Septimus Edwin Scott

British 1879-1965

In the course of a long and varied career, Sep Scott exhibited in the Royal Academy and was a member of the Royal Watercolour Society. He became a book illustrator and one of the highest paid and respected of all British poster artists. Towards the end of his life, during a period when his style had gone somewhat out of vogue, he began working for Leonard Matthews and his trio of comics, Knockout, Sun and Thriller Comics Library.

At first, Scott was used for picture strips, drawing all the adventures of the pirate hunter, Captain Flame, and proving to be a natural born strip artist. Then, when Matthews took over Thriller Comics Library, Scott began to paint the covers. He drew scores of full colour cover paintings, which would, as Leonard Matthews commented, “grace the walls of any stately home”, and were, in all probability, largely responsible for the success of the Library and the fact that these comics are so valued today amongst collectors.

Scott also drew a number of short Robin Hood strips for the Library and some fine full-length adventure picture stories including Jane Eyre, Pride of the Ring, Secret Operator and the splendidly atmospheric, The Dark Shadows of London. For a short period, he also painted the occasional cover - and back page - for Comet and Sun and also contributed some paintings for the first Buck Jones Annual (colour plates as well as the cover) and the covers for both issues of the Billy the Kid Book of Picture Stories. Toward the end of his life, Sep Scott drew occasionally for Look and Learn.