The debut of Magneto’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, thus 1st appearances of Quicksilver, the Scarlet Witch, Mastermind and the Toad in the fourth issue of the X-Men from 1964. It’s a great pity that no one told Wanda that the clue to her costume colour was in her name, and thus she posed in a fetching shade of Emerald for the cover. This solid mid-grade copy has great colour and eye appeal; tight and flat and firmly attached at staples. It has a little spine wear commensurate with this grade, some pressure marks on the cover and a very faint, barely perceptible trace of a subscription crease. Another Lee & Kirby masterpiece VG+ pence copy at £375.
30CC
Books Update: Three Tenns
*Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror: Not Thirty, but three books by William Tenn, an unfairly overlooked author. These are all collections of his short stories, including one where a man unwittingly sells the whole of Earth to an alien, another where a 20th century man gets a Bild-A-Man set, yet another where the idealistic Venusians are taught about Terran culture by humans who make Sir Les Patterson seem civilised (all in The Seven Sexes) and one where Earth is ‘liberated’ from aliens so many times that not much is left to liberate (Of All Possible Worlds). The final book, Time In Advance, consists of four longer stories, all fizzing with ideas and energy.
British Update: Invasion 1984 – Complete series collected from Battle weekly
*Collected Editions: Although Battle Weekly (at least in its early years) was famed for more ‘classic’ war stories, one of its earliest ventures into speculative fiction was ‘Invasion 1984’, originally published in 1983, and presenting the tale of a near-future (very near future, as it happens) invasion from Outer Space, and the valiant efforts of Earth’s forces to rally round – despite civilization falling apart! By John Wagner, Alan Grant and Eric Bradbury, this violent but inventive series is complete in one paperback volume, now back in stock, continuing Rebellion’s collections of classic British comics. Brand new SC at £15.
Reminder: Shop Basement Closed Wednesday 24th July
Due to maintenance work in our basement on Wednesday 24th July, we regret that there will no public access to our more modern American stock, the vast majority of our British stock and other categories on display in our basement area on that date. We should be back to normal by lunchtime on Thursday 25th July. If you’re planning a visit to our shop, please take this into account to avoid disappointment; the shop ground floor will be open as usual throughout this period.
American Update: Batmania continues: Detective Comics #474 – First Modern Appearance of Deadshot
*DC: Originally a one-shot (pardon) villain in Batman #59 (1950), Deadshot was revived with spectacular success in the acclaimed Englehart/Rogers run of Detective Comics. Returning in 1977’s Detective #474, ditching his previous tuxedo for a more streamlined and menacing ensemble, he was portrayed as a multi-faceted character and caught the imagination of the readership, making multiple appearances over the ensuing decades, a mainstay in both the Suicide Squad and Secret Six hit series, and appearing on TV in the Arrow show, and on the big screen in the Suicide Squad movie. This copy of Deadshot’s second (first modern) appearance is VF+, cents copy, with only very minor wear at the lower front cover corner preventing a higher grade. Tight and flat with sharp corners and vivid red background with no fading. On sale at £70. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Six Of The Best! DC #1 issues: Swamp Thing, Black Lightning, Hawkman, Metal Men, Joker and Secret Origins
*DC: Half a dozen DC Debuts from two decades, beginning with the multiple award-winning Swamp Thing. Swamp Thing #1 introduced biologist Alec Holland, who, in a series of unfortunate events, became transmuted into the eponymous muck-monster. The Wein/Wrightson Swamp Things are acknowledged as among the finest comics of the era, tense, suspenseful and magnificently illustrated. This copy of Swamp Thing #1 is a respectable GD/VG, cents copy with minimal light wear at upper corner and cover edge, on sale at £50. In 1977, DC introduced their first black solo star, Black Lightning, who defended Metropolis’ Suicide Slum against crimes the high-flying heroes didn’t deign to touch. Now a streaming TV series, Black Lightning is firmly established as a major DC presence, and his first ever appearance is now on sale in FN+, cents copy, £30. The Silver Age revival of Hawkman featured Katar and Shayera Hol, married police officers from planet Thanagar sent to study Earth, resulting in derring-do all over Earth and on other worlds. Hawkman #1 is a pence copy, graded FA, with moderate wear at cover edges & corners, noticeable spine wear, one small diagonal cover tear at right edge (running almost parallel with the background pyramid under our hero’s right knee) but clean decent interiors, on sale at £25. The Metal Men were a surprise hit of the Sixties, the robot heroes’ appeal centring on the their personality quirks – irascible Mercury, humble Tin, lovesick Platinum – manifested, paradoxically, more humanity than the stoic super-heroes! Metal Men #1 is FA/GD p, off top staple but otherwise clean and attractive, at £25. The Joker gained his own short-lived series in 1976, and this copy of Batman’s arch-nemesis’ solo story is GD- p £5. Wrapping it up, we have Secret Origins, the reprint series that, well, does what it says on the tin! Issue #1 led with the heavy-hitters; origins of Superman, Batman and the Flash, as well as Golden Age villain the Gentleman Ghost, VG p £7. SORRY, ALL NOW SOLD EXCEPT HAWKMAN
American Update: Aquaman #42 – Black Manta Triumphant! Classic Nick Cardy Cover
*DC: One villain whose popularity and collectability has zoomed up in the last year is Black Manta, Aquaman’s nemesis, previously a relatively minor character until his feature role in the Jason Momoa ‘Aquaman’ movie blockbuster. Introduced in Aquaman #35 as a back-up villain to Ocean Master, Black Manta established himself as a credible solo threat in this issue, and we have a lovely FN/VF copy, vibrant colour, only minimal stress at spine but unmarred cover scene – the latter, of course, illustrated by the legendary Nick Cardy. A truly lovely copy of a rapidly accelerating item, on sale at £100.
American Update: Spider-Mania continues: Amazing Spider-Man #7 – the Vulture flies again
*Marvel: Despite the many issues of Amazing Spider-Man which have passed through our hands, we’re always chuffed when an early copy by the ‘real’ Spidey artist, Steve Ditko, comes into our possession, and this week’s acquisition is no exception. Having made his debut in Spidey’s second issue, the Vulture returns in issue #7, and despite his physically frail appearance, the pinioned pensioner has survived numerous deaths, remodels and replacements by younger counterparts, and his appearance in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ has enhanced the character’s cinematic popularity. This early Vulture appearance is a GD+ p copy: moderate wear and light creasing at spine, corners and edges, but largely unimpaired cover scene with only a faint historical stain on the background colour, in the vicinity of Spidey’s midriff. Staples still firm at cover and centrefold, interior pages off-white and unmarked. On sale at £150. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: ‘Behold…The Living Tribunal!’ Strange Tales #157, #158
*Marvel: Strange Tales from the 1960s is sought after for myriad reasons, most often because of the dynamic, cinematic artwork of Jim Steranko, who brought a freshness to spy saga Nick Fury and The Agents of SHIELD which tapped perfectly into the zeitgeist of the era. But that doesn’t apply in this instance. No, the hoo and the hah this time is for the Marie Severin illustrated Doctor Strange co-feature, and more specifically for the Living Tribunal, a cosmic entity whose power outstrips the Watcher and may even match that of Thanos with the Infinity Gauntlet! For years a relatively small part of Marvel’s cosmic tapestry, the Tribunal’s prominence has increased with his (its?) greater involvement in sundry cosmic sagas, to the point where interest in his early appearances is at its keenest. Strange Tales #157, with a last-page Living Tribunal cameo, is FN/VF cents £75; #158 with the first full Tribunal and first LT cover, is FN+ cents £100. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
American Update: The ‘New’ X-Men – Early Issues, Including First Imperial Guard
*Marvel: From the early days of Claremont and Cockrum’s hugely successful 70s revival of the X-Men, issues #102, #104, #106 and #107, introducing or reinforcing some of the plot points that would build the legend, with appearances by Black Tom Cassidy, the Juggernaut, the malevolent Magneto, and in 107, the debut of the Imperial Guard, an interplanetary legion (ahem) of super-heroes (ahem ahem) who became a bit of a cult sensation in their own right! These non-distributed early issues are particularly scarce in the UK, and these are lovely mid-high grade copies, all, obviously, cents editions without pence pricing. #102 is FN/VF £65, #104 is FN/VF £50 and #107 FN+ £55.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: Angry Bird! Savage She-Hulk #1 from 1980
*Marvel: Let’s be honest, on the face of it, the She-Hulk sounded like a really lame idea when we first heard of her — what was to follow? Hulk Dog, the Hulkmobile, Planet Hulk? But intermittently chartreuse lawyer Jen Walters has gone on to become one of the most enduring and endearing characters in the Marvel Universe, with creators such as John Byrne and Dan Slott providing charm, wit and (mostly) intelligent humour in her own series and during tenures with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. There wasn’t too much trace of that in Jen’s first series, the Savage She-Hulk, when it saw the light of day back in 1980 and she was as angry as her cousin (though didn’t burst out of quite as much of her clothing, thanks to the exigencies of the Comics Code Authority) but Savage She-Hulk #1 – by the legendary creators Stan Lee and John Buscema – is where Jen’s illustrious career got its start. Non-distributed in the UK, so there are no pence copies, this is a sparkling VF/NM at £75. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2 – the Original Thanos Saga Concludes
*Marvel: Thanos, one of Marvel’s most epic villains, got his start in Iron Man #55, then a string of Captain Marvel appearances, all orchestrated by his creator Jim Starlin. People are generally aware that the narrative continued into Avengers Annual #7, but peculiarly, its conclusion, in 1977’s Marvel Two-In-One Annual #2, is often overlooked, perhaps because folks don’t associate the down-to-Earth Ben Grimm with highfalutin’ cosmic hi-jinks. Nevertheless, this issue concludes the first epic saga of the mad Titan, Thanos, with the Thing, Spider-Man, the Avengers, Moondragon, Captain Marvel and a cast of thousands, as writer/artist Starlin pulls out all the stops. A glossy, bright & white Near Mint, this issue is on sale at £80.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts! A Quartet of Debuts from the pages of the Avengers
*Marvel: In common with many long-running series, the Avengers has seen the premieres of a number of guest heroes or villains who went on to greater things, and four such issues are added this week: in Avengers #28, Cap’s Kooky Quartet (plus Hank & Jan) faced the might of the Collector, later seen in the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ movie series; in the silly but superb issue #83, we met the Valkyrie for the first time, plus the Lady Liberators; #144 brought us the debut of Patsy Walker Baxter’s superheroic identity, the Hellcat and #257 introduced the alien warlord (warlady?) Nebula, later incarnated on the silver screen by Karen Gillan. All four are shown here:- #28 VG/FN p £45, #83 FN p £65, #144 FN+ £25, and #257 VF p £25. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
American Update: Does Size Matter? Black Goliath (1976) – Complete Series
*Marvel: Bill Foster, a scientist introduced as a supporting character for Hank Pym in Avengers, gained his own set of super-powers when, seeking to recreate the success of Luke Cage, Marvel made him their second solo black super-star, as Black Goliath. Unfortunately, Bill’s middle-class academic background and marital problems didn’t catch the imagination of the readership, and his title fizzled after five issues, with outstanding subplots being wrapped up in the Champions before that series, too, fell into obscurity. The entire series is now available in high grades, VF+ or better. Illustrated is issue #1 (NM £55); details on the others in our catalogue listings. SORRY, #1 NOW SOLD
American Update: Spider-Mania Bonus: Amazing #281-297
*Marvel: It seems you just can’t get enough of the old friendly neighbourhood wall-crawler, so in a Spider-Mania bonus this week, we present a consecutive run of Amazing Spider-Man from #281-297. Highlights in this period include the unmasking of the Hobgoblin in #289, and parts 2 & 5 of ‘Kraven’s Last Hunt’ in #293 & #294. Full details as always in our catalogue.
American Update: Slab Happy! Saga#1 9.8 CGC Signature Series, autographed by writer and artist
*Miscellaneous 1960 Onwards: We don’t promote a lot of comics from the 21st Century here at 30th Century, but one exception is Saga, the epic space opera/fantasy series by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples. The protagonists are extraterrestrial husband and wife Alana and Marko, soldiers from warring planets, fleeing authorities from both their homeworlds as they struggle to care for their daughter. A mash-up of Star Wars and Game of Thrones with elements of Romeo and Juliet, and – believe it or not – How I Met Your Mother, the series has proved hugely popular. This copy of Saga #1 is a CGC Signature Series, bearing the autographs of writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples, signed on 13th October 2012. Graded 9.8 (NM/M), it is on sale for £400.
American Update: Adam Hughes strikes again – Tomb Raider: Journeys #2 & #3
*Miscellaneous 1960 Onwards: While the lovely and lethal Lara Croft is not ordinarily part of our back issue catalogue, being a bit ‘modern’, we have made exceptions for issues #2 and #3 of the 2002 ‘Tomb Raider: Journeys’ series, as in addition to their other merits, they have covers by the highly sought-after ‘Good Girl’ artist, Adam Hughes. Both issues are NM First Printings; issue #2 is NM £7.50, and issue #3 is VF/NM £7.50. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD
American Update: A Double Date With Patsy! Patsy Walker’s First and Second Appearances Ever, plus Timely Super-Heroine in Miss America #2 & #3 (1944)
*Teen Humour/Funny Girls: Timely/Atlas’ Miss America Magazine wasn’t named after the beauty pageant, but after Miss America, the premier super-heroine of Timely Comics, created by Otto Binder, who made her debut in Marvel Mystery Comics #49 in 1943, and proved so popular that she was awarded her own title a year later. With the second issue, however, the editors decided to alter the concept. From a straight super-hero book, Miss America became a hybrid comic and general girls’ magazine, with features on fashion, beauty, dating, movies, and prose fiction in addition to the comic strips. More significantly, from our perspective, a new feature was introduced. Patsy Walker, created by Stuart Little and artist Ruth Atkinson, graced the pages of Miss America Magazine #2 for the first of thousands of stories over dozens of titles. We have Patsy’s first two appearances available for purchase.
Miss America Magazine #2, November 1944, features a 14-page story of Miss America versus super-villain ‘The Shocker’, and a photo-cover of a model dressed in the super-heroine’s iconic costume, the first ‘super-hero cosplay’ cover we’re aware of. Patsy’s 7-page debut is the only other comic-strip content in this 68 page issue. As previously noted, Ruth Atkinson drew Patsy, while Miss America’s adventures by this time were illustrated by Pauline Loth, a former animator, in a delightful lively style. This copy of Miss America #2 is Apparent VG/FN: there is slight foxing on the white cover background, but the interior pages are cream-coloured and flexible, no trace of brittleness and browning, the staples firm at cover and centrefold; the top staple is loose at the front cover only. The reason for the ‘Apparent’ designation is that pages 39-40 have had a large corner, approximately 25% of the page, ripped out. This does NOT affect the comics, but impacts upon two text features, a fashion page and a story on baby-sitting. Otherwise this is an extraordinary grade for its vintage. #2 App. VG/FN, on sale at £1,750. Images of front and back cover, splash page and Patsy splash page are shown to the left above; high resolution images are available on request.
