THE BAXENDALE LETTERS - PART ONE...

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Sometime back in 1977, I wrote a letter to LEO BAXENDALE,

care of GERALD DUCKWORTH, to let him know how much I'd

enjoyed his first WILLY The KID book.  It's likely that I already

had the second book when I received an unexpected reply (above) to

my letter from the great man himself.  I was slightly astonished  that

he'd taken the time and trouble to respond to one lone Scottish fan,

but appreciated the fact that he had.  Not that I think I was singled

out for special attention - no doubt it was his custom to reply to

fan mail as I think reader feedback was important to him.

I've had a few letters from Bax over the years, which I've still

got.  Not that we were pen pals or anything, or that he considered

me anything other than a fan and customer of several of his books,

but back when I was depute editor of The ILLUSTRATED COMIC

JOURNAL, I had occasion to contact him a few times and he always

took the time to courteously respond.  There's nothing 'confidential'

about them, so I may post more of them in the future as no doubt

they're bound to be of interest to other Leo Baxendale fans.

So keep your peepers peeled for pending epistles.  And if

you've ever received a letter from the legendary Leo (or met him),

tell your fellow Criv-ites all about it in the comments section.

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