Review by Ian Keogh

Set in the days of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, young Kelpie assists the magician Merlin, utterly well intentioned, yet not yet completely competent. Ken Mennell’s set-up is tidily delivered over the tightly packed opening two pages, establishing Kelpie’s basic decency and establishing the threat of a thuggish knight protected by magic.

Mennell continues in the same vein, adventure accompanied by comedy, first as the brave Kelpie seeks an evil magician, yet his own spells are deficient leading to tricky situations such as transforming into a tortoise when intending a faster creature. However, for a long time thereafter, Mennell drops into formula. With the entirety of magic at his disposal, Kelpie’s spells always involve transformations into some form of creature. This was surely repetition even noticed by young readers absorbing two pages a week in 1964 and 1965.

Kelpie’s introduction is background information and quotes from artist John M. Burns, interviewed aged 85. Given his long career it’s unsurprising he recalls little of a strip he drew sixty years previously other than noting he’s always enjoyed fantasy strips. Mixing that fantasy with Arthurian knights ensures an artist of Burns’ quality supplies excitement and spectacle for young readers. What Burns packs into two pages displays an exceptional work ethic, with illustrations of knights on horseback a speciality.

Unfortunately, though, reproduction from very old, and presumably very rare comics means the finer details are lost, and there’s considerable smudging on some pages, as if they were originally in colour rather than greytones. That doesn’t affect the three colour strip reproduced from an annual.

Once the initial evil sorcerer is dealt with, Mennell turns his attention to a beast with multiple heads able to transform into people and animals. Yes, the theme continues, and it’s a rare moment of magic that doesn’t involve transformation. However, despite this, Mennell keeps the threats viable leading to an exciting read for youngsters, while the period setting ensures Kelpie hasn’t dated greatly.

Although too rapidly concluded as his six page allocation expires, Keith Chapman’s single contribution results in the best strip. Chapman mixes wicked witches and a great injustice, incorporates two separate threats and sets up the potential for something greater, while the orange tones supply a greater depth to Burns’ art.

Overall Kelpie’s growth is stunted by the limited imagination applied to the magic, but any Burns art re-released after all these years is welcome. Proof of that is the testimonials from many 2000AD creators past and present on learning of his death in late 2023.