Spotlight on Lettering - Mandrake the Magician

Subject:	Lettering

the first daily strip.

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

Early Lettering Dailies

The lettering in the first daily story is of varying quality. The lettering in most of the twelve first strips looks like done without a proper use of guidelines and letters and phrases are uneven. This can also been seen in some panels further in the story.

Keep in mind that the "two first weeks" was Phil Davis' first attempt to create comics, and was made as a sample that Lee Falk would try to sell to KFS. Gradually, as Phil Davis get more experience with the lettering, the letters changes a bit and becomes a little wider. Several early letters are characteristic:

• Some letters tends to rise up to right like "B", "D", "G", "O" and "P". (the "P" and "D" are similar in Phil Davis' signatur)
• The upper portions of the letters "P" and "R" predominate over the lower portion.
• The right leg of "K" and "R" is away from the left stroke.
• In the middle the "B" often connect the left stroke falling down left.

letters from the first daily story.

In the third daily story the letters have changed to:

• The upper portions of the letters "P" and "R" predominate over the lower portion.
• 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 third daily story.

Early Lettering Sundays

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