*Marvel: A dozen new issues of the Star-Spangled Avenger’s solo series, opening with #122 and taking in the Cap/Falc/Spidey three-way of #137 & #138, but mainly focussing on the Englehart & Buscema period, from #163 up, with early appearances of the Serpent Squad, Moonstone, the Yellow Claw, and the debut of the nefarious Nightshade, pence-priced copies, but in high grades, averaging VF/NM.

*Girls’ Comics: And among those having fun in this update are June (new issues in from 1963, 1969 and 1971), Bunty (1969), and Tracy (1981-1983), along with the other girls’ anthologies Girl (second series, 1981-1987), Girls’ Crystal (1962) and School Friend (1964). Does anyone else think Tracy’s a bit OCD with her devotion to her feathery pet? I swear, if that girl lived n Gotham, she’d grow up to a life of crime as ‘The Budgie’…! but I digress. The Four Marys, Tomboy Tessa, Bessie Bunter, My Friend Sara, the Lonely Princess and the usual posse of equestrienne gymnast schoolgirl resistance fighters bring us the usual medley of ballerina war-orphan student-nurse shenanigans!

*Marvel: It starts here! After significant restocks, we’re re-launching our popular ‘Spider-Mania’ themed updates with multitudinous new listings of Marvel’s favourite wall-crawler! We kick off with four early issues, featuring classic members of Spidey’s Rogue’s Gallery. Issue #7 sees the return of Spidey’s avian arch-nemesis, the villainous Vulture; #9 presents the debut of the egregious Electro; and issues #11 & #12 feature a double-dose of dastardly doings with perhaps Spider-Man’s greatest enemy, Doctor Octopus! All four are pence-printed copies, contemporary with their US-priced brethren but overprinted for UK distribution. #7 is VG/FN at £190, #9 GD at £80, #11 VG+ at £155, and #12 VG/FN at £130. Lots more Spider-Mania in the weeks to come! SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Modern Reprints: A long-overdue top-up to this popular category, primarily focussing on EC, the groundbreaking company of the 1950’s which redefined public perception of comics as ‘not just for kids’… though not always in the most positively-received light! We have twelve of the 1970’s East Coast Classics series, which reprinted various EC titles in full-colour as ‘samplers’, plus additions to the Gemstone reprints of the 1990’s with new stock for Incredible Science-Fiction, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Fantasy, MD, and Piracy, plus the 2016 full-colour facsimile of EC’s short-lived super-heroine, Moon Girl, from Canton Street Press. But it’s not only EC’s – we add to our stock of the limited-edition fandom-generated Flashback Facsimiles with repros of USA Comics #1 and Young Allies #1, the 1983 THUNDER Agents series, and – wait for it – Silver Surfer Vs. Dracula!

*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics: Twelve more issues added of Marvel’s self-published ‘prozine’ from the 1970’s, FOOM (Friends Of Ol’ Marvel), which featured an array of creator interviews, features, and much archival and unpublished artwork, a plethora of delight for the Marvel maniac! New additions range from #8 to #21, and include ‘theme’ issues such as Cosmic Heroes (#9), X-Men (#10), Kiby’s Return (#11), and Star Wars/Sci-Fi (#21).

*Humour Comics: Dandy, the second most famous weekly humour comic, is restocked with approximately 100 new issues in our ongoing campaign of revitalising our Beano and Dandy inventory. Apart from a token 1957 issue that slipped through our radar previously, this latest update spans the years 1964-1968, and features not only the famous Dandy alumni ‘Korky the Cat’ and ‘Desperate Dan’, but also such obscure series as ‘Winker Watson’, ‘Dirty Dick’, and ‘Spunky and His Spider’. Really, what more needs to be said? There’s a nice selection of Christmas, Easter and April Fool’s issues present, and the majority of the new stock is in very affordable low-to-mid grades.

*Marvel: For this special release, a very special quartet of comics starring Tony Stark – millionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist, and the Armoured Avenger!

We begin with Iron Man’s very first appearance, in the pages of Tales of Suspense #39, abducted by Reds behind the Bamboo Curtain (it was a different time…) and forced to manufacture advanced weapons to crush capitalism, Tony Stark turned the tables on his captors by devising a cybernetic suit of armour which transformed him into an unstoppable juggernaut of justice – but at the cost of a near-fatal injury to his heart, which required constant contact with his robotic armour to keep beating! Under the artistic talents of (usually) Don Heck (who devoted special attention, bless him, to the many shapely ladies Tony Stark romanced), the sophisticated world of Tony Stark vied with the action-adventure of his Iron Man persona for the readers’ attention. Following the blockbuster success of the Iron Man movie franchise, demand for this issue has never been higher. This cents copy is GD/VG, a sound, clean and attractive copy with flexible off-white interiors and very minor spine wear which would easily grade VG or better but for a small (3 x 2 cm approx.) corner torn off the lower right cover, as may be seen in the accompanying scan. In every other respect a superior second-hand major key issue, but that defect does bring it into the range of affordability at £2,000. High resolution scans are available on request.

