Art For Art’s Sake # 149: Celebrating The Art Of Garry Leach – Warpsmiths, Global Rescue Organisations, And; Sweaty Little Alien Perverts

by Richard Bruton

After the sad news of Garry Leach‘s passing on 26th March, aged just 67, it only seems right and proper to be celebrating his artwork in this special Art For Art’s Sake. Truly, a brilliant artist has been lost to the world of comics.

Of course, when you think of Garry Leach, you invariably think of his work bringing Marvelman back to comics, alongside writer Alan Moore in Warrior Magazine. But, as we told you and showed you in his obituary article, he was responsible for so much more than that, working for 2000 AD, Warrior, DC, Marvel, Wildstorm, and so many more over the course of a long career.

Now, as I’ve already shown you some of his incredible artwork already in the report of his passing, I wanted to focus on a few very special Garry Leach pieces, perhaps lesser-known to some, but ones that have always been favourites for me.

First, obviously, there’s Warpsmiths, something I first remember seeing in Warrior and just being amazed by everything about it, particularly the incredibly detailed artwork by Garry. And seeing as there’s so little Warpsmiths available, I figured here is a perfect time to share those two epic tales…

Cold War, Cold Warrior by Alan Moore and Garry Leach, published in Warrior #9 & 10 (Jan & April 1983, Quality Communications) and reprinted first in colour in Axel Pressbutton #2 (Dec 1984, Eclipse.)

Originally created by wee Alan Moore as a teen, he and Garry hugely expanded on the notion of the Warpsmiths of Hod, creating an epic, sweeping arc of the characters that Garry would retain ownership of and lend to Marvelman/Miracleman when Moore made them integral parts of his final, Olympus, storyline.

Ghostdance by Alan Moore and Garry Leach, published in A1 #1 (October 1989, Atomeka Press.)

When Garry went into publishing with Dave Elliott, the first thing they did was produce A1, a massive, 6-issue b&w series, packed full of big, big name talent, riffing on ideas and concepts, some working spectacularly… some, well, not so much.

And ‘Ghostdance’, the second (and sadly final) Warpsmiths solo tale was one of the absolute highlights. It looked simply stunning. Every bit of Garry’s perfectionist streak visible across every single page. A true thing of beauty…

After that, another full Garry Leach artwork job, another comic and series he was involved in the development and design, Global Frequency, written by Warren Ellis.

Each issue of the 12-part series was completed by a different artist, including, from issues #2-12, Glenn Fabry and Liam Sharp, Steve Dillon, Ray Martinez, Jon J Muth, David Lloyd, Simon Bisley, Chris Sprouse and Karl Story, Lee Bermejo, Tomm Coker, Jason Pearson, and Gene Ha.

But it was Garry Leach who set the tone, Garry who developed the look and feel of the series, and Garry that delivered something breakneck paced, breathtakingly beautiful, guaranteed to have you on the edge of your seats with Global Frequency issue #1… ‘Bombhead‘.

Global Frequency #1, October 2002, Wildstorm/DC Comics

Global Frequency are an unique, independent, covert intelligence organisation created and run by the operative known only as Miranda Zero. Across the world, there are a thousand Global Frequency agents chosen for their specialities and whose job it is to save the world from the itself, to stop the madness getting out, to do the things no governments can…

In issue #1, we get a mystery man on the loose in San Francisco whose head is connected to a wormhole with its other end being a bombsite. It’s up to the Global Frequency run the mission and save the city…

And finally, who could forget Zirk, the nasty, sleazy little beast that Garry really loved to draw… or maybe it was the beautiful women and Zirk was just an excuse?

From Warrior #13, September 1983… ‘All-Girl Amazon Attack Batallion’: