Is Someone Else Drawing Horace?

[Malc]

On my recent sojourn to the UK, I was able to peruse the newspapers at first hand, so to speak, and it seemed to me that Andrew's drawing style on Horace had changed. It's a little more fluid, and I thought someone else might have taken over the drawing. I tend to notice these things. Maybe it's my imagination, and maybe it's a temporary measure, but check it out.

[Malc]

Here's what I mean. The "old" style (2004) is on the left, and this is the one I'm used to. The "new" style is on the right. You can see how there are what I call instructional similarities, such as the ear, but the features-to-head ratio has changed, and you can see in the style of the hat that the style has altered. The second example has a different line emphasis (like a musician accentuating the off-beat instead).
If someone else is doing Horace and Andrew doesn't want it to be common knowledge, we can quash this thread, I'm pointing this out to demonstrate that I DO read the strip.

[Roger Kettle]

Nope, it's still Andrew, Malc. The differences you point out are pretty miniscule and it would take an extremely professional eye to pick them out. (Well done!) The only time Andrew's work was ghosted was when he cracked a rib and a couple of weeks of Beau Peep was done by Steve Brigh....um...Tarquin Thunderthighs. And an excellent job he did too. When you think that, between them, Beau and Horace have been going for over fifty years, it's highly impressive that Andrew has only missed those two weeks. Although...ahem...I'd like to point out that I've written every single one.

[Malc]

Well just to make sure, phone Andrew and make him swear on your life that no-one else is doing the strip.

Style and experience-wise, I think Tarquin would be the ideal stand-in for Andrew, so I'm not surprised it worked.

[Diane CBPFC]

Oh, I can sure tell the difference. In the old strip Horace is wearing a cowboy outfit - in the new one he is wearing a big fur coat! But then I've had years of practice at looking at cartoons - don't feel bad if ya all didn't notice.

[Roger Kettle]

Malc, the second example of Horace that you posted yesterday (the one on the right) only appeared in the paper today! How did you manage THAT?

[The Peepmaster]

He's about 10 hours in front of us, Roger. Ask him the England score for the match they play later. We could place a bet.

[Rob Baker]

Glad you had a safe journey home Malc. 
I think it's fascinating how Andrew's style has changed over the years. Have look at the Beau Xmas strips I've posted on the Just a Fort section and see how Egon has changed. Apologies for the quality, but some of them are on pretty old newsprint.

[The Peepmaster]

Maybe Malc was looking at Andy Capp by mistake...

[Malc]

Roger, I have my sources, you don't want to know -say no more.