With Iron Man and Sub-Mariner #1, ‘A Special Once-In-A-Lifetime Issue’, its unique position is simply a result of a scheduling tangle which arose when Marvel was finally allowed by its distributors to increase its restricted range of titles. The Hulk took over the numbering of Tales to Astonish, and Captain America the numbering of Tales of Suspense, but that left ‘orphaned’ chapters of the Iron Man and Sub-Mariner serials languishing, so they were used in this oddball one-off so that both Iron Man and the Sub-Mariner could start off their #1’s with new book-length adventures. This cents copy, with no UK price or overstamp, is a lovely clean, tight & bright copy with excellent cover gloss. One of the easiest Silver Age Marvel titles to complete – buy one and you’ve bought them all! FN/VF at £65

Our third star item this update is Shell-Head’s first solo issue from 1968, Iron Man #1. As mentioned earlier, after a long run as the co-star of Tales of Suspense, Iron Man was given his own title when the ‘Berlin Wall’ of Marvel’s distribution was broken down. With the kinetically frenzied artwork of Gene Colan at its finest, this FN pence-stamped copy boasts glorious deep purple colour, unfaded and vivid, with white interior pages. Offered at £225.

And finally Cyril, 1972’s Iron Man #55, at the time a virtual ‘fill-in’ issue written and drawn by Jim Starlin, has become an unexpected collector’s item over the ensuing decades, particularly after the release of the Guardians of the Galaxy movie, which brought Drax the Destroyer and Thanos into public consciousness. This issue was used by Starlin to lay down many of the cornerstones for his patented cosmic epics in Captain Marvel and elsewhere, and it features the first appearances not only of Thanos and Drax the Destroyer, but also of Eros (later to play a major part in Avengers history as Starfox), Mentor, Kronos, and guest-villains, the bodacious Blood Brothers! Iron Man shows up for a couple of panels, here and there, we’ve heard… This cents copy is in VG/FN condition; other than the vestiges of a subscription crease (a long, but light vertical crease down the middle of the comic, where it was originally folded for mailing), there are no other flaws. Offered at £175. (And don’t forget that Guardians of the Galaxy 2 is scheduled to hit cinemas soon, so buy now before the speculators attack!) SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

2017 kicks off with the biggest sale of graphic novels and similar material that we’ve ever staged, with hundreds of trade paperback and hardcover collections offered at up to 75% off normal retail. Super-Heroes such as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, Deadpool and the Guardians of the Galaxy and many more are all heavily featured, along with darker Vertigo material such as Transmetropolitan and other independents by the likes of Alan Moore, Garth Ennis etc and alternative independent stuff by creators such as Will Eisner, Donna Barr, Carla Speed McNeill and Posy Simmons, to name just a few. The sale includes very many graphic novels that are long out of print. Everything is offered on a first come, first served basis for shop visitors only — due to the expected high turnover, we are unable to list these sale items on the website or offer them by mail order. The sale starts on Tuesday 3rd January at 10:30 when our shop reopens after the New Year break.

*DC: A lovely key issue in this week’s Batmania Max update: Detective Comics #267 features the debut of that interdimensional imp Bat-Mite. Although Bat-Mite’s stated purpose in visiting our dimension was to aid Batman, just like his Superman related counterpart Mr. Myxyzptlk, his real intention seemed to be to have fun (without perhaps the edge of menace inherent in some of Superman’s imp’s appearances); nevertheless the outcome was the same — mischief, headaches and problems for the Dynamic Duo! Our copy of Detective Comics #267 is a lovely clean bright FN/VF issue at £325 (cents copy, of course, since it predates UK distribution) with minor edge and spine wear and a couple of pressure marks near the logo (only visible in a certain light) precluding a higher grade; nice just off-white page quality too! A seldom seen key! SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

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 American section:
*Miscellaneous 1960 Onwards
and in our Books Section:
*Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: A further chunky update to our stocks of Tiger, between the years 1974 and 1980 plus 1983/84, with over 175 issues added to our listings. This period for this classic title has grown significantly in popularity over the past few years, so a good opportunity here to check your wants against our catalogue stock!

