Yaroslav Horak (12 June 1927 – 24 November 2020) was an Australian illustrator and comics artist, of ethnic Czech-Russian origin, best known for his work on the newspaper comic strip James Bond.Vale - Yaroslav Horak (1927-2020), Kevin Patrick, Comicsdownunder.blogspot.com, November 26, 2020.Yaroslav Horak Death Notice , Sydney Morning Herald, November 27, 2020.

Biography

Yaroslaph (Yaroslav) Horak was born on 12 June 1927 in Harbin, China, the son and second child of Joseph Horak, a Czech-born engineer, and Russian mother, Zanidia. He and his older sister, Josephia (Josephine), grew up in the suburb of Novyi Gorod and attended the YMCA International School. In 1939, his family migrated to Sydney, Australia following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and prior to World War II. They settled in Centennial Park, where he attended St Mary's Cathedral College and subsequently undertook evening art classes at the Sydney Technical College.

He began his career as a portrait painter but switched to illustration for the larger Australian magazine publishers. In 1948 Horak's first accepted comic strips were for Rick Davis (a detective adventure) and The Skyman (a mysterious costumed flyer) in 1948. He then moved to Syd Nicholls' Publications where he worked on Ray Thorpe (an adventure series) and Ripon – the Man from Outer Space (sci-fi). Horak also did comic strips for a number of other Sydney publishers, before he moved to Melbourne where he drew Brenda Starr for Atlas Publications. In 1954 he created The Mask – The Man of Many Facesvixenmagazine.com The Mask - The Man of Many FacesInternational Hero The Australian Mask and an adaptation of the popular children's TV program Captain Fortune for Fairfax publications The Sun-Herald between 1957–1962 and Mike Steele – Desert Rider for Woman’s Day magazine.

Horak then moved to England in 1962, where he also drew adventure stories for D. C. Thomson of Scotland, the scripts being supplied by others. He was the second artist, taking over from John McLusky, for the Daily Express strip James Bond from 1966 to 1977, then for the Sunday Express and the Daily Star from 1977 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1984. In total Horak worked on 33 James Bond comic strips sequences.

Horak also created the comic series Jet Fury, in addition to working on other comic strips such as Andrea, Cop Shop and Sergeant Pat of the Radio Patrol.

Horak also achieved a degree of popularity during the 1960s when he was employed by Fleetway Publications (later IPC Magazines) to contribute art for 11 of their comic books in the War Picture Library and Battle Picture Library series.

Horak was interviewed in 1995 by Ros Bowden. The recording can be found at the National Library of Australia. Horak, Y.; Bowden, R. (interviewer). (1995). Yaroslav Horak interviewed by Ros Bowden for the Comic artists and illustrators oral history project [sound recording], National Library of Australia. Retrieved 5 May 2026.

Horak died on 24 November 2020 at the Whitehall Aged Care facility in Lindfield, New South Wales, after a decade-long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. He was cremated at the Macquarie Park Cemetery and Crematorium on 4 December 2020.

War Picture Library WPL 214 Rough Justice 1963 WPL 303 Death Or Dishonour 1965 WPL 304 Battle Drill 1965 WPL 315 Cross For Courage 1965 WPL 323 Passage Of Arms 1966 WPL 648 The Curse 1971 BPL 156 The Savage Sands 1964 BPL 173 The Stronghold 1964 BPL 190 Killers Code 1965 BPL 197 Gun Crazy 1965 BPL 231 Victory Cry 1965

James Bond strips Title Writer Published date Serial no.The Man with the Golden Gun Jim Lawrence 10 January 1966 – 9 September 1966 1-209The Living Daylights Jim Lawrence 12 September 1966 – 12 November 1966 210-263Octopussy Jim Lawrence 14 November 1966 – 27 May 1967 264-428The Hildebrand Rarity Jim Lawrence 29 May 1967 – 16 December 1967 429-602The Spy Who Loved Me Jim Lawrence 18 December 1967 – 3 October 1968 603-815The Harpies Jim Lawrence 10 October 1968 – 23 June 1969 816-1037River Of Death Jim Lawrence 24 June 1969 – 29 November 1969 1038–1174Colonel Sun Jim Lawrence 1 December 1969 – 28 August 1970 1175–1393The Golden Ghost Jim Lawrence 21 August 1970 – 16 January 1971 1394–1519Fear Face Jim Lawrence 18 January 1971 – 20 April 1971 1520–1596Double Jeopardy Jim Lawrence 21 April 1971 – 28 August 1971 1597–1708Starfire Jim Lawrence 30 August 1971 – 24 December 1971 1709–1809Trouble Spot Jim Lawrence 28 December 1971 – 10 June 1972 1810–1951Isle Of Condors Jim Lawrence 12 June 1972 – 21 October 1972 1952–2065The League Of Vampires Jim Lawrence 25 October 1972 – 28 February 1973 2066–2172Die With My Boots On Jim Lawrence 1 March 1973 – 18 June 1973 2173–2256The Girl Machine Jim Lawrence 19 June 1973 – 3 December 1973 2257–2407Beware Of Butterflies Jim Lawrence 4 December 1973 – 11 May 1974 2408–2541The Nevsky Nude Jim Lawrence 13 May 1974 – 21 September 1974 2542–2655The Phoenix Project Jim Lawrence 23 September 1974 – 18 February 1975 2656–2780The Black Ruby Caper Jim Lawrence 19 February 1975 – 15 July 1975 2781–2897Till Death Do Us Apart Jim Lawrence 7 July 1975 – 14 October 1975 2989-2983The Torch-Time Affair Jim Lawrence 15 October 1975 – 15 January 1976 2984-3060Hot-Shot Jim Lawrence 16 January 1976 – 1 June 1976 3061-3178Nightbird Jim Lawrence 2 June 1976 – 4 November 1976 3179-3312Ape Of Diamonds Jim Lawrence 5 November 1976 – 22 January 1977 3313-3437When The Wizard Awakes Jim Lawrence 30 January 1977 – 22 May 1977 1-54Sea Dragon Jim Lawrence 55-192Death Wing Jim Lawrence 193-354The Xanadu Connection Jim Lawrence 355-468Shark Bait Jim Lawrence 469-636Snake Goddess Jim Lawrence 822-893Double Eagle Jim Lawrence 894-965

References

External links Horak biography on Lambiek Comiclopedia