with Dan Abnett, in Judge Dredd Megazine #4.12, 2002)

• The Bendatti Vendetta (with Robbie Morrison):
  • "The Bendatti Vendetta" (in Judge Dredd Megazine #4.13–18, 2002)
  • "Blooded" (in Judge Dredd Megazine #209–211, 2003)
  • "See Naples and Die" (in Judge Dredd Megazine #234–236, 2005)
• Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte, adapted by Amy Corzine, 144 pages, Classical Comics, Spring 2008,,)
• Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte, adapted by Sean Michael Wilson, Classical Comics, 2011)
• Angel Zero (with Kek-W, in 2000 AD #1751–1763, 2011)
• Sinister Dexter

• • "Malone Again" (with Dan Abnett, in 2000 AD #1832–35, 2013)
  • "In Plain Shite" (with Dan Abnett, in 2000 AD #1836–40, 2013)
• Future Shocks: "Immunity" (with Eddie Robson, in 2000 AD #1870, 2014)
• The Order (with Kek-W):
  • "The Order" (in 2000 AD "Prog 2015" and #1912–1922, 2014–15)
  • "In the Court of the Wyrmqueen" (in 2000 AD #1961–1972, 2015–16)
  • "Wyrm War" (in 2000 AD #2011–2022, 2016–17)
  • "The New World" (in 2000 AD #2087–2099, 2018)
  • "Inbetween Days" (in 2000 AD #2182, 2020)
  • "Land of the Free" (in 2000 AD #2184–2195, 2020)
  • "Fantastic Voyage" (in 2000 AD #2262–2272, 2021–22)
  • "Heart of Darkness" (in 2000 AD #2317–2324 & 2326–2329, 2023)

Interviews

• Ark #28 (1989)
• Judge Dredd Megazine #224 (2004)
• True Brit (Twomorrows Publishing, 2004)
• Vworp Vworp Vol. 3 (2007)

External links

• 2000 AD profile
• Career retrospective at 2000ad.com, 9 October 2023

Notes and References

1. Web site: John M. Burns . . Comiclopedia.
2. [David Bishop (writer)|David Bishop]
3. http://www.classicalcomics.com/books/janeeyre.html Classical Comics – Bringing classics to life
4. https://downthetubes.net/2000ad-and-look-in-artist-john-m-burns-announces-his-retirement-biography-in-the-works/ Down the Tubes
5. https://downthetubes.net/in-memoriam-comic-artist-john-m-burns/?fbclid=IwAR0OK3k4MSdxnTKbN0Xk2HzvLBx_mI3u-80lEJicPPsXtW1WoFa2imbAqJI "In Memoriam: Comic Artist John M. Burns"
6. 2000 AD #2365, 17 January 2024, p. 2