He had been a friend at university with another student, Kipper Williams, who had become a freelance cartoonist. Bell followed his lead, and some contacts, and despite rejections including being turned down for "The Beano" he persevered and obtained paid work for part of 1978 with the comic strip "Dick Doobie the Back to Front Man" for "Whoopee!". He made repeated attempts to get work in the London listings magazine "Time Out". When the premiership of Margaret Thatcher began in May 1979, its news editor Duncan Campbell invited Bell to meet the need for a comic strip on the new government. "Maggie's Farm", with animal characters, appeared in "Time Out" from 1979 to May 1981, then from October 1981 in "City Limits". Bell produced another comic strip, "Lord God Almighty", for "The Leveller" during 1980 and 1981. In 1980 he contributed a cartoon interpretation of the lyrics to "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe" to the inner lyric bag of the Clash's triple album "Sandinista!"