Bob Wakelin, the legendary British artist behind some of our favorite video game covers of the 1980’s, has sadly passed away.
The name Bob Wakelin may not ring bells, but we’re damn sure you’ll know his work. Throughout the 16-bit era, Wakelin was responsible for creating some of the most memorable video game cover art of all time, with his famous style still being imitated to this very day.
Wakelin contributed his famous pencils to many video game developers over the years, but his most fruitful period came while working with the team at OCEAN. During this time, which was largely fueled by “weed and hangovers,” Wakelin could knock out around 3 designs a week – which explains why his artwork was so prominent on video games of the 1980’s.
Some of his most famous works include the covers for Daley Thompson’s Decathlon, Renegade, Contra, Wizball, and The New Zealand Story. His greatest achievement, however, had to be the unforgettable cover for Operation Wolf! He also contributed to the world of comic books and featured prominently in the early Marvel UK editions.
