strudders Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Like most of us, I've always loved the Atari 2600 artwork used on the boxes/labels. Tim Lapetino's book was a major event when it came out - shedding light on so many artists and their work. One publisher's artist seems to be a mystery though - that being Commavid. The early artwork (Video Life, Cosmic Swarm) is nothing to write home about but I love the style of later games like Mines of Minos (a real hidden gem game in my opinion) and Cakewalk etc. Searching around the internet I can't find any mention of the artist though. Looking at the signature on some of the boxes gives some pointers, but I'm not particularly good a deciphering these. Probably the clearest example is on Minos below: Does anyone have any info on the artist or want to take a stab at guessing the name ? I'm pretty certain the first name is 'Jack' but the second is not clear enough - maybe 'Bray' or 'Berry' ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+-^CrossBow^- Posted March 20, 2018 Share Posted March 20, 2018 The DP website only states that they originally hired a local artist and that She also did work on arcades for a local arcade manufacturer but that they then later found another and more professional artist later. It is the later artist that you are looking for. http://www.digitpress.com/archives/cc_commavid.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strudders Posted March 21, 2018 Author Share Posted March 21, 2018 The DP website only states that they originally hired a local artist and that She also did work on arcades for a local arcade manufacturer but that they then later found another and more professional artist later. It is the later artist that you are looking for. http://www.digitpress.com/archives/cc_commavid.htm Hi, yes, that's the one. I think the local artist was used for the early version of Cosmic Swarm (there was an excellent version done by the later artist for Europe but I think it was only used in adverts) and Video Life. It's the "more professional artist" I was interetsted in. I did see that Digital Press article. It appears to have the most info about CommaVid in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glazball Posted March 23, 2018 Share Posted March 23, 2018 To my eyes, I would say the first name looks like Zack (with a cursive-y 'Z') not Jack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDS Games Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Looks to me most like an initial N: "Nash B----". Cursive Z possible but that typically has a loop at the bottom. "J" seems really unlikely....at least the way we were taught cursive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDS Games Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Played with the image a bit to get that last name: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strudders Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 Thanks all. Yes, I see what you mean with Nash. Any ideas on the last name ? I still dont see what it could be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Thanks all. Yes, I see what you mean with Nash. Any ideas on the last name ? I still dont see what it could be. Could be Mary for the first name and Barry or Berry for the last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwackery Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Looking at the boxes in my collection, I think the artist's name is Noel Berry. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDS Games Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Looking at the boxes in my collection, I think the artist's name is Noel Berry. I think you got it Zwackery! What looked like the "h" part of "Nash" is actually just part of the capital "B". It probably is actually a lowercase l. Could you post a high-res photo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted April 3, 2018 Share Posted April 3, 2018 Looking at the boxes in my collection, I think the artist's name is Noel Berry. Yep I can see it as Noel now that you mention it. Funny how a low quality photo of handwriting can be interpreted in so many different ways depending on the person who is looking at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strudders Posted April 3, 2018 Author Share Posted April 3, 2018 Great work guys ! Google doesnt show much other than an indie game developer and a model. Anyway, not sure what I hoped to achieve. Would just be nice to know for the history books I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zwackery Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 I think you got it Zwackery! What looked like the "h" part of "Nash" is actually just part of the capital "B". It probably is actually a lowercase l. Could you post a high-res photo? I'll try to get a better image - I think the signature is easier to see on the Room of Doom box than Mines of Minos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strudders Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Excellent ! To me it does read Noel Berry. CPUWIZ is that your Cosmic Swarm European box ?! Didnt even think that was released. Prototype ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Excellent ! To me it does read Noel Berry. CPUWIZ is that your Cosmic Swarm European box ?! Didnt even think that was released. Prototype ? That box was also released in NTSC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strudders Posted April 4, 2018 Author Share Posted April 4, 2018 Ah, really ? I see it on your site ROM. But isnt that just a copy the Digitally Press Guys got from the founders of Commavid ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rom Hunter Posted April 4, 2018 Share Posted April 4, 2018 Ah, really ? I see it on your site ROM. But isnt that just a copy the Digitally Press Guys got from the founders of Commavid ? Actually, it's the same box as the European one, but without yellow sticker on the back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Nathan Strum Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 That box was also released in NTSC. That's the one I have, too. Picked it up in a bargain bin after the crash. Kay-Bee Toys, probably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPUWIZ Posted April 5, 2018 Share Posted April 5, 2018 Yes, it is the NTSC box, without the German sticker. Pretty nice shape too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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