Tom Frame

Tom Frame (1931 – July 14, 2006) was a British comics letterer. He created dialogue for the majority of the Judge Dredd strips, as well as other stories including over 300 stories in 2000 AD and Transformers.

Frame used a combination of computer-based techniques, including a personal font based on his own hand-drawn lettering, and old-fashioned craft like cutting speech balloons by hand. He was acknowledged by several other letterers (for instance, Richard Starkings) for his help in getting them started in the profession.

According to artist Mike Collins (Judge Dredd, Rogue Trooper), "Good lettering has character, adds character to the story. In the UK, a Judge Dredd story just ISN'T a Dredd story without Tom Frame's lettering. Tom's no-nonsense, finely spaced, tall text is as much a part of Mega City One's environment as Dredd's helmet or badge."

Frame died of cancer on July 14, 2006. Prog 1508 had a centerpiece tribute to him with contributions from 37 artists and two colourists, including a drawing by Frame's grandson.

Famous quotes containing the words tom and/or frame:

    And the Angel told Tom if he’d be a good boy,
    He’d have God for his father & never want joy.

    And so Tom awoke and we rose in the dark
    And got with our bags & our brushes to work.
    Tho’ the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm,
    So if all do their duty, they need not fear harm.
    William Blake (1757–1827)

    Painting seems to be to the eye what dancing is to the limbs. When that has educated the frame to self-possession, to nimbleness, to grace, the steps of the dancing-master are better forgotten; so painting teaches me the splendor of color and the expression of form, and as I see many pictures and higher genius in the art, I see the boundless opulence of the pencil, the indifferency in which the artist stands free to choose out of the possible forms.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)