Sad news in the 8-bit community famed artist Bob Wakelin (Ocean Software) passed away suddenly after a a long and hard fight against leukemia. My condolences, thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. Bob's artwork made my CPC and 8bit youth amazing - R.I.P.
Ah damn... that Vindicator cover used to adorn my desk for a few years... RIP.
He produced some fantastic art work, some classics there.
Quote from: Gryzor on 10:00, 21 January 18
Ah damn... that Vindicator cover used to adorn my desk for a few years... RIP.
That is eerie! Myself and Xyphoe were only talking about him last night on his live stream because of the Op Wolf shirt he was wearing which featured Wakelin's art.
Sad times. :(
Copying and pasting this from my personal FB page, to sum up exactly what a lot of us are thinking right now.
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Anyone that knows me, will understand how much of a video game geek I have been since the mid 80s. Like music lovers, the presentation can mean as much (if not more) than the product. Album art for music, Box art for video games.
Sadly we've lost a legend in Bob Wakelin. This man produced so much cover art for games on the 8bit scene during the 80s and 90s (amongst others). Operation Wolf, Gryzor, Renegade, Wizball, Gutz, Rainbow Islands and far too many to mention.
I was an arcade fiend as a teen. Once you played a game in the arcade for the first time, your initial instinct is "When am I gonna be able to get a version of that I can play without leaving the house?" When you saw Bob's art in a video game magazine and you knew the release was pending, you couldn't help but get excited.
Even if the game turned out to be a turkey (and sometimes it did), Bob's art could still make sure it sold in it's droves. That's how good he was.
Rest easy, Bob.
Seen this on Twitter, looks like it was overnight that Bob Wakelin who designed so many Box art covers has sadly passed away.
He will be missed not just the Amstrad community but most of the 8-Bit & 16-Bit computer formats will have had a work of his on one of their Cassette or Disk boxes.
Sad news...
Already a thread here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/news-events/bob-wakelin-passes-away/msg154712/?topicseen#msg154712
@Gryzor (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1) can we get a merge? :)
Very sad news.
With Azpiri it was pretty clear what was is work, but with Bob Wakelin it wasn't until a couple of years ago that I realized how many amazing art covers he made! It really blew my mind.
Rest in peace :(
Quote from: Shaun M. Neary on 15:26, 21 January 18
Already a thread here:
http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/news-events/bob-wakelin-passes-away/msg154712/?topicseen#msg154712 (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/news-events/bob-wakelin-passes-away/msg154712/?topicseen#msg154712)
@Gryzor (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1) can we get a merge? :)
Sorry didn't see that one. It's such a shame and i feel for his family & close friends. I lost my father two years agao to the same disease it's heartbreaking.
But as @Shaun M. Neary (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=728) said @Gryzor (http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=1) can you merge this thread.
Yes it's very sad news and a tragedy for his family and i can empathise with having lost my father to the same illness two years ago. :'(
Trying to look at the good he does leave behind a massive portfolio of iconic game artwork and that will be preserved in the digital space long after we are gone for future artists in this sector
*merged*
Sad news :-[
Ordered two shirts from his merch. Operation Wolf and The Vindicator.
O? Where from?
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
Quote from: Gryzor on 22:56, 21 January 18
O? Where from?
Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk
The Attic Bug. They work closely with Wakelin and his crew from what I understand.
http://stores.ebay.ie/The-Attic-Bug/_i.html?_nkw=shirt&submit=Search&_sid=44611463
Quote from: Shaun M. Neary on 12:30, 22 January 18
The Attic Bug. They work closely with Wakelin and his crew from what I understand.
http://stores.ebay.ie/The-Attic-Bug/_i.html?_nkw=shirt&submit=Search&_sid=44611463 (http://stores.ebay.ie/The-Attic-Bug/_i.html?_nkw=shirt&submit=Search&_sid=44611463)
Yeah i was asking them about a game signed by Oli Frey and they were saying they work with Oliver Frey and were close friends with Bob as they also had some games signed by Bob as well.
I expect orders this week will be delayed for obvious reasons. So if you're ordering anything, be patient. :)
Met him a few years ago and chatted a bit on Facebook , really nice bloke and so sad he has left us. Love my framed and signed Wizball print.