*Marvel: It’s been a while since we just breezed on through the Marvel stock, topping up and gap-filling with some (following recent huge sales) still pretty significant selections of stock. Highlight of this latest update include Avengers Annual #10 (1st appearance of Rogue, featured character in the new Star Wars movie…what do you mean, “That’s a different Rogue?!”) in a very affordable VG, the first issue of Black Panther’s solo book from 1976, with Kirby Kraziness unleashed in “King Solomon’s Frog!”, a lovely high-grade early Captain America #107, a selection of Daredevil between issues #13 and #198, including Moondragon’s origin by Jim Starlin in #105, the first US appearance of Captain Britain in Marvel Team-Up #65, a run of X-Factor between issues #2-26, and a wide range of issues of X-Men between #132 and #264, plus token touch-ups to Ghost Rider, Ka-Zar, Marvel Two-In-One, Master of Kung Fu, Nova, Amazing Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Sub-Mariner and Thor.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: It’s the turn of Cowboys (and Indians) in our CSD event this update, and we have another oddity for you – Totem Picture Library! Commencing in 1961, Totem brought us, like its companion title Radar, translated-from-the-Spanish adventures of ongoing characters Kit the Sheriff, Roy Dallas, and, in later issues, Canada Pierre (isn’t that a stop on the Docklands Light Railway?) in tales of Western derring-do. This selection, though not a complete run, offers a substantial amount between #1 and 1964’s #40, in very respectable condition, averaging FN/VF and with many VF copies among the incoming.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Three separate titles with two very different philosophies recharged this update: 1976’s Bullet, one of the later entries in D.C. Thomson’s adventure oeuvre, nevertheless hewed very firmly to the old school of boys’ weeklies, with war, sport and spies being the staples – underneath the trendy veneer of moustache, mullet and medallion, our protagonist ‘Fireball’ was reassuringly stiff-upper-lipped after all. By contrast, the 1980’s brought the comics revolution in the UK – a halcyon decade in which comics were going to be the next adult mass communications medium (remember then?) and two of the comics in the forefront were Deadline, birthplace of Hewlett and Martin’s Tank Girl, and Crisis, the 2000 AD spin-off which took a dystopian look at the near future. All three of these series have fresh stock – scattered in the case of Deadline, extensive in the cases of Bullet and Crisis – added for your delectation. Full grade and price details, as always, in our catalogue listings.

*Humour Comics: As previously mentioned, we’ve been looking at our Beano and Dandy stocks, ever mindful of the marketplace and what we learn about relative scarcity. We’ve reviewed and restructured our pricing policy for these two famous titles, in particular for the years 1951-1964, and you’ll now find that we have the early 1960’s prices at the same rate as the late 1950’s, since the later issues are in fact rarer than the older ones. However, all our prices for the years 1951-1964 for both titles are now considerably cheaper than they were, so there’s never been a better time to fill the gaps in your collection of these iconic British comic institutions!

*DC: 1985’s universe-redefining DC series, Crisis On Infinite Earths, in which worlds lived, worlds died, and all the surviving parallel Earths were merged into one, causing headaches for writers and apoplexy for fans for a generation! Created to celebrate DC’s 50th Anniversary of publication, this series was a huge hit, a major event, and a quality item, being created by Wolman and Perez, the team behind DC’s then-hottest property, the New Teen Titans. There was a genuine feeling of momentous events, and the deaths of such characters as Supergirl and the Flash caused shockwaves through the industry – and proved ‘permanent’ for a surprisingly long time! All twelve issues of this much-imitated but seldom-equalled series now back in stock, mostly in extremely attractive high grades. Exact grade and price details in the catalogue listing. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Marvel: Early appearances new in stock for two of Marvel’s more recent breakout characters. The first full appearance of Cable, the back-from-the-future warrior, was in New Mutants #87, and he shortly thereafter took over the leadership of the team and starring role in the series. We have both the first and second printings of this significant issue in stock, the first printing being a Pence copy in VF at £50, and the second a NM cents copy at £10. Cable also escorted the New Mutants through their transition into the X-Force, and we also have new stock of X-Force #1. Deadpool is represented not only by his second-ever appearance in X-Force #2, but also by his first solo issue, the Circle Chase mini-series #1, and the 50th issue of his first ongoing series! Cable and Deadpool prices are of course spiralling upwards owing to the recent Ryan Reynolds Deadpool movie smash (with Cable lined up for Deadpool II), so swift selection is recommended! SORRY, NEW MUTANTS #87 (BOTH PRINTS) NOW SOLD

