John M. Burns (1938 – 29 December 2023) was an English comics artist, with a career stretching back to the late 1950s.
Biography His initial work was as an illustrator for Junior Express and School Friend. He also worked on the "Wrath of the Gods" in Boys' World.
Later in 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.
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.David Bishop. "Interrogation – John Burns Veteran," Judge Dredd Megazine #224 (2004). 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.Classical Comics – Bringing classics to life 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.Down the Tubes He died in a hospital on 29 December 2023."In Memoriam: Comic Artist John M. Burns" by John Freeman, at downthetubes.net, 1 January 2024
His new series Nightmare, New York, for 2000 AD, was published posthumously in 2024.2000 AD #2365, 17 January 2024, p. 2
Bibliography
Title Publication/Publisher YearVarious stripsGirls' Crystal, School Friend, Junior Express1954–1957Champion the Wonder Horse AnnualDaily Mirror1958Victor Glory and the French ArmadaExpress Super Colour Annual1959Guardian of the ReefExpress Super Colour Annual1960Rev's RansomExpress Weekly1961Wulf The BritonExpress Weekly1961Educational book illustrationsOxford Press1961–1963Frontier Circus AnnualPurnell1962Laramie AnnualPurnell1963Wuthering HeightsDiana1963–1964Wrath of the GodsBoy's World / Eagle and Boy's World Annual 1965 19671963–1964, 1964, 1966The White MileDiana1964Kelpie the Boy Wizard Wham and Wham Annual 19661964, 1965Laramie AnnualDean and Son1964Champion the Wonder Horse AnnualDaily Mirror1964, 1965Circus Boy AnnualDaily Mirror1964, 1965The Silent OneDiana For Girls Book 19651964Steve and SusanGibbs Ivory Castle Arrow1965Roving ReporterEagle1965Bids for FreedomEagle1965The Bronte Sisters - Stars of the Lonely MoorDiana1965Great ExpectationsDiana1965The Magic DollRobin1965The Runaway PrincessRobin1965The World BeyondDiana For Girls Book 19661965The Sea Kings IslandRobin1966The Magic Coffee MillRobin1966Lorna DooneDiana1966Space Family RobinsonLady Penelope and Summer Extra1966Catch or KillTV211966–1967The TuckwellsSunday Citizen1966The Pickwick PapersSunday Citizen1966Edgar Allan Poe Stories Sunday Citizen1966The Wonder GirlDiana For Girls Book 19671966The SeekersDaily Sketch1966–1971Horse LaughsGirl's World Annual 19681967Front PageTV211967Lady PenelopeLady Penelope1967Bonnie and ClydeTitbits1967Vision in the NightJune and School Friend1969Flying FayJune and School Friend1969Girl from SpaceDaily Mirror Book for Girls 19701969Romance ComicsNewnes1960sIllustrationsWorld of Wonder1970IllustrationsTreasure1970True Stories of the Wild FrontierJune and School Friend1970Children of the StarsTreasure1970Strange StoriesEvening News1970Glory Knight, Time Travel CourierJune and June Book 1972 and 19731970–1971CountdownCountdown and Countdown Special 19711971–1972The Justice of JustineSally Annual 19721971UFOTV Action1972Mission : ImpossibleTV Action1972DanielleEvening News1973–1974, 1978The Tomorrow PeopleLook-In and Look-in Annual 19761973–1976Kung FuLook-In Annual 19741974The Amazing Adventures of Havoc Super AgentHavoc Super Agent Doll – Daisy - strips on rear of packaging and illustrations on front1974Space 1999Look-In and Space 1999 Annual 1975The Car that lived TwiceAA Drive New Year magazine1975Doctor WhoTV Comic Annual 19761975Police WomanDaisy Doll – strips on rear of packaging and illustrations on front1976The Bionic WomanLook-In1976–1977DamoclesEvening News1977Matt MarriottEvening News1977George and LynneThe Sun1977–1984How the West was WonLook-In1978–1979Modesty BlaiseEvening Standard1978–1979The Deer Hunter (heading illustrations)Reveille1978Sweeney 2 (heading illustrations)Reveille1978Amsterdam Kill (heading illustrations)Reveille1978The Wild Geese (heading illustrations)Reveille1978George and JaneNational Girobank Campaign1970sTableaux IllustrationsPalladium Cellars, London1980SmithieEvening News1980SmugglerLook-In1981The RoyalsThe Sun1981Buck RogersLook-In1981–1982Call for the DeadBest Sellers - Viaduct1982A Murder of QualityBest Sellers – Viaduct1982The Quiller MemorandumBest Sellers – Viaduct1982The Bridge over the River KwaiBest Sellers – Viaduct1982MagnumLook-In1982EarthaNews of the World Sunday magazine1982Modesty BlaiseBest Sellers - Viaduct1983Background artwork for Terrahawks promotional brochureAnderson-Burr Productions1983The Fists of Danny PykeEagle1983–1985Zetari2 volumes – European albums – various languages1984, 1986Modesty Blaise book coversTitan1984–1990Magazine coversInvestors Chronicle1985JaneDaily Mirror1985–1990The TripodsBeeb1985Story so far (Bryan Robson)Look-In1985DolebustersEagle1986Nationwide Christmas Figures for shop display windowsTop Shop1986EspersEclipse1987Julia / LillyBild1987–1989Flat MatesSunday People (Go magazine)1987Modesty Blaise Swedish book coversBerghs1987–1991The PolpotsNorth Cornwall Chronicle1989Dan DareEagle1990–19916 x Modesty (Pieces of Modesty) illustrationsBerghs1991Love GambleThe Sun1991Captain Trueno2 volumes – European – various languages1991, 1992Judge Dredd2000AD and Judge Dredd Megazine1991–2013Wild Cards - BorderlinesEpic : An Anthology 41992Doctor Sin - The Strange Case of the Wyndham Demon2000AD Action Special1992Girl ChatDaily Mirror1993–1995James Bond – A Silent Armageddon (only 2 issues of an intended 4 were published)Acme (Dark Horse)1993Doctor Who – Age of ChaosMarvel UK1994PsycopsThe Sun1995–1998Vector 132000AD1996Black Light2000AD1996Abducted by AliensPenthouse Comix1996Deadlier than the MalePenthouse Comix1997Witch World2000AD1997Nikolai Dante2000AD1999–2012DraculaVampires – Informania2000The Bendatti VendettaJudge Dredd Megazine2002–2005The Scarlet ApocryphaJudge Dredd Megazine2002Sable and FortuneMarvel2006Jane EyreClassical Comics2008Wuthering HeightsClassical Comics2011Angel Zero2000AD2011Sinister DexterJudge Dredd Megazine2013Lady PenelopeTV212014Various sexy spy storiesHeavy Metal2014–2015The Order2000AD2014–2023The SpiritThe Spirit of Eisner2017
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)