*Annuals: A quartet of new additions to the Boys’ Adventure sub-section of our Annuals stock: Marvel Annuals from 1974 and 1977, with the adventures of Spider-Man, iron Man, the Hulk and company; Vulcan Annual from 1977, a softcover compilation of classic adventure strips including Trigan Empire, the Spider, Robot Archie and more and star of the update, the rare 1976 Valiant Book of Mystery