*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: We’ve been very fortunate to acquire a wonderful collection of 1940s/50s science-fiction comics, the era when such a genre really came into its own, known as the Atomic Age. Leading off this week, from Ace Comics, a company best remembered for horror and romance titles, came this four-issue series which played into Cold War paranoia. Released during the height of the USA’s Korean conflict, it speculated on the destructive possibilities of World War III, which at the time seemed imminent, and the cover of the first issue, depicting the nuclear destruction of Manhattan, has become an iconic image. To quote the interior: ‘Look upon the pictures of our giant cities hundreds of years in the building, smashed by the atom-bomb, and say: this shall not come to pass! More than ever today, only a strong America can prevent this from becoming a reality!’ Despite the pessimistic destruction of key American cities – Detroit and Chicago fell alongside New York – the cautionary tale of #1 was swiftly inverted, as subsequent issues showed plucky survivors of the attacks wreaking vengeful havoc on ‘The Reds’ and their Asian allies. We have all four issues of this rare and… unique series to offer you: #1 is FN- at £400, #2 FN+ £200,  #3 GD+ £80 and #4 GD/VG £90. More Atomic Sci-Fi coming soon!