Bull, Reina M
Entry updated 28 July 2025. Tagged: Artist.
(1924-2000) UK artist and book/magazine illustrator whose works were variously signed Sington (her birth surname), Reina, Janine, and RMB. Under the last byline she produced all of her SF Magazine work, in particular four memorable covers in 1951 and 1952, two apiece for New Worlds (Autumn 1951; November 1952) and Science Fantasy (Winter 1951; Spring 1952). Aside from being stylistically very different from the standard fare of the time, these covers carried a sexual charge that went well beyond their subject matter – scantily clad women in futuristic situations – and showed considerably more sophistication than roughly contemporary treatments of similar material by the likes of Earle K Bergey and Rudolph Belarski. Bull also has a few interior art credits beginning with New Worlds for Autumn 1951. As well as supplying the cover for the Spring 1952 Science Fantasy and November 1952 New Worlds, she also did interior Illustrations to accompany one of the stories within each, respectively "Resurrection" by John Christopher and "Unwanted Heritage" by Charles Gray (E C Tubb). Brian Aldiss called her "one of the most remarkable artists to enter the British field"; her style has been compared to that of Margaret Brundage's work for Weird Tales, but the comparison does neither artist justice. [SH/DRL/JGr]
Reina Mary Bull, née Sington
born Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex: 24 July 1924
died Uttlesford, Essex: November 2000
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