A vibrant exhibition celebrating the extraordinary life and career of Orcadian comic book legend Jim Baikie is now open at The Orkney Museum.
From the windswept shores of Hoy to the dazzling lights of London’s swinging sixties, Baikie’s journey was anything but ordinary.
Born in 1940 at Boathouse, Crockness, North Walls, Jim’s early years were shaped by wartime Orkney and the creative spark he found in washed-up American comics tossed overboard from naval ships.
These incomplete comics became a source of inspiration, prompting young Jim to craft his own beginnings and endings, unknowingly sketching out the start of a lifelong career.
By the time he was 16, Baikie had joined the RAF as a Boy Entrant, but his artistic path would soon take him much further.
He moved to London and immersed himself in its buzzing creative scene, not just as an illustrator but also as a talented musician.
Jim played guitar, bass, banjo, harmonica, and even the jaw harp, and shared stages with names like The Kinks and The Pretty Things, and rubbed shoulders with Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones.
He even supported comedy icon Spike Milligan, merging visual wit with musical flair in a truly unique creative cocktail.
Yet comics were always his first love, and Jim’s pen would go on to grace the pages of 2000 AD, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics.
His work earned him awards and global acclaim, yet he remained grounded in his Orcadian roots.
He was equally at home drawing space operas and superheroes as he was sketching cowboy tales, which he had started as a boy on Hoy.
A chance encounter in a Stenness post office brought that full circle when an old friend recognised him and asked what he was doing now.
Jim simply replied, “Drawing cowboys,” with the understated charm that defined him.
He was generous with his time and wisdom, encouraging young artists despite knowing it might mean more competition.
“There’s not much work going about,” he once said, “but I can’t get into that kind of thinking.”
His legacy lives on not just through his published work, but in the creativity he inspired in others.
The exhibition, lovingly curated with the help of his family, showcases his artwork, musical exploits, and personal memories.
A highlight of the opening day on Saturday 3 May is a free walkaround at 2pm led by Jim’s daughter Ellen Pesci and Exhibitions Officer Tom Muir.
No booking is needed and all are welcome to share in the story of a man who lived life in bold lines and full colour.
The Orkney Museum is open Monday to Saturday, 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.00pm, with free admission.