*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics: Three iconic UK comics fanzines are our feature this update, with more-or-less consecutive runs from 1975 to 1990! Oldest first is  Comic Media News, one of the UK’s first ‘Prozines’, with occasional new covers by the then-fledgling Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons, and others. We have a consecutive run, missing only one issue from #23 through to the final issue, #40, in 1980. Bemusing Magazine began as a humble mimeographed fanzine (ask your Mums), but by 1977’s #13 had graduated to a small-press printed production, which is where we join it. By the #20’s, it had abbreviated its title to BEM, started running colour covers, and gained enough popularity to be picked up by an American publisher – which is where it ultimately came unstuck when the US publisher crashed and burned, with 1982’s issue #36. Nothing daunted, Bemusing/BEM’s editor Martin Lock took over the venerable Fantasy Advertiser ‘zine with 1981’s issue #70, and rapidly recreated BEM’s success, making it the most respected British comics fanzine – a trend only enhanced when Martin Skidmore took over the editorship and reached out to people like Eddie Campbell, Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, and other significant figures in the 1980’s comics renaissance. With a plethora of otherwise-unseen work by Emerson, Bolland, Gibbons, Talbot, McMahon, O’Neill and many more, these fanzines, with print runs ranging from at best a couple of thousand down to perhaps a couple of hundred, these once-dismissed ‘zines are now hotly sought after when they appear on the market, which is seldom. This selection, with mostly consecutive issues from three of the leading ‘zines of the time, is a remarkable acquisition.

*Girls’ Comics: Restocks of the cult girls’ weekly Misty, the horror/mystery anthology which redefined the expectations of girls’ comics during its brief span. Our sloe-eyed hostess (created by artist Shirley Bellwood, who illustrated many ethereal covers and frontispieces) narrated, week after week, tales of mystery and imagination written and drawn by many of IPC/Fleetway’s finest. Owing to the proliferation of sought-after artists, Misty is keenly collected, and prices trend high, but this new selection, though perfectly respectable reading copies, range more between Fair to Very Good, rather than VG to Fine, so are comparatively affordable. This range of almost 50 issues runs from March 1978 to the very last, in January 1980, and, as a bonus, includes a dozen or so early issues from Tammy when it absorbed Misty into its pages.

*Marvel: Following tremendous sales on everyone’s favourite barbarian, we are delighted to announce a significant restock on Conan between issues #26 & #96, plus Annuals and Giant-Sizes. Typified by Roy Thomas scripts and the masterful art of John Buscema, whose style was really suited to such sword and sorcery, Conan flourished under Marvel’s imprint in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

*TV & Film Related Comics: About 75% of the second series of TV21 fresh in, mostly in FN grades, ranging from #3 to #104 (the penultimate issue). Although this successor to the classic TV Century 21 series started out as its predecessor ended with football covers, these soon gave way to the more exciting fare offered by Thunderbirds (as shown on #8 pictured), more than ably backed up by Star Trek, Tarzan, Land Of The Giants and Joe 90. Joe actually shared billing with TV21 for the first 30 odd issues following his own short-lived series. Although perhaps overshadowed by the famous first series, this second series is still chock-full of cult TV strips of superior quality and forms an essential part of any British collection of such.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: It’s the turn of Detectives in our Cowboys, Schoolgirls & Detectives Picture Libraries prestigious collection this week, in particular our final visit for this collection to Super Detective Picture Library, with a selection of mostly splendidly graded issues between #102 & #186. Featured stars are: Lesley Shane, Tod Claymore, The Toff, Vic Terry, Blackshirt, Rip Kirby, Buck Ryan, John Steel and, of course, the superbly illustrated adventures of Rick Random, who is represented in a spate of adventures. Several samples illustrated below. Full details as always in our catalogue. Next time, the Cowboys will be back!

While we do make every effort to adhere to our posted opening hours, people should be aware that industrial action on public transport at this time does make commuting to the shop a bit fraught and challenging. If we do miss our opening times on occasion during this action, please bear with us; we’re doing our best!

*Marvel: From 1968, most of the first series of Silver Surfer new in. From #2 through to #18 (final issue) we have fresh stock of the Sentinel of the Spaceways, with Stan Lee at his most philosophical and John Buscema at his most majestic on the art duties (with ‘King’ Kirby on the final issue). Giant-size issues up to #7; many mid-high grade cents issues and many multiples in varying grades to allow for a choice of budgetary options. Highlights include #2 (FN+ £50 1st Badoon), #3 (FN+ £75 1st Mephisto) and #4 (FN+ £150 classic Surfer vs. Thor cover and story with low distribution). This classic series remains ever-popular and early attention is recommended.

*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: One long-overlooked character in the Marvel pantheon was Star-Lord, the cosmic adventurer who was introduced in a few issues of Marvel Preview and Marvel Comics Super Special in the 1970’s, never really went anywhere, and then simmered into obscurity – until his revival as a central character in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, accompanied by the sensationally successful film (the sequel to which is due for imminent release), made him one of the bleated breakout characters of the 21st Century! This update, we present a FN/VF copy of his very first appearance, in 1976’s Marvel Preview issue #4. Steve Englehart and Steve Gan’s presentation of Peter Quill, the not-yet-legendary Starlord, has fewer laughs than the movie version (and definitely a much quieter soundtrack!), but this is where the character got his start, and prices have been going bonkers on early Star-Lord appearances. This is a FN/VF copy, pence priced with a rather fixed label, but a superior copy in every other respect; offered at £65. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD