Ron Smith's career in comics stretched fifty years. Born in 1924, he worked for British comic book publishers DC Thomson and IPC Magazines, but found comic book fame drawing Judge Dredd for 2000AD and the Judge Dredd newspaper strip printed in the Daily Star.
An engineer before the Second World War, during which he flew Spitfires in battle, he left the RAF to jointhe animation studio, Gaumont, following that drawing comic books for kids, where he began to specialise in action adventure and Westerns.
The fifties saw him draw comics such as Hotspur, Adventure and The Wizard, with DC Thompson buying him a house close to their Dundee headquarters. He was able to use the 'artist; designation on his passport evade the authorities to work as a journalist for DC Thompson's The Scotsman in sixties South Africa, to track down and interview anti-apartheid activists.
Going freelance in the seventies saw him continue drawing adventure comics, including his first superhero work, creating King Cobra for Hotspur and working uncredited for Marvel Comics. This led him to draw Judge Dredd in 1979 and through the eighties, drawing more Dredd than anyone, including the serials The Day the Law Died and The Judge Child, creations including Otto Sump, Mega-City One's ugliest man, Chopper, Dave The Orang-utan who became Mayor of Mega-City One and The League Of Fatties. He also drew for Rogue Trooper and Chronis Carnival. He also drew the Judge Dredd strip for the Daily Star newspaper, ensuring his work – and the character – was seen by millions.
As well as 2000AD and Judge Dredd, he also drew for M.A.S.K., Eagle, Wildcat and Toxic Crusaders before retiring in the nineties after failing eyesight. Suffering from Parkinson's, he later moved into a care home in Leatherhead, where he passed away this morning. He is survived by four daughters.
Friends, colleagues and fans have been sharing commiserations and memories.
We're very sorry to hear that Judge Dredd artist Ron Smith has passed away. From co-creating Chopper to the weird Otto Sump and the wonderful Mayor Dave, he was an incredible artist with a career spanning decades. Our deepest sympathies to his family.
Droid tribute by @PyeParr pic.twitter.com/sbLqGJHooa
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
Really sad news about Ron Smith — one of a small handful of iconic Dredd artists. I have one random page of his, what a Dredd he drew #RonSmith pic.twitter.com/4RsHcms4Sx
— jock (@Jock4twenty) January 10, 2019
Beautiful Ron Smith page here. From 'Satanus'. pic.twitter.com/YuRKhBoTHq
— Rob Williams (@Robwilliams71) January 10, 2019
"We all follow the Yellow Brick Road, we're all off to see the wizard and you should just stay on course, it's all part of that road… Yet there but for the grace of God go I." 2000 AD pays tribute to the legendary Ron Smith https://t.co/jcXUUfaCZY #RonSmith pic.twitter.com/L1ASsQi8JP
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
One of Ron's greatest achievements was the long-running daily Judge Dredd strip in the @Daily_Star newspaper, in which he – with John Wagner and Alan Grant – compressed the entire Apocalypse War saga into a nine panel story. #ronsmith pic.twitter.com/VRWKeiDVGE
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
Alerted by @helloitselliot that Ron Smith has died. As a kid reading 2000AD way too early thanks to my elder brother, I was utterly fascinated by his work. Still so compelling looking back at it now.
— Jamie McKelvie (@McKelvie) January 10, 2019
RIP Ron Smith, spitfire pilot and one of the finest Dredd artists https://t.co/buhg7hsSwP pic.twitter.com/Jol7yX2tDn
— Darran Anderson (@Oniropolis) January 10, 2019
Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ron Smith, one of the true and original visionaries, and our guest many times. He will be very sadly missed.
Pictured here in 1980 with Brian Bolland, Mike McMahon and John Howard… https://t.co/RvBnSVDDmH pic.twitter.com/x2AFdLZJ5j
— Forbidden Planet (@ForbiddenPlanet) January 10, 2019
Dredd arresting entire ships? Setting fire to the Cursed Earth to stop a plague of deadly spiders? Ron Smith drew them all – pages from Battle of the Black Atlantic and The Black Plague, both from 1979. #RonSmith pic.twitter.com/JIR6GVono6
— 2000 AD (@2000AD) January 10, 2019
Ron Smith – up there with the greats who defined Judge Dredd for a generation. Superb artist. #RonSmithRIP pic.twitter.com/Cx5GWThdUA
— Daily Dwarf (@DailyDwarf) January 10, 2019
Been a sad few months for British comics, RIP Ron Smith, Mayor Dave was a favourite of mine 😥 #2000AD pic.twitter.com/g9CF6lJ80g
— Richard Parker (@Pacman) January 10, 2019
I spent countless hours lying on the floor in my bedroom, copying Ron Smith's drawings from 2000AD. A purely happy time! Rest in peace, Ron. pic.twitter.com/VuGQrfCKLg
— Elliot (@helloitselliot) January 10, 2019
Ron Smith also had so many artistic touches that pretty much only he would do, my favorite being Dredd with a Lawgiver in each hand firing away. It's such a gloriously cowboy visual and he used it every time he could, even in background characters. pic.twitter.com/nktLVMiBDD
— Judge Anon (@JudgeAnon) January 10, 2019
R.I.P. Artist Ron Smith. He drew a dynamic/action Dredd, a big influence on the characters development. Thanks for the great art x pic.twitter.com/XpkhC06sAZ
— Henry Flint (@henryflintZ) January 10, 2019
RIP Ron Smith, one of the true architects of Mega City One. pic.twitter.com/uNtEe467Ii
— Dan White (@Thebeastmustdie) January 10, 2019
Aw man, Ron Smith. One of the iconic Dredd artists. RIP pic.twitter.com/jNMkuxVnh5
— Andy Diggle (@andydiggle) January 10, 2019
R.I.P. Ron Smith. The funniest of Judge Dredd artists—he drew my favorite Dredd one-off, the hilarious and mindbendingly creepy "Blobs." #RonSmith pic.twitter.com/i5YcebUCOc
— Douglas Wolk (@douglaswolk) January 10, 2019
Confession of a heretic: I had read very little Dredd when I began droid duty at the Nerve centre. I've since become a full convert to the breadth of historic talent. None more so than Ron Smith who, for me, is the essential Dredd artist. A journeyman and a complete craftsman
— Owen Michael Johnson (@Owen_Johnson) January 10, 2019
Bit of art from one of my favourite Ron Smith Dredds, The Stupid Gun. RIP. pic.twitter.com/J6opqIsBFy
— Paul Harrison-Davies (@PaulMHD) January 10, 2019
Some great Ron Smith art for 2000 AD. #RIPRonSmith pic.twitter.com/ca6JeruE7w
— Paul B. Rainey (@pbrainey) January 10, 2019
Very sad to hear that Ron Smith has died. It was a great honour to me that he drew a couple of my @2000AD strips in his own utterly unmistakable & inimitable style. pic.twitter.com/0uHtRueqYp
— Nicholas Barber (@NicholasLBarber) January 10, 2019
RIP Ron Smith. He was the Dredd artist of my youth, and informed my take on the character – his Dredd had a knowing, arch quality. The straight man in an insane world, but seemingly in on the joke. pic.twitter.com/e3oQz72y91
— Al Ewing Writes Comics (@Al_Ewing) January 10, 2019
RIP Ron Smith @2000AD pic.twitter.com/Swelto4ULt
— Booda (@Opipop) January 10, 2019
I knew Judge Dredd existed, but had never read any until I saw this atop a stack of progs at my local comics shop. Bought the whole stack. RIP Ron Smith. pic.twitter.com/ZhdZvgEa3K
— Phillip Hester (@philhester) January 10, 2019
One of my best afternoons was spent with Ron Smith drinking guinesses ( many ) and discussing his working techniques.
— RUFUS DAYGLO (@RUFUS_DAYGLO) January 10, 2019
Sorry to hear about the passing of Ron Smith. An absolutely brilliant comics artist.
— Fraser Campbell (@FraserC69) January 10, 2019
Ron Smith's art baffled me. I could understand (though not duplicate) the tools Bolland used, how McMahon made his lines, how Gibbons inked, but Smith's lines where just beyond my compression – somehow thinner than the newsprint paper could hold, I'd just look at it in awe.
— PJ Holden (@pauljholden) January 10, 2019