Yaroslav Horak

Australian comics artist (1927–2020)

Yaroslav Horak

Born| Yaroslaph Horak
(1927-06-12)12 June 1927
Harbin, Manchuria, Republic of China
Died| 24 November 2020(2020-11-24) (aged 93)
Lindfield, Australia
Nationality| Czechoslovakian, Australian
Area(s)| artist
Pseudonym(s)| Larry Horak

Notable works

| James Bond

Yaroslav Horak (12 June 1927 – 24 November 2020) was an Australian illustrator and comics artist, of ethnic Czech-Russian origin, best known for his work on the newspaper comic strip James Bond.[1][2]

## Biography

[edit]

A panel of James Bond as illustrated by Horak.

Yaroslaph (Yaroslav) Horak was born on 12 June 1927 in Harbin, China, the son and second child of Joseph Horak, a Czech-born engineer, and Russian mother, Zanidia.[3] He and his older sister, Josephia (Josephine), grew up in the suburb of Novyi Gorod and attended the YMCA International School.[4] In 1939, his family migrated to Sydney, Australia following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and prior to World War II. They settled in Centennial Park, where he attended St Mary's Cathedral College and subsequently undertook evening art classes at the Sydney Technical College.

He began his career as a portrait painter but switched to illustration for the larger Australian magazine publishers. In 1948 Horak's first accepted comic strips were for Rick Davis (a detective adventure) and The Skyman (a mysterious costumed flyer) in 1948. He then moved to Syd Nicholls' Publications where he worked on Ray Thorpe (an adventure series) and Ripon – the Man from Outer Space (sci-fi). Horak also did comic strips for a number of other Sydney publishers, before he moved to Melbourne where he drew Brenda Starr for Atlas Publications. In 1954 he created The Mask – The Man of Many Faces[5][6] and an adaptation of the popular children's TV program Captain Fortune for Fairfax publications The Sun-Herald between 1957-1962 and Mike Steele – Desert Rider for Woman’s Day magazine.

Horak then moved to England in 1962, where he also drew adventure stories for D. C. Thomson of Scotland, the scripts being supplied by others. He was the second artist, taking over from John McLusky, for the Daily Express strip James Bond from 1966 to 1977, then for the Sunday Express and the Daily Star from 1977 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1984. In total Horak worked on 33 James Bond comic strips sequences.

Horak also created the comic series Jet Fury, in addition to working on other comic strips such as Andrea, Cop Shop[7] and Sergeant Pat of the Radio Patrol.

Horak also achieved a degree of popularity during the 1960s when he was employed by Fleetway Publications (later IPC Magazines) to contribute art for 11 of their comic books in the War Picture Library and Battle Picture Library series.[citation needed]

Horak died on 24 November 2020 at the Whitehall Aged Care facility in Lindfield, New South Wales, after a decade-long struggle with Alzheimer's disease.[8][9] He was cremated at the Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium on 4 December 2020.

## War Picture Library

[edit]

* WPL 214 Rough Justice 1963
* WPL 303 Death Or Dishonour 1965
* WPL 304 Battle Drill 1965
* WPL 315 Cross For Courage 1965
* WPL 323 Passage Of Arms 1966
* WPL 648 The Curse 1971
* BPL 156 The Savage Sands 1964
* BPL 173 The Stronghold 1964
* BPL 190 Killers Code 1965
* BPL 197 Gun Crazy 1965
* BPL 231 Victory Cry 1965

### James Bond strips

[edit]

Title | Writer | Published date | Serial no.

|
|
|

The Man with the Golden Gun0 | Jim Lawrence0 | 10 January 1966 – 9 September 1966 | 1-209
The Living Daylights | Jim Lawrence | 12 September 1966 – 12 November 19660 | 210-263
Octopussy | Jim Lawrence | 14 November 1966 – 27 May 1967 | 264-428
The Hildebrand Rarity | Jim Lawrence | 29 May 1967 – 16 December 1967 | 429-602
The Spy Who Loved Me | Jim Lawrence | 18 December 1967 – 3 October 1968 | 603-815
The Harpies | Jim Lawrence | 10 October 1968 – 23 June 1969 | 816-1037
River Of Death | Jim Lawrence | 24 June 1969 – 29 November 1969 | 1038–1174
Colonel Sun | Jim Lawrence | 1 December 1969 – 28 August 1970 | 1175–1393
The Golden Ghost | Jim Lawrence | 21 August 1970 – 16 January 1971 | 1394–1519
Fear Face | Jim Lawrence | 18 January 1971 – 20 April 1971 | 1520–1596
Double Jeopardy | Jim Lawrence | 21 April 1971 – 28 August 1971 | 1597–1708
Starfire | Jim Lawrence | 30 August 1971 – 24 December 1971 | 1709–1809
Trouble Spot | Jim Lawrence | 28 December 1971 – 10 June 1972 | 1810–1951
Isle Of Condors | Jim Lawrence | 12 June 1972 – 21 October 1972 | 1952–2065
The League Of Vampires | Jim Lawrence | 25 October 1972 – 28 February 1973 | 2066–2172
Die With My Boots On | Jim Lawrence | 1 March 1973 – 18 June 1973 | 2173–2256
The Girl Machine | Jim Lawrence | 19 June 1973 – 3 December 1973 | 2257–2407
Beware Of Butterflies | Jim Lawrence | 4 December 1973 – 11 May 1974 | 2408–2541
The Nevsky Nude | Jim Lawrence | 13 May 1974 – 21 September 1974 | 2542–2655
The Phoenix Project | Jim Lawrence | 23 September 1974 – 18 February 1975 | 2656–2780
The Black Ruby Caper | Jim Lawrence | 19 February 1975 – 15 July 1975 | 2781–2897
Till Death Do Us Apart | Jim Lawrence | 7 July 1975 – 14 October 1975 | 2989-2983
The Torch-Time Affair | Jim Lawrence | 15 October 1975 – 15 January 1976 | 2984-3060
Hot-Shot | Jim Lawrence | 16 January 1976 – 1 June 1976 | 3061-3178
Nightbird | Jim Lawrence | 2 June 1976 – 4 November 1976 | 3179-3312
Ape Of Diamonds | Jim Lawrence | 5 November 1976 – 22 January 1977 | 3313-3437
When The Wizard Awakes | Jim Lawrence | 30 January 1977 – 22 May 1977 | 1-54
Sea Dragon | Jim Lawrence |

1977

| 55-192
Death Wing | Jim Lawrence |

1977-1978

| 193-354
The Xanadu Connection | Jim Lawrence |

1978

| 355-468
Shark Bait | Jim Lawrence |

1978-1979

| 469-636
Snake Goddess | Jim Lawrence |

1983-1984

| 822-893
Double Eagle | Jim Lawrence |

1984

| 894-965

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Vale - Yaroslav Horak (1927-2020), Kevin Patrick, Comicsdownunder.blogspot.com, November 26, 2020.
2. ^ Yaroslav Horak Death Notice, Sydney Morning Herald, November 27, 2020.
3. ^ "Yaroslav Horak (Larry)". Dictionary of Australian Artists Online. 14 November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 December 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
4. ^ Jacoby, Anita (2022). Secrets Beyond the Screen: The award-winning TV producer's compelling search for truth. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781925183993.
5. ^ vixenmagazine.com The Mask - The Man of Many Faces
6. ^ International Hero The Australian Mask
7. ^ "TV cops join our strips". Sydney Morning Herald. 15 June 1980. p. 2. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
8. ^ Freeman, John (5 December 2020). "In Memoriam: James Bond comic artist Yaroslav Horak". Downthetubes News. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
9. ^ "Yaroslav Horak Death Notice". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Horak biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia
* Horak, Yaroslav (1995). "Yaroslav Horak interviewed by Ros Bowden for the Comic artists and illustrators oral history project". Interviewed by Bowden, Ros. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

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