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Victoria Ace Detective & the Sisters of the Crypt

Print
2004 (made), 2004 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This strip cartoon was specially commissioned by V&A Magazine for its Winter 04/05 edition. It accompanied 'Kapow! It's Fine Art', an article written by Tom Morton, on the subject of the V&A's collection of comics. In the cartoon, Marf makes reference to the time she spent researching the comics collection at the V&A, and one of her characters, Carlo, is a member of V&A staff. The strip appeared as three pages, of which this is one and the V&A holds the artwork for the other two (E.272:1-3-2005) and proofs of all three (E.273:1-3-2005).

Marf is known for her cartoons for the Evening Standard, beginning in 2002 and moving to the 'Londoner's Diary' page in August 2003 and is also the arist behind the strip cartoon entitled 'Lucky'. She also worked for Canada's National Paper, The Globe and Mail in 2000. Her cartoon images appear on T-shirts, bags and scarves for Topshop.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleVictoria Ace Detective & the Sisters of the Crypt (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Ink and coloured pencil on paper
Brief description
Artist's proof of comic strip, hand-coloured, 'Victoria Ace Detective & the Sisters of the Crypt', by Marf, London, 2004.
Physical description
Artist's proof, hand-coloured in pencils, of a pen and ink cartoon strip drawing. The drawing features a combination of thick, angular line and black block shading, with some fine line and hatching. This is the first page of three, consisting of 6 compartments in three rows. The first compartment, which covers the top third of the sheet features the V&A museum building in moonlit scene, with the title and signature. The remaining compartments begin the story of V's investigation into the kidnapping of a number of women.

A protective flap of tracing paper has been fixed with removable tape over the top.
Dimensions
  • Sheet height: 42cm
  • Sheet width: 29.6cm
  • Image area height: 30.5cm
  • Image area width: 24.6cm
Production typeArtist's proof
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'ARTIST'S PROOF / hand-coloured (pre-Photoshop) / (I)' (Written by artist in pencil, top left.)
  • '(REMOVABLE TAPE)' (Written by artist in pencil on the tape, top centre.)
  • '© MARF 2004' (Written by artist in pencil vertically up the right side of page towards top.)
Credit line
Given by the artist
Object history
Purchased from the artist in 2005.
Production
Attribution note: for publication in V&A Magazine
Reason For Production: Commission
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Literary references
  • Wonderwoman
  • Calamity Jane
  • Catwoman
  • Brenda Starr
  • Sheena, Queen of the Jungle
  • Modesty Blaise
Summary
This strip cartoon was specially commissioned by V&A Magazine for its Winter 04/05 edition. It accompanied 'Kapow! It's Fine Art', an article written by Tom Morton, on the subject of the V&A's collection of comics. In the cartoon, Marf makes reference to the time she spent researching the comics collection at the V&A, and one of her characters, Carlo, is a member of V&A staff. The strip appeared as three pages, of which this is one and the V&A holds the artwork for the other two (E.272:1-3-2005) and proofs of all three (E.273:1-3-2005).

Marf is known for her cartoons for the Evening Standard, beginning in 2002 and moving to the 'Londoner's Diary' page in August 2003 and is also the arist behind the strip cartoon entitled 'Lucky'. She also worked for Canada's National Paper, The Globe and Mail in 2000. Her cartoon images appear on T-shirts, bags and scarves for Topshop.
Bibliographic reference
Morton, Tom 'Kapow! It's fine art', in V&A Magazine, Winter 04/05.
Collection
Accession number
E.273:1-2005

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Record createdDecember 13, 2006
Record URL
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