Miss America Magazine #3, December 1944, is a ‘girl power’ special! In addition to all the text features carrying female bylines, Ruth Atkinson illustrates Patsy’s second story, the striking painted cover is by Louise Alston, and Pauline Loth illustrates not one, but two Miss America tales, as our teenage heroine takes on the villainous King Cobra and ‘The Mystery of the Ring!’ This is an unabashed Fine, with only very minor wear at the extreme outer edge. Cover colours are bright and vivid, interior page quality excellent, staples firm and tight corners. On sale at £900. Images of front and back covers, splash page, Miss America splashes and Patsy spalsh are shown to the left and below; once again, high resolution images are available on request.
These issues carry not only the cachet of Patsy’s earliest appearances, of a character still active in the Marvel Comics and Media Universes today, but also of being Golden Age Timely super-hero issues – Miss America herself has appeared many times in the current Marvel Universe in flashbacks and retro series, so both characters have strong ties to the current continuity. We anticipate keen interest in these lovely items, so don’t hesitate!
British Update: Immaculate Annuals – TV & Film Related: Goodies, Monkees, Dad’s Army, Flintstones and Look-In
*Annuals: Continuing our ‘Immaculate Annuals’ event, we revisit TV & Film Related Annuals, from the same pedigree source. As with previous ‘Immaculate’ selections, these are from a newsagent’s inventory, never circulated or read, no prices clipped, no gift dedications, ‘This Book Belongs To’ inscriptions or other interior markings, solid spines, tight corners and bright, vibrant colours. This selection, focussing on comedy and light entertainment, is a uniform VF, many of them virtually able to pass for new. Added this listing: Dad’s Army 1974, Flintstones 1967, Goodies 1974, Look-In Television Annual 1972 and 1975, Look-In TV Comedy Annual 1975 and, from the pages of ‘Lady Penelope’ weekly, Monkees 1968 and 1969. Depicted are Flintstones 1967 (VF £10), Goodies 1974 (VF £10) and Monkees 1969 (VF £15). For details on the others, please see our online listings.
British Update: IPC Smash! 30+ Newly Listed Issues
*Power Comics: Although IPC’s re-invention of the popular Smash! is dismissed by many as an ersatz Valiant – and it’s true it shrank to the standard size and format of a regular IPC/Fleetway weekly – there was a lot more to it than that, and two strips originated during this period, ‘Cursitor Doom’ and ‘Janus Stark’, who went on to lengthy careers and engraved themselves in the hearts of a generation of comics readers. Other popular series from this run were the super-hero ‘Tri-Man’, challenger of the unknown ‘Simon Test’, and ‘Birdman of Baratoga’, another entry in the well-worn ‘feral child raised by random critters’ sub-genre. Plus, favourite comedy strips ‘Bad Penny’ and ‘The Swots and the Blots’ continued over from the old iteration to provide fresh mayhem and laughter! We have thirty copies added to our Smash selection this week, averaging VG-FN, from 1969 through to its final year of 1971.
British Update: Here Comes The Sun – 30+ issues from 1952-1953
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Like its companion the Comet, the Sun weekly was smaller than the usual British comic – closer to the American format – and delighted readers for more than ten years from 1947 to 1958, before amalgamating with Lion. We have around thirty new issues from the years 1952 to 1953, commencing with #189 and ending with #220. More purely adventure oriented than Comet, Sun’s unique selling point was the extra-length Billy the Kid lead feature – five or six pages rather than the usual two or three, and almost always a ‘done in one’ story, backed up by, at various times, historical heroes like Robin Hood, Dick Turpin, Ivanhoe and the Prisoner of Zenda. These are averaging Fair – in terms of page quality alone, they are decent, with no damage to the story image area, but sadly there has been major rust at the staples, with almost total erosion in some cases. Nevertheless, affordable gap-fillers.
British Update: Up, Up And Away! Air Ace between #101 and #176 restocked
*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: A small but shiny selection of Air Ace Picture Library, very nice grades, averaging FN and with a handful of VF, around twenty of the second hundred of the well-remembered aviation adventure series. Lots more to come – keep watching the skies!
British Update: Free Gift Farrago! Whizzer & Chips Issues From 1970 and 1975
*Humour Comics: Two rare and unusual Free Gift issues of the long-running humour weekly, each with its original Free Gift. From 1970, W&C’s second year of publication, the 21st February issue came with a ‘Lunar Launcher’ and ‘Splashdown Capsule’ (it being still the height of the Space Race, such matters were very much in the popular consciousness). The comic is FN, with only a trace marking at the upper staple area, but beautiful white pages. The Gift, never opened, is still in its original rubber band. Half a decade later, in 1975, the March 8th issue featured a ‘Superjet Joke Camera’ (a water-squirting joke novelty). This being bulkier than most gifts, and originally stored inside the comic, its long-term presence has caused light creasing in the comic itself, which, though sound, is only VG; the gift itself, however, in the original envelope, is VF. The 21st February 1970 comic & gift combo (FN and VF) is £45; the 8th March 1975 comic and gift combo (VG and VF) is £40.
British Update: Valentine’s Second Coming! The ‘Mod’ Years, Plus Free Gift Farrago
*Girls’ Comics: The venerable Valentine weekly, having trod the same path since its 1957 launch, decided to freshen its image in 1969. Gone were the cover-featured romance strips ‘inspired’ by pop hits, the faux-celebrity endorsement mugshots, and the familiar blue & white livery; suddenly, it was soft-focus cover photos of girls or couples, a huge influx of problem pages and fashion & make-up features, and the pop emphasis shifted from strip stories to articles and pin-ups – but the romance strips were still there, albeit in a trendier style. More than 40 issues of Valentine from 1970 to 1974 this week, featuring an ever-changing array of media obsessions, from Robert Powell, Star Trek and Herman’s Hermits, through Bowie, Bolan and Slade, and culminating in David Cassidy, Michael Jackson, and far too many Osmonds. Depicted is the Free Gift issue from 27th April 1974, in extraordinary VF with the free gift – 2 Pretty Hairslides – also in VF and ready to wear! Comic and gift yours for £20 – details on all other issues in our online catalogue!
Shop Update: Basement closed Wednesday 24th July
Due to maintenance work in our basement on Wednesday 24th July, we regret that there will no public access to our more modern American stock, the vast majority of our British stock and other categories on display in our basement area on that date. We should be back to normal by lunchtime on Thursday 25th July. If you’re planning a visit to our shop, please take this into account to avoid disappointment; the shop ground floor will be open as usual throughout this period.
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 section:
*Marvel A – C
*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics
and in our British section:
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics A – E
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.
What’s Old: Just William – Trouble in Trousers
Well, William is the eternal schoolboy and will never be old, but to celebrate the onset of the school holidays, one of William’s favourite times of the year, we’re featuring the enduring works of Richmal Crompton in our previously listed stock slot this week. Our current stock comprises thirteen volumes (ten unique with three duplications) all with dustjackets (protected by removable archival film) of the adventures of the irrepressible William Brown as chronicled by Richmal Crompton. These editions date from 1949-1967 and although there are no first editions amongst them, they all feature the classic cover art of Thomas Henry and are favourably priced between £10 and £30 each. William, the eternal naughty but loveable schoolboy, is a personal favourite here at 30th Century and his stories are possibly even more amusing when read as an adult than as a child — I’ve done both! No doubt William Brown provided the inspiration for the character Adam in Terry Pratchett’s and Neil Gaiman’s ‘Good Omens’. For those on a budget, we also have a strong representation of paperback editions from sundry publishers. See our Childrens Books category for full details.
Brtish Update: Return To The Thirteenth Floor! Collected Cult Strip From Scream Back In Print
*Collected Editions: We welcome back volume 1 of The Thirteenth Floor, revolving around a housing estate called Maxwell Towers, and the AI who runs it, a computer named Max, who’s very good to his tenants… unless they start behaving badly, in which case Max’s punishments for delinquency beat the heck out of ASBOs! This slender concept proved hugely popular with the readers of Scream! and Eagle Mk. II. The creative team of John Wagner, Alan Grant and Jose Ortiz (with occasional guests) provide ironic twist-ending comeuppances a’plenty for various malfeasants. Until recently out of print, this paperback collection is now back in stock, brand new at £15.
American Update: Batmania continues: Batman #222 – Batman and Robin Meet The Beatles (kind of…)
*DC: 1970’s Batman #222 tapped into a then-recent real-life rumour that Paul McCartney, of the iconic Beatles, had been killed and replaced by a lookalike to keep the royalties coming. In this issue, Batman & Robin meet ‘Saul Cartwright’ of the super-group ‘The Oliver Twists’, who present a suspiciously similar dilemma to the world! How does it all turn out? Hey, buy the book and find out! This slice of psychedelic era nostalgia is a bright and sharp VF+ cents copy with no pence price or overstamp and can be yours for £175. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Who Watches The Watchmen? First issue of Ground-Breaking Moore/Gibbons Classic
*DC: One of the stories which redefined the concepts of comics narrative and superheroic iconography in the 1980s, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen has been constantly in print since its 1986 debut, with myriad editions, collections and archives, but this is the original premier issue of the series which set comics fandom and the industry alight. Often imitated – frequently to the detriment of the medium – but never equalled. This first issue is Near Mint: sharp edges & corners, tight staples at cover and centrefold, and, owing to the more expensive paper stock used in its production, bright white interiors with vivid unfaded colour. Watchmen #1 NM £80.
American Update: Mystery In Space #75 – Adam Strange Meets the Justice League of America
*DC: In the comic jokingly referred to as Justice League of America #3.5, but in reality Mystery In Space #75, Kanjar Ro, arch-nemesis of the Justice League, tackles Adam Strange AND the JLA, giving readers a chance to see the World’s Greatest Super-Heroes as rendered by the stellar artistic combination of Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson. Adam Strange’s interstellar adventures are a big favourite here at 30th C., and writer Gardner Fox’s addition of the JLA to the mix made many a fannish heart beat faster back in 1962. Still does, if we’re honest. This is a lovely copy; graded FN+ because of light tanning at the page edges and very light wear at spine and top edge, but beautiful cover colour and an unmarred cover scene. FN+ p £65. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Green Lantern Corps #201 – Debut of Kilowog
*DC: Yes, this is a bit modern for our usual parameters. And, while we respect the work of Steve Englehart immensely, this reboot of Green Lantern’s series from a solo to a team title, with a selection of Hal’s fellow Corps members – while perfectly competent, it’s not generally regarded as Englehart’s best. But in addition to spotlighting previously-introduced Corps members Katma Tui, Arisia, Salaak, Ch’p and John Stewart, this also introduced Kilowog, who’s gone on to be a popular and long-serving member of the Corps in various iterations, and made his movie debut in the GL feature film many would rather forget. Nevertheless, even that fleeting fame has apparently made Kilowog’s debut a bit of a ‘thing’, so… here we are. Issue #201, first under ‘Green Lantern Corps’ title, first appearance Kilowog, NM cents copy £40. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Tabloid Madness! All-New, Famous First and Limited Collectors’ Editions, including Batman/Ra’s Al Ghul Epic
*DC: All three iterations of DC’s various tabloid series are represented in our latest update. All-New Collectors’ Edition, C-62, tells of the making of ‘Superman – the Movie!’; Famous First Editions F-4 reproduces, cover to cover, the entirety of Whiz Comics #2, first appearance of Captain Marvel/Shazam!; and the cream of this crop, Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-51, gathers the entire Batman/Ra’s Al Ghul saga in one 76-page tabloid juggernaut. Not only does the artwork of Neal Adams look stunning at the larger page size, but Adams also provided a brand-new wraparound cover for this edition! C-51 is VG+ at £20; details on the others in our online catalogue. SORRY, PICTURED ITEM NOW SOLD
American Update: DC Silver/Bronze Sweep
*DC: A nice run through the DC Silver & Bronze Age universe this week, with new additions to the following titles: Crisis On Infinite Earths, Detective Comics, Hawkman (#2), Lois Lane (several, inc #71 2nd Silver Age Catwoman, Annual #2), Shazam (several inc #2, 100 page #8 and #25 with the first comics appearance of the Mighty Isis FN- £25), Superboy & the Legion of Super-Heroes (##226 1st Dawnstar), Swamp Thing (#7 with Batman) and Watchmen (#2). All now listed in our catalogue.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: ‘This Female Fights Back!’ – Ms Marvel #1 from 1977
*Marvel: Ms Marvel, spinning out of Captain Marvel, former background character Carol Danvers got her own set of super-powers and a whole new supporting cast (including new boss J. Jonah Jameson) as she attempted to discover the mystery behind her own origins. Although moderately successful, the series was attacked by critics who derided Carol’s derivative costume, which made her look like Captain Marvel’s sidekick, and the fact that Marvel were offering a ‘powerful, confident’ heroine who suffered from blackouts and amnesia. Despite these jibes, Ms Marvel has been a prominent member of the Marvel Universe for nearly forty years in one guise or another – whether as Ms Marvel, Binary, Warbird, or most recently the latest Captain Marvel, her chequered history has provided many intriguing plotlines. With the Captain Marvel movie, starring Carol Danvers, being a blockbuster hit worldwide, early appearances of the character are hotting up. This copy of Carol’s first solo flight is a cents copy, VF/NM at £115.
American Update: Spider-Mania continues: Venom & Carnage – Unleashed
*Marvel: A selection of Spider-Man issues featuring everybody’s favourite cuddly brain-eating symbiotes, Venom and Carnage! We open with #315, co-featuring ‘hot new villain’ Hydro-Man, as seen on the big screen in ‘Spider-Man: Far from Home’. Moving on, we have #316 and #317, where Venom takes centre stage with well-regarded Todd McFarlane covers; #361 sees the expansion of the ‘Venom Family’, with the premier of Carnage, and his follow-ups in #362 & #363; the anniversary issue #375 pits Venom against Spidey in a shiny n’ thick special edition, and we conclude with #379, mid-‘Maximum Carnage’, with Venom and Carnage and Demogoblin and Doppelganger and for all we know, the Four Marys thrown in there too! Illustrated: #315 NM p £25, #316 NM- p £50, and #361 FN+ p £50. For details on the rest, look in our online listings.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: Debut of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, in Special Marvel Edition #15
*Marvel: One of Marvel’s most successful attempts at diversifying their line in the 1970s was their cash-in on the Martial Arts craze, with Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu! His inauspicious debut in Special Marvel Edition, a series previously devoted to reprints, indicated that there wasn’t much faith in Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin’s co-creation, but readers took him to their collective hearts, and more than 100 issues ensued, with a star roster of creators including Doug Moench, Gene Day and Paul Gulacy. Here, however, was where it all started, in Special Marvel Edition #15, December 1973, with the Son of Fu Manchu discovering his villainous heritage, and setting out to oppose his father. This copy of Shang-Chi’s debut is an attractive FN-, with unbroken cover colour, tight staples, and only light spine and edge wear. Shang-Chi is now in line for a big screen debut – Marvel doubtless hoping to repeat the ‘outsider’ successes of Black Panther and Captain Marvel – so this debut will only increase in price. Never distributed in the UK, and therefore doubly sought after, on these shores, this FN- copy is on sale at £125. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: Captain Marvel in Marvel Super-Heroes #12
*Marvel: One of the forerunners of the ‘second wave’ of the Marvel Universe in 1968 was Captain Marvel, warrior of the mighty Kree Empire, which had featured in the Fantastic Four and elsewhere. Exiled on Earth and forced to live among humans, Mar-Vell found his loyalties strangely shifting. Originally created as a cynical exercise in copyright protection (a minor publisher had produced a short-lived ‘Captain Marvel’ series a couple of years before, and Marvel Comics didn’t want their ‘brand’ hijacked by another company!), Captain Marvel, as well as the Silver Surfer, expanded the Marvel Universe beyond the confines of Earth and put the Marvel heroes firmly on the cosmic stage. We have the good Captain’s premier appearance in Marvel Super-Heroes #12 new in, in an attractive VG+ cents copy, with very light wear at both lower cover corners, but tight, flat and clean with considerable eye appeal. On sale at £55.
American Update: Iron Man #1 – Shell-Head’s First Solo Flight
*Marvel: After a long run as the co-star of Tales of Suspense, Iron Man was given his own title in 1968, when the ‘Berlin Wall’ of Marvel’s distribution came down, and they were allowed to expand their range of titles. New in this week, a copy of Iron Man’s first solo issue, with Gene Colan’s hyperkinetic art driving the drama onward! This is a FA p copy, with notable wear at edges and corners, but the predominant drawback is light ink staining at the top cover, which has penetrated to the inside front cover, though mercifully not to the interior pages. Other than that, it would be a sound mid-grade copy, and given Iron Man’s pivotal status in the Marvel Universe, both Comic and Cinematic, this becomes a very affordable key issue. FA p £50. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: The Many Faces of Luke Cage – Hero For Hire, Power Man, and Iron Fist’s co-star
*Marvel: Introduced in 1972 as a rather cheeky cash-in on the then-popular ‘Blaxploitation’ fad, Luke Cage turned out to have a surprising longevity and adaptability, moving from outcast street-level mercenary to mainstream super-hero, to co-star of a ‘buddy movie’ series with Iron Fist – and by whatever subtitle, Luke remains one of Marvel’s more popular characters, as evidenced by his recent Netflix TV series. This update, we have around forty issues newly listed, ranging from #2 to #87, with highlights including the debuts of his TV nemeses Black Mariah (#5) and Cottonmouth (#19), his transition from Hero For Hire to Power Man (#17), the debut of Black Goliath (#24), his first meeting with Iron Fist (#48), and the second ever appearance of Sabretooth (#66). Depicted is #19 (NM £57), an outstanding ND copy of a villainous debut.
American Update: Daredevil #158 – Frank Miller’s Run Begins
*Marvel: With #158, the, let’s be honest, creatively moribund Daredevil series got an influx of talent, as Frank Miller took over the artwork, and the title was restored to its heyday of visual excitement. This issue was springboard for the later critically-acclaimed run by Miller as writer/artist. (Once, cuckoo-like, he had gotten scripter Roger McKenzie removed from the book!) This copy of Daredevil #158 is a VF+ pence copy, with only the tiniest of irregularities at the top cover edge preventing a higher grade; on sale at £65.
American Update: Born To Run! Complete 7-issue Logan’s Run Set, with early Thanos Vs. Drax Story
*Marvel: In 1977, Marvel produced one of their myriad film adaptations, this one taken from the Michael York-starring movie based, in turn, upon the science-fiction ageist dystopia novel by Nolan & Johnson, which had acquired a cult status since its publication in 1967. The adaptation, scripted by Gerry Conway (later David Kraft) and illustrated by then-noob George Perez, was faithful to the movie, and well done. Things took a bit of a dip creatively with issue #6, when, going ‘beyond the movie’, the chores were handed to a clearly unenthusiastic John Warner and Tom Sutton, but a back-up in #6 – a short story, unconnected to Logan’s Run, featuring a clash between Thanos and Drax the Destroyer – has pushed up the price of that issue, for reasons obvious to anyone who’s gone to the movies in the last half-decade. We have the set of seven issues, averaging NM, all cents copies, available for £50; pictured is issue #6 NM.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts! Where Stalk… The Sentinels! Debut of Iconic Villains in X-Men #14
*Marvel: The implacable robotic Sentinels, nemeses of the X-Men, have loomed large in the history of Marvel’s Mutant Heroes, making multiple appearances, each more fearsome than the last. The creations of a man determined to expunge the mutant genome from humanity, they emphasise the X-Men’s ‘otherness’, which is why they resonate so strongly with the readership – and in a world where fascism seems sadly to be coming back into fashion, they’re more relevant than ever! This is the first appearance of the Sentinels, an apparent FN p copy, with vivid unfaded red background and only very minor wear at spine, but a subtly trimmed right edge, not affecting the story pages. Priced to shift at £50. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD
American Update: Strike While the Iron Man’s Hot! – Catalogue Expansion up to #225
*Marvel: Continuing our Catalogue Expansion, we now have added issues of Iron Man’s original series from the #150’s to #225 to our lists. This run began with the A-list team of Michelinie and Layton doing sterling work on the Golden Avenger, and closed with the commencement of one of his most popular and best loved story arcs of the era, ‘Armor Wars’. Most famously, however, this era introduced a new Iron Man – James Rhodes, later War Machine, who took over the Iron Man role when Tony was ‘tried and emotional’; and the debut of a villain, the Ghost, who would materialise on the silver screen (as a villainess) in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’, decades later. #169 (1st Rhodey as Iron Man cameo) is NM p £25; #170 (first ‘Full Rhodey’) is NM £22.50 and #219 (1st Ghost) is NM p £30. Details on the remaining additions in our catalogue.
American Update: Marvel’s First Family, the Fantastic Four
*Marvel: A chunky update to our stocks of Fantastic Four this week between issues #81 and #200, plus Annual and Giant-Size. Highlights include #94 (debut of Agatha Harkness VF- £30), #112 (classic Hulk Vs Thing cover VG £30) and Giant-Size #4 (1st Madrox the Multiple Man GD+ £9).
American Update: Let’s Rap with Cap — going cheap…
*Marvel: A much needed update to our stocks of Captain America, this time between issues #101-159, several issues in low, very affordable grades, which won’t hang around for long! Details as always in our catalogue.
American Update: Classic and ‘New Trend’ EC’s Restocked – Impact, Piracy, Shock & Two-Fisted
*EC: Although best remembered today for its horror, crime and sci-fi titles, EC, after being attacked by censorious cretins in the 1950s, retrenched with a series of ‘New Trend’ titles, spotlighting different genres, still with the same outstanding stable of artists. Although the ‘New Trend’ series flopped, none of them lasting more than five issues, they remain examples of the pinnacle of comics art from the period. We have a selection of EC’s in this week – from the ‘classic’ line-up, we have additions to Shock SuspenStories and Two-Fisted Tales, and from the ‘New Trend’, new copies of the twist-ending anthology Impact and Piracy – the topic of which should really be obvious. Mostly in mid to low grades, and therefore very affordable. Depicted are Piracy #2 FN/VF at £85 and Shock SuspenStories #17 GD+ £35.
American Update: Amazing Adventures #2 – Pulp-Inspired Sci-Fi with Alex Schomburg & Murphy Anderson Art
*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: Ziff-Davis, originating as a publisher of hobbyist and pulp magazines, flirted with comic books during the 1950s, and one of their more collectable series is Amazing Adventures, a science-fiction anthology, which featured beautifully-painted pulp-style covers. Issue #2 is no exception, with its carefully-designed cover image applicable to at least two of the stories therein. Of the interior tales, one is illustrated by Murphy Anderson – his classic style evident even this early in his career – and another by the cult artist Alex Schomburg, best remembered now for his insanely detailed covers for Marvel/Timely Comics and airbrush covers for Nedor. A tiny upper spine split and some age-related wear at the top edge have caused us to grade this as VG+, but the interiors remain flexible, staples are firm, and the cover image is unimpaired and luridly lovely. #2 VG+ £100.
American Update: Slab Happy! A Triptych of Terror! Tomb of Dracula and Man-Thing, Sealed In Plastic
*Horror/Mystery 1960-1980s: Our Slab Happy update this week takes a dip into Marvel’s 1970s horror revival, with their award-winning Man-Thing and Tomb of Dracula series. All three are cents copies, and CGC Blue Label (unrestored) copies, immaculate in their – appropriately enough – plastic coffins. Man-Thing #12 is 9.4 (NM) at £25, Tomb of Dracula #6 is 9.0 (VF/NM) at £65 and Tomb of Dracula #51 is 9.4 (NM) at £30. If you’ve ever been slab-curious, here’s an affordable way to start!
American Update: DC, Marvel, EC and… NEC? Vintage heroics and horror revisited in classic cavalcade
*Modern Reprints: After extensive sales in the popular Modern reprints category, we’re delighted to have found a chance to restock with items from the ‘big three’ in this section – and one very special niche! From DC, we have additions to Silver Age Classics (debuts of Flash and Supergirl), Masters of Great Comic Book Art featuring the talents of Frank Frazetta and Berni Wrightson, Wonder Woman Chronicles with Golden Age feminism and bondage, more Wrightson with the Roots of the Swamp Thing mini, and an avalanche of Neal Adams: Green Lantern/Green Arrow, Deadman, Saga of Ra’s Al Ghul and the Batman by Neal Adams TPB. From Marvel, the Marvel Romance TPB featuring art by Buscema, Steranko, Colan, Romita and Warlock Special Edition, featuring Jim Starlin’s ‘cosmic reboot’ of the character and the Tales of Asgard re-issue – Lee & Kirby greatness behind a new Simonson cover! From EC, we have a selection of the 1974 EC Classics reprints, as well as new stocks of the Gladstone series of Crime Patrol, War Against Crime, Psychoanalysis and Panic. And from New England Comics, best remembered as the original publishers of The Tick, a complete run of Tales Too Terrible To Tell (later Terrorology), a cult series which was one of the first to spotlight vintage Pre-Code Horror.