*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: Two popular and scarce Picture Libraries newly stocked, both with supernatural themes: with titles like “Daughter of Darkness”, “Ritual By Moonlight”, “Hell On Earth” and “Doctor Satan”, these done-in-one digests provided furtive chills for readers theoretically too young to get into a horror film in the pre-Internet days! From 1966, Nightmare Suspense Picture Library gains a quartet of issues from #5 (pictured, VG £5) to #15; while 1971’s Pocket Chiller Library gains 34 issues between #1 (pictured, GD £15) through to #74.
30CC
British Update: 2nd series TV 21 (And Joe 90) – Early Issues New In
*TV & Film Related Comics: After a long run of 242 issues, TV Century 21, the Gerry Anderson-inspired comics showcase, without pausing for breath, reinvented itself as TV 21 & Joe 90, starting with a new #1, and scooping up its fallen stablemate, co-opting the titular speccy hero, ‘Star Trek’, and ‘Land of the Giants’ from Joe 90 weekly and teaming them with the star features ‘Thunderbirds’ and ‘The Saint’ for a refreshed line-up. We have several of the earlier TV 21 & Joe 90 new in, including the first four and then a further half-dozen issues between #9 and #23. Issue #1 (pictured) is GD/VG at £35, and price and grade details of the others, as always, may be found in our online catalogue. SORRY, #1 & #2 NOW SOLD
British Update: First Quenchers Plus with Free Gift Farrago: Blake’s 7 #1-5
*TV & Film Related Comics: Released in 1981 – just when the cult TV show was coming to its close, great timing Marvel UK – Blake’s 7 featured photos, articles and features on the plucky revolutionary fighter of the far-flung future and his wacky chums. In addition, there were new comic-strip stories set in the TV universe, pitting our intrepid heroes against the sinister Servalan, whose attitude and dress sense demonstrated that women, too, could aspire to be drag queens! The first five issues are back in stock, in mid to high grades. All come with the original bound-in poster pin-ups, and #1 has the free gift of an Iron-On transfer. #1 (pictured) is FN with VF free gift at £20; details of the rest may be seen in our online catalogue. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
Clearance Corner: 1960s Marvel Giant Reprints: 18 for £18
*Clearance Corner: Up for grabs this week is a batch of 18 of those wonderful Marvel Giant squarebound reprint comics from the mid-late 1960s. This lot comprises 6 x Marvel Collectors’ Item Classics (#1, #2, #3, #5, #7 & #20), 7 x Marvel Super-Heroes (#21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26 & #27) and 5 x Marvel Tales (#4, #5, #6, #8 & #10). Condition averages VG ish. Full of glorious tales from the earliest days of the Marvel Universe, at just £18 (£1 each!), this lot represents tremendous reading value – the FF, Spidey, Ant-Man, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, Dr Strange, the X-Men, Daredevil etc — they’re all here! UK postage on this lot if required would be an extra £3.50. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American/British Update: Original Judy Club Badge from 1960
*Memorabilia & Esoterica: We’re delighted to have acquired an original Judy Club Badge from 1960. Never given away directly with the comic, this was sent out to members of the Judy Club, who diligently sent in their postal orders. While we don’t know the production run of these items, it’s a fairly safe bet that the number of girls who joined the club, excuse the expression, was only a fraction of the general readership, so these can’t be commonplace. White and blue enamel on metal with a pin back, these are sturdier than the flimsy bits of tin and/or plastic that were the usual materials for later club premiums. In VF condition, this piece of memorabilia is on sale for £25.
What’s Old: Dagar, Desert Hawk from Fox comics 1948/49
Our spotlight on previously listed stock this week falls on a pair of beauties from the notorious American publisher Fox of the 1940s/50s. Most Victor Fox publications were printed on the cheapest paper stock available to him, and were shameless in their exploitation of lurid and scantily clad heroines and femme fatales, plus violence and gore were not underused in these pre-code days. Here, for example, the titular character, Dagar the Desert Hawk, a male desert adventurer, was upstaged on the covers (and mostly on the interiors) by exotic damsels. A Fox book is an experience quite like nothing else — crude and unsophisticated for the most part (Matt Baker’s Phantom Lady aside), but with a certain manic energy and drive. Dagar #16 (the series started at #14) is VG- (small piece of clear tape upper centre cover) at £65; #22 (the penultimate issue) is GD/VG at £50. Both have varying degrees of spine wear, but attractive and unspoilt cover images and reasonable page quality.
Last Call for Clearance Corner: Magnet & Gem – 67 issues for £25
As you may realise, the purpose of our Clearance Corner lots are to clear space in our shop by discontinuing titles we’re no longer carrying to make way for new and incoming stuff. As such, they will only be offered for a short time. This Clearance Corner lot, listed on 13th April, has not been snapped up and is nearing the end of its time with us. If not purchased by the weekend, we will have to dispose of it. Here are the details from our original listing:
“In our clearance bargain area this week, two of the most venerable comedy story papers of the 20th Century are making way on our shelves. We have 61 issues of Magnet, including 2 facsimiles of #1 from 1908 (with and without wraparound cover) and 1 facsimile of #194 from 1911, plus 58 original issues between 1934 and 1939, including 2 Christmas issues. These are augmented by just 6 issues of Gem from 1915-1938 for a grand total of 67 issues at a clearance price of just £25. These fit into a small parcel box weighing 3 kg and UK postage if required would be a further £14. Conditions range between Fair and Good, with some a little better. Home to Billy Bunter of Greyfriars and Tom Merry of St Jims, these fondly-remembered comedy and adventure stories are an iconic part of British 20th Century literature. We really like these, but with over 3,000 issues in the series, we don’t have space to store any significant quantities and so they have to go!”
Window Update: Up for the Cup!
‘BUT,’ I hear the cries of non-footie fans (including Dr Evilla), ‘surely the football season is over!’ They haven’t reckoned with the forthcoming World Cup. Despite her lack of respect for the beautiful game Dr Evilla has been cajoled into producing a window display celebrating the doyen of British football (and comics), Roy Of The Rovers, even going so far as to find the issue where Roy wins the World Cup (in his dreams).
Housekeeping Update
On a regular cycle, we sweep through our entire stock to delete sold items and keep our listing as up to date as possible. We’ve just finished deleting sold items from the following file in our British section:
*Rupert
As of the time of writing, this category is bang up to date, with every item listed available.
Closed Bank Holiday Monday 28th May
As usual, we shall be closed on the Bank Holiday Monday 28th May. All email orders submitted before then will be dealt with on Tuesday morning when we re-open, and prioritised in order of receipt.
American Update: Flash #139 – debut of Professor Zoom
*DC: After #123 (“Flash of Two Worlds”, as if you need telling), and the premier issue (#105), probably the most in-demand issue of the Silver Age Flash is #139, which featured the first appearance of Professor Zoom, the Reverse-Flash, Barry Allen’s super-swift nemesis from the far-flung future, whose appearances in the popular Flash television series have caused his early appearances to zoom (sorry) upwards in value. We are delighted to welcome the Reverse-Flash back into our inventory – though we anticipate not for long – with this attractive VG p copy of his debut. Clean and sound, with light spine and edge wear, but firm at staples and decent interior, this copy is VG p at £200. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Batmania: Pick Up A Penguin! Second Silver Age Penguin Appearance, plus other Silver Age Stunners
*DC: Star of this week’s Batmania is Batman #169, the second Silver Age appearance of the Penguin, and his first post the launch of Batman’s ‘New Look’. One of the ‘Big Four’ villains featured regularly in the Batman TV show, embodied by Burgess Meredith, the Penguin clicked with the mainstream audience, and thanks to the updated incarnation portrayed by Robin Taylor in ‘Gotham’, he’s more popular than ever! This key appearance of a major villain is a beautiful FN, pence copy, with vivid purple background unfaded and unbroken by the ravages of time – and also one of Carmine Infantino’s most eye-catching designs of the era! On sale at £65. But the Bumbershoot Bandit brought along friends – appearances by the Joker, Clayface, the Scarecrow, Catwoman, and the Getaway Genius (pardon?) festoon this update of around 20 Silver Age issues new in, from #159 (‘Clayface/Joker Feud!’), to #189 (return of the Scarecrow).
American Update: King of the Seven Seas – Vintage Aquaman Flooding In
*DC: Once universally derided, even on popular TV shows, Aquaman is again being taken seriously following his recent appearance in the Justice League movie, and the imminent Jason Momoa-helmed Aquaman solo flick. We’re chuffed by all this attention, as Aquaman’s Silver Age series was always a quality book, enhanced immeasurably when his shapely interdimensional love-interest Mera swam on the scene, as memorably illustrated by Nick “Master of Curves” Cardy. Ten new issues of Aquaman’s first series added to our catalogue, including the Aquaman/Mera wedding in #18. Full details in the DC category of our catalogue.
American Update: Marvel 1968: Hulk #102 – First Issue of Greenskin’s Second Series
*Marvel: This week’s look at Marvel’s debut issues in 1968 features a gamma-infused milestone, with the first issue of the Hulk’s own series, eccentrically numbered #102, as he assumed the numbering of Tales to Astonish, the split-book which had been his home for several years. This was Brucie’s big break, his comeback vehicle after his early-60s 6-issue flop, and the start of the long-running series most associated with him. Mirthful Marie Severin illustrated not only a recap of Bruce Banner’s irradiated origin, but also a new story thread with Jade-Jaws frolicking with some of Thor’s Asgardian chums. (Bonus points for the appearance of guest-villainess the Enchantress (obviously)). This is a gorgeous copy: clean, tight at staples, sharp corners, excellent cover colour and gloss, VF p £140. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Spider-Mania: Amazing #39 & #40 with Romita debut 2-parter classic Spidey/Goblin Clash
*Marvel: While we yield to no one in our regard for Steve Ditko as the ‘proper’ Spider-Man artist, we have to concede that John Romita did a cracking job when he took over, redefining the character for the Swingin’ Sixties – and Jazzy Johnny’s background as a romance artist certainly didn’t hurt when it came to drawing Peter Parker’s own ‘Betty & Veronica’, Gwen and Mary Jane! Issue #39 marked Romita’s first as illustrator, and he dove right in, making the character his own, and creating a cover scene which is almost as often ‘homaged’ as his famous Spidey #50 cover! #39 and #40 constituted a two-part confrontation with the Green Goblin and firmly established Romita’s tenure on the title. Both parts of this epic are back in stock; #39 is a GD+ cents copy, with minor creasing at lower and upper cover corners not detracting from the impact of the cover scene, on sale at £40. #40 is VG-, also cents with no pence price or overstamp, on sale at £49.
American Update: Who Is… Him? Debut of the Man Who Would Be Warlock in Fantastic Four #66 & #67
*Marvel: As befits its status as the premier series of the Marvel Universe, the Fantastic Four has launched many secondary careers of the FF’s foes and friends who first appeared as guest-stars, then graduated to their own series. The Silver Surfer, the Inhumans, the Black Panther and many others have debuted this way, and in Fantastic Four #66, we were introduced to a mysterious cocooned figure who emerged the following issue as ‘Him’, a being of almost godlike power. Later, he would be named Warlock and would enjoy a chequered career of critical acclaim, but haphazard commercial success, coming into his own with Jim Starlin’s controversial series of the 1970s. These two issues see the first appearance of the character, though he was not fully revealed until the second half of the two-part story. Issue #66, the prelude as it were, is VG+ p at £32; the ‘big reveal’ comes in #67, a VG+ p copy with a striking white-background cover (only slight right-edge discolouration due to age) spotlighting all of our cavortin’ cast of characters. This debut issue is VG+ p £75. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
American Update: Let’s Re-Visit the X-Men: Many issues between #146-294 Back In Stock
*Marvel: Following massive turnover, we have significantly replenished our X-Men stock in the above range, including some duplicate copies in differing grades to give our valued customers a choice of condition and price. Starting with the post-Byrne issues, we whisk through the return of Dave Cockrum, the era of Paul Smith, the debuts on the series of John Romita Jr. and Jim Lee, and occasional guest shots by Barry Windsor-Smith and Art Adams, while our favourite mutants party down with the Brood, the Harriers, the Morlocks, the Badoon and the Warriors of Asgard, among many more! Over 100 issues new in, including Annuals from #3 to #9!
American Update: ‘Across The Rainbow Bridge to Asgard!’ – Thor and Journey Into Mystery Issues Replenished, By Odin!
*Marvel: One of Marvel’s most enduring characters, and still tearing up a storm in the Marvel cinematic universe, Thor, God of Thunder, is significantly restocked, with issues commencing from Journey Into Mystery #112 (the scarce early Thor/Hulk clash) through to Thor #173 (the title having become eponymous with #126, but keeping the Journey Into Mystery numbering) and JIM Annual #1, which introduced Marve’s take on Hercules! Highlights along the way include the premier appearances of the Warriors Three, Mangog, and the Destroyer. For grandeur and glory, Lee and Kirby’s Thor remains unmatched.
American Update: ‘To Boldly Go…’ Gold Key’s Star Trek Back On Board
*Gold Key/Whitman: Gold Key’s Star Trek adaptation was the first translation of the sci-fi cult TV show into comics, and it remains hugely popular. We have added ten new issues to our listings between #25 and the final issue of the series, #61, in very respectable grades, averaging VF. Live Long and Prosper!
American Update: ‘Make War No More!’ Classic Bronze Age Battle Tales from DC
*War: The early 1970s were a schizoid time for the DC war line; still popular sellers, but, with the zeitgeist of the American nation still reeling from Vietnam, tales of combat had to be less straightforward and gung-ho than they used to be. The writers and artists rose to the challenge, producing fine and often overlooked work. We have new listings from this period for Our Army At War (starring Sgt. Rock, from #236), Our Fighting Forces (featuring the Losers, from #131), Star Spangled War Stories (home to the Unknown Soldier, from #159), and the war/horror hybrid Weird War Tales, commencing with #5. These are mostly higher-grade additions, averaging Fine+ or better, and featuring the best artists working in the genre – Joe Kubert, of course, but also Russ Heath, Sam Glanzman, John Severin, Alex Toth and relative newbie Neal Adams!
American Update: A Miscellany of Magazines, Marvel and Otherwise
*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: Our popular magazine-sized comics section is refreshed this update with additions to several sub-sections. In Marvel, we have new entries for Bizarre Adventures, Marvel Preview – including #2, with the first full Punisher origin and 1st Dominic Fortune! – Marvel Comics Super Special, Spectacular Spider-Man, Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction and one of the rarest Marvel Mags, the one-off 1979 parody Brother Billy, the Pain From Plains! (note we said it was rare; we make no promises about it being any good…) Skywald offers us a top-up of the horror-mood mag Nightmare, issues between #8 and #22, plus the second (and final) issues of motorcyclin’ superhero Hell-Rider, co-starring the bodacious Butterfly, the very first black super-heroine! And we round up with Warren, with new additions to Creepy, Eerie (from #2, the first distributed issue) and the 1970’s ‘sexy sci-fi series, 1984/1994.
American/British Update: UK Mad Giant Specials and a vintage Cracked
*Mad & Other Parody: We refresh our lists of the premier parody magazine with half a dozen of the UK Mad Specials, ranging from the 1970 “Collected Ravings From”, through a selection of numbered Specials (#11, #12, #13 and #15) from the 1970s, and closing out with the 1985 ‘Worst From’ Special (#53). Backing them up, there’s a single vintage issue of Cracked, the shameless Mad-imitator which ran from 1958 to 2007. This is #17, from 1960, and features the artistic talents of John Severin, Jack Davis and Russ Heath, amongst others.
British Update: Marvellous Alan Class Reprints +: Sinister Tales, Suspense and more
*Alan Class Reprints: Continuing our restock of the Alan Class ‘Big Six’, we turn our attention to two series previously very under-represented in our inventory, Sinister Tales and Suspense. We have around forty new issues listed, between #11 and #212 (Sinister) and #9 to #181 (Suspense), as well as a light sprinkling of Uncanny Tales, plus the one-off Space Adventures Presents Space Trip To The Moon! More on the way as soon as time and space permit, but in the meantime, enjoy the company of the Phantom, Daredevil, Jack Kirby-illustrated ‘Big Panty Monsters’, Doctor Strange, the Fly, Herbie, Steve Ditko-drawn twist-ending tales, the Jaguar, Captain Atom, Silver Surfer, the Mighty Crusaders, and every other feature in the kaleidoscopic world of Alan Class!
British Update: First Quenchers with Free Gift Farrago: Warlord #1
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: In 1974, D.C. Thomson launched Warlord, a harder-hitting weekly devoted entirely to war in its various guises; the company had of course always played up WW II and other famous battles in its other adventure weeklies, such as Victor, Hotspur, Hornet et al., but this was the first all-war weekly they had tried, and it caught on big time with the public, running more than a decade for a total of 627 issues, and inspiring competitors IPC/Fleetway to retaliate a year later with Battle. Warlord was fronted by Lord Peter Flint, code-named guess-what, as a WWII spy, and other popular features included Union Jack Jackson and Bomber Braddock. This copy of #1 is a GD, with an upper spine tear being the predominant flaw. The accompanying Free Gift – a ‘For Valour’ Medal holder with shiny paper ‘medals – is Fair, partially completed with 18 out of 24 ‘medals’ stuck in. (obviously the original purchaser missed a week!) It’s not pretty, but it’s complete, it’s the first issue of a long-running series, and it’s very affordable at £15. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
British Update: Twitter Alert! Complete Run of Eagle Volume 18
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Well, technically, eagles may not twitter, but we’re not too worried about ornithological orthodoxy here. The main thing is to let you know that we’ve added a complete run of the 1967 volume of Eagles, in grades of VG or GD and including the Christmas issue.
British Update: The Transformers Return in Free Gift Farrago! New stock of the Heroic Autobots from #2 to #162 — each issue with Free Gift!
*TV & Film Related Comics: Early and key issues of Transformers, the much-loved shape-shifting robots who fought a covert war to save Earth while disguising themselves as common vehicles, according to the popular toy & cartoon series from the 1980s! The Marvel UK title started out as a simple reprint of the US series, but demand proved so huge that a great deal of new material was produced for the UK market to satiate the desires of a generation of rabid Transfans! Included in this update are thirty issues new to our listings, all of them bearing Free Gifts ranging from posters to stickers, badges, transfers, iron-on t-shirt transfers, plastic planes, mini-comics and a ‘Data Scan’ – what’s that, exactly? Only Optimus Prime knows for sure! #2 is FN with the gift – action transfers NM £30; #3 is FN with the iron-on t-shirt transfer in NM £30: and issue #28, featuring the debut of the Dinobots, is VF with poster VF at £30. For details of all the rest, please see our online catalogue.
British Update: Free Gift Farrago: Bunty #300 (1963) with Pretty Party Bracelet
*Girls’ Comics: Bunty #300, October 12 1963, celebrated the comic’s milestone with a Free Gift on the cover: the ‘Pretty Party Bracelet’ is a cute plastic trinket of white beads interspersed with gold coloured ones, all linked by an elastic band. The comic itself is GD, presentable but with a crescent-shaped tear on the cover (mostly in Bunty’s first speech balloon) that does not break the cover image. However, the gift is still in its original packaging, never opened, and is a shiny NM. Free gifts are uncommon from this period, and girls’ ones doubly so, so this is an affordable opportunity for a collectable rarity, on sale at £40 for the comic and gift combo.
British Update: Judy Jamboree Concludes: 1968 to 1971
*Girls’ Comics: Around 80 issues of Judy from the years 1968 to 1971 new in, in affordable mid-grades, with science-fantasy – ‘Beneath the Blue Iceberg’, secret-agent adventure -‘The Girl From DORSET’ – and the Judy holy trinity of ‘Bobby Dazzler’, ‘Wee Slavey’, and ‘Sandra of the (fill in the blank) Ballet’ in full force! Christmas issues etc included. This concludes our massive Judy extravaganza for the time being.
British Update: Crikey! – We’ve Got More Back Issues In
*Magazines/Books About Vintage UK Comics: Crikey! was a short-lived but fondly-remembered fanzine from the early part of this century, focusing on British Comics, with articles, retrospectives, appreciations, and a good deal of nostalgic wombling on. We’re chuffed to have back in stock issues previously missing from our inventory, between #5 and the final issue, #16.
Clearance Corner: Bound Volume of Swift Vol 10 for £12
*Clearance Corner: This slender volume – as Swift only lasted until March of 1963 – encompasses the final issues of the former ‘Junior Eagle’. By this time, however, its original brief of younger protagonists and cross-gender appeal had been abandoned, and the line-up was primarily well-done boys’ adventure strips including ‘Phantom Patrol’, ‘Tarna’ (no longer a jungle boy, as he had been in earlier years), ‘Blackbow the Cheyenne’, and ‘Max Bravo’. From the IPC Magazines Central Reference Library, the hardcover binding is sound, but a bit worn and grubby. The comics (all 9 issues), allowing for the necessary trimming to bind them, are in decent shape, equivalent to FN. This is on sale at £12. UK postage on this, if required (small parcel) would be an additional £3.50. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
Housekeeping Update
On a regular cycle, we sweep through our entire stock to delete sold items and keep our listing as up to date as possible. We’ve just finished deleting sold items from the following files in our American/British section
*Mad & Other Parody
As of the time of writing, this category is bang up to date, with every item listed available.
What’s Old: Slab Happy! She-Hulk #1 (2005) 9.8 £40
This week’s spotlight from our previously-listed stock falls on a comic from recent times (only 13 years old!) Yes, we can see you all reclining on your fainting couches at the thought of us spotlighting a comic published in the 21st Century, but trust us, Dan Slott and Juan Bobillo’s She-Hulk series is worth the attention! A delightful blend of comedy, drama and pathos, it follows the former Jennifer Walters, superheroic stunner and lawyer at large, dealing with the complexities of a world where ghosts, aliens, clones, robots and more are everyday matters. Can a deceased superhero who’s had a resurrection reclaim his estate from his heirs? Who’s legally liable if a person has an unwanted origin? is the testimony of a murder victim’s ghost admissible in court? Fun and imaginative stuff as Jen has to re-start her life after being kicked out of Avengers Mansion – again! This copy of #1 from 2005 is CGC 9.8 (NM/M), at £40.
British Update: More Classic Comics Compilations – Charley’s War and Dan Dare
*Collected Editions: One of the more gratifying phenomena of recent years has been the systematic reprinting of classic British comic strips, bringing them to an entirely new generation of readers, and in many cases shedding light on previously lesser-known creators. We have two such volumes new in: Charley’s War – The Definitive Collection Volume 2, ‘Brothers In Arms’, continuing the sequential reprinting of Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun’s groundbreaking war strip from the 1970’s Battle weekly: and Dan Dare – ‘The Earth Stealers’, re-presenting yesteryear’s Pilot of the Future from Eagle, featuring the talents of Bruce Cornwell, Eric Eden and Don Harley. Both of these are brand-new; Charley’s War is a trade paperback, black & white with some colour pages (following the pattern of original publication) at £20, while Dan Dare is a full-colour hardcover at £30.
American Update: Long Live The Legion! 1st Three Appearances of the Legion of Super-Heroes!
*DC: It all began so routinely. Yet another bunch of super-powered teens arriving in Smallville, a quiet town which had seen so many brightly-clad youths streak across its skies, only to vanish and never be seen again. But this trio of guest-stars were different. Cosmic Boy, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad, from the far future’s Legion of Super-Heroes, travelled back to invite Superboy, the most legendary teen hero of all, to join their ranks – and a legend began. After multiple guest-appearances in various Superman family titles, the Legion gained its own series with Adventure Comics #300, and despite setbacks along the way, remains an important presence in DC’s history. We are admittedly prejudiced witnesses, huge Legion of Super-Heroes fans, to the extent we named our business after their home era. Therefore we are especially delighted to welcome the Legion’s first three appearances into our lists. Adventure #247, dated April 1958, brought the founding trio to Smallville for the first time. This is an attractive GD copy, with an iconic cover scene endlessly homaged since; the interior pages are exceptionally white, with no creasing, tears or discolouration. The spine is sound, staples firm, and only light wear at the spine and edges. However, there has been a cover colour touch – the black area at Cosmic Boy’s side of the podium. Nevertheless, a lovely copy of a major debut. The team’s second appearance was in Adventure #267, the following year, sales reports having spiked on the team’s debut. Again, this is a GD copy with considerable eye appeal. Light creasing on the back cover precludes a higher grade, but overall a strong sound copy with light to moderate wear, and one diagonal cover crease which breaks the colour across the logo. The team’s third appearance was in 1960’s Action #267, where we saw the roster expand for the first time, with the on-panel debuts of Chameleon Boy, Invisible Kid and Colossal Boy, as Supergirl was invited to audition (better luck next year, Kara…) This copy of Action #267 is only FA, with considerable edge and corner wear, a small tape ‘patch’ on lower front cover, and minor writing on the front cover. Adventure #247 is GD £625; Adventure #267 is GD £80 and Action #267 is FA p £25. SORRY, ADVENTURE COMICS #247 HAS NOW SOLD
Features Update: Alan Class Rough Guide updated
Our Rough Guide to Alan Class Reprints, which you’ll find in the Alan Class category in our Features section has now been updated with details of lots more issues that we’ve come across for the first time. Even after all these years, we’re still building towards a complete listing of the contents of the Alan Class publications, and still adding to our knowledge!
American Update: Titans Together! First Four Appearances of the Teen Titans
*DC: Issue #54 of Brave & Bold teamed up three junior partners of DC’s major super-heroes – Kid Flash, Aqualad and Robin – against the villainy of the sinister Mr. Twister, as a kind of junior Justice League. Written by Bob Haney, ilustrated by Bruno Premiani, this proved to be such a hit that issue #60 of the same title got the band back together as the “Teen Titans”, with the addition of Wonder Girl, against the staggering Separated Man! Often overlooked is the fact that B & B #60 is actually a double debut: not only the premier of the Teen Titans title, but the first appearance of Donna Troy as Wonder Girl – previous appearances of WG had just been stories of Wonder Woman’s younger adventures, a la Superboy, but this was the first WG as an independent entity. The team got one more tryout in Showcase #59, against the funky but forgettable Flips (“We’re Just A Babe, A Board, And A Bike”…), most notable for Premiani yielding the artistic reins to Nick Cardy, the artist most associated with the classic Titans. And finally, comics’ other Fantastic Four got their own ongoing series commencing in 1965, and despite cancellations and setbacks, some iteration of the Titans has almost always been on DC’s roster of stars. Our Brave & Bold #54 is VG/FN p, with a very slight cover tear, less than a quarter-inch, at lower spine; Brave & Bold #60 is FN p, with an unmarred black cover border bearing only the faintest of cover colour breaks; Showcase #59 is a lovely FN/VF p, minimal corner blunting being the only flaw and Teen Titans #1 is FN+ p, unmarred white cover background and excellent interior pages. Brave & Bold #54 VG/FN p £225; Brave & Bold #60 FN p £225; Showcase #59 FN/VF p £50; Teen Titans #1 FN+ p £120.
American Update: Batmania: First Silver Age Riddler Appearance in Batman #171
*DC: Despite having made only two appearances in the Golden Age before falling into comic-book limbo, the Riddler was one of a handful of foes selected to feature in the 1960s Batman TV show (played by Frank Gorshin), and as a consequence he was brought back into the comics world, beginning with Batman #171, only his third ever appearance! Now prominently featured (played by Cory Michael Smith) in the hugely successful Gotham TV series, Riddler’s stock continues to rise. This edition of his Silver Age return, Batman #171, is a FN- copy with a pence price overstamp. Clean unblemished interiors, cover scene largely unblemished, but light cover edge wear and several small breaks in the spine colour precluding a higher grade. On sale at £175. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Spider-Mania: Iconic Amazing #50: ‘Spider-Man No More’
*Marvel: By the time of Spider-Man’s 50th issue, ‘new’ artist John Romita had made the series his own, and this special issue was marked with the debut of a new villain, the Kingpin – so long associated with Daredevil, in the post-Miller years, that many people overlook the fact that he originally belonged to Spider-Man’s Rogues’ Gallery! This landmark issue also saw a crisis of confidence in Peter Parker, his temporary abandoning of the Spider-Man identity immortalised in the iconic (and often imitated) cover. Our newest copy of ASM #50 is VG, a cents copy with no pence price or overstamp. There is some browning and spine wear, but the overall appearance of the book is very attractive, with excellent cover gloss and unfaded cover colour. On sale at £125. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Marvel 1968: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD #1
*Marvel: The latest entry in our Marvel 1968 feature showcases the grooviness of Jim Steranko (why didn’t he draw more comics?). Having made his mark on the SHIELD strip in Strange Tales, Jaunty Jim Steranko took the brakes off and went all-out when Nick Fury’s Pals n’ Gals got their own full-length series, with cinematic storytelling and psychedelic designs, particularly on the cover and splash pages, that utilised the full potential of the medium with an imagination seldom seen since the heyday of Eisner. Nick Fury #1, “Who Is Scorpio?”, is the definitive example, with the popular espionage tropes of the day turned up to 11, and a striking cover image that still resonates in the fandom psyche half a century later. Our newest Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD #1 is a FN+ pence copy, with beautiful unmarred cover image, on sale at £40. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Return To Infinity! Complete Sets of Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War restocked
*Marvel: One of the phenomena of the last decade of the 20th Century was Jim Starlin’s Infinity Gauntlet, in which Thanos, the megavillain Starlin had been building up for nearly twenty years, was unleashed against the massed forces of the Marvel Universe, armed with the reality-altering Infinity Gauntlet, in a struggle for the sake of the universe itself! Hugely popular, the mini-series spawned many, many crossover issues, and two direct sequels, Infinity War – in which the Marvel Heroes were forced to confront their own dark duplicates – and Infinity Crusade – in which ‘The Goddess’ separated the Marvel Heroes into a super-powered jihad. These three series have been hugely popular ever since their inception, but with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet at the centre of the Avengers: Infinity War movie, demand for them is at its height, and we consider ourselves very lucky to have acquired both Infinity Gauntlet and Infinity War in their entirety. Infinity Gauntlet #1-6 average NM p, and are sold as a set of six at £100; Infinity War #1-6 are averaging NM p, and sold as a set of six at £50; as a bonus, we also have the first issue of Infinity Crusade NM p £6. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
American Update: Marvel’s ‘Non-Team’: early issues of the Defenders
*Marvel: In the early 1970s, Marvel had the bright idea of teaming up all their big solo heroes not already in the Avengers into a new team and after a few try-outs here and there, the Defenders were born! No matter that the temperaments of the Hulk, Sub-Mariner and Silver Surfer would scarce lend themselves to teamwork (hence the non-team), at least they had Doc Strange to hold them together (for a few issues, at least; roster changes soon followed after a war with the Avengers). Early issues between #2 and #21 in nice grades now in, with a Giant-Size #1 thrown in for good measure! Full details in our catalogue.
American Update: Champions (1975) complete #1-17
*Marvel: In 1975, in the spirit of the Defenders, Marvel rounded up a disparate group of heroes who didn’t have any ‘homes’ and banded them together as the Champions: Ghost Rider, Hercules, Black Widow, Iceman and the Angel. The series floundered a bit in its early issues in diverse hands before gaining some nice quality when John Byrne took over — but even he, at the height of his powers, couldn’t save the series from cancellation after 17 issues. Every issue new fresh into stock in decent grades.
American Update: The latter days of Marvel’s ‘split’ books: Suspense & Astonish
*Marvel: From the final year or so of Tales of Suspense & Tales To Astonish, right up to their final issues in both cases, we present many nice graded copies, with Iron Man & Captain America in Suspense and Sub-Mariner & the Hulk in Astonish. Lots of great stories, including debuts for Modok, Whiplash & the New Zemo and fabulous artwork from the likes of Jack Kirby, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, Marie Severin and others. There was something about the 10-12 page pacing of these tales that made them compulsive reading, and it seemed like you were getting more for your money!
American Update: Space Squadron – scarce Atlas sci-fi horror
*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: In the 1950s, Atlas, like most publishers, was scrambling around different genres to find the next ‘big thing’, and one such experiment was 1951’s Space Squadron, tales of derring-do as plucky adventurers went where no man had gone before. These pulpy adventures were high on action and tinged with horror, as the publisher tried to cover all bases, but Space Squadron and its companion, Speed Carter Spaceman, didn’t catch on with the public despite some quality work, and had only short runs. Nowadays, they’re highly sought collectibles, and we’re delighted to have Space Squadron #4 in stock in VG+, with only a detached staple precluding a grade of FN+ or better. On sale at £95. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: “A Plague on Both your Houses!” – House of Mystery, House of Secrets and more DC Horror
*Horror/Mystery 1960-1980s: Following the relaxation of the Comics Code Authority in the late 1960s, the formerly tepid DC mystery line revitalised its image with superior chiller tales illustrated by the premier artists of the day. Leading the charge were House of Mystery and House of Secrets, whose rival horror-hosts, brothers Cain and Abel, brought a dash of the old EC flavour to the tales. From the late 60s to the early 70s, these were genuinely gripping twist-ending stories, and often featured stunning covers by A-listers Adams, Wrightson, and Kaluta. We’re delighted to welcome back a new range of numbers of House of Mystery between #189 to #217, and House of Secrets between #87 to #106, as well as a bonus trio of similarly-refurbished Unexpected issues! (#118, #133 and the 100-Page #157!)
American Update: Avon and Atlas Westerns from the 1950s
*Western: We open with Geronimo #1 (sub-titled Indian Fighter) – that’s Geronimo, an Indian who’s a fighter, rather than Geronimo who fights Indians, for the grammatically punctilious. Avon in the 1950s wasn’t exactly PC, and while Geronimo may have been the protagonist of this pre-Code series, he’s hardly the hero, as the title of the first story – “Geronimo and His Horde of Indian Devils” – makes clear. Three stories of Geronimo himself, and a Texas Ranger tale, in this debut issue of a popular title. This is an exquisite Fine+, with very vibrant cover colour, on sale at £50. Atlas, of course, was an early adopter of the Western genre; before the advent of Marvel’s famous ‘Kids’ – Rawhide, Two-Gun and Colt – they had tapped into the booming Western market with a plethora of rough-ridin’ cowpokes, and one of the earliest, getting his start in 1950, was the Black Rider. Illustrated predominantly by Syd Shores, the Black Rider was one of the company’s longest-running Western heroes, (in effect a super-hero, with a secret identity and everything) and we have his 19th issue, from 1953, in a truly remarkable FN/VF condition, on sale at £50.
American Update: Marvel Masterworks – Captain America, the Golden Age
*Modern Reprints: Marvel’s handsome hardcover Masterworks volumes remain one of the more affordable ways of obtaining classic stories, and this is particularly true of their Golden Age editions, given the scarcity of the 1940s material. We have three volumes of the Golden Age Captain America Marvel Masterworks new in stock: Volume 3 (pictured, VF/NM £45) is Simon & Kirby, reprinting issues #9-12 (unlike DC’s Archives, the Masterworks reprint the entire comic in question, so back-up features and text stories are included for a true facsimile experience). Volumes 5 and 6, NM £30 each, feature the work of Stan Lee, Otto Binder, Syd Shores and more, with guest-features the Human Torch and the Sub-Mariner! Catch the earliest days of what would become the Marvel Universe!
British Update: Marvellous Alan Class: Uncanny Tales #3 – Ant-Man Vs. Comrade X and other stories
*Alan Class Reprints: Continuing our periodic spotlight on Alan Class comics which reprint classic Marvel tales – often the very first reprinting of these stories, within a year or so of original publication – we turn to Uncanny Tales #3, which reprints the Ant-Man story from Tales to Astonish #36. TTA #36 was the third appearance of Hank Pym/Ant-Man, his second in costume, and introduced the first ‘super-villain’ of Hank’s Rogue’s Gallery in Comrade X! (Don’t worry, it did get better – though one has to admit, Comrade X’s gimmick was genuinely unexpected.) This early Marvel Universe story by Lee & Kirby is re-presented in full, as well as a selection of Charlton sci-fi one-offs, including no fewer than four illustrated by Steve Ditko! The comic itself is in a superb VF condition, tight corners, vibrant covers, and the squarebound spine suffering from none of the ‘puckering’ effect owing to glue contraction which is very familiar to Class collectors. This lovely early AC item, complete with certification that it is from the Alan Class Private Collection, is on sale at £50.
British Update: First Quenchers Plus: with Free Gift Farrago: Marvel’s Future Tense #1-3
*Marvel UK: Another of the experimental launches from Marvel UK’s second wave, Future Tense reprinted a bunch of loosely sci-fi related series (Micronauts, Seeker 3000, Starlord, and, er… Paladin?) under a future-shock banner. We have the first three issues back in stock, with a bonus copy of #2, all possessing the original Free Gifts – components of a ‘Build Your Own Spaceship’ cardboard model. Issue #1 is VG with Free Gift VG at £15; the better #2 is FN with Free Gift VF at £15 and the other copy is VG with GD Free Gift (punched out of its supporting card) at £8; the #3 is FN with FN Free Gift at £12. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
British Update: Long Hot Summer – Valiant Summer Specials from the Sizzling Seventies
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: A quartet of Summer Specials from the well-remembered adventure weekly, home of ‘Captain Hurricane’, ‘Billy Bunter’, ‘Raven on the Wing’, ‘Kelly’s Eye’, ‘House of Dolmann’ and scores more. We open with 1971’s Valiant & Smash! Summer Special (Valiant recently having gobbled up a flagging stablemate), VG at £25 – a very nice copy with only minor wear towards the lower spine. 1976 is GD at £15 – respectable, but moderate general wear, especially at spine. 1977 is a tight & bright FN at £25, and 1980 is probably the most sought-after of the later Summer Specials because of a new story of the classic hero ‘Kelly’s Eye’ illustrated by Dave Harwood, and a stunning Brian Bolland cover featuring the ‘House of Dolmann’ gang. 1980’s Summer Special is VG/FN at £25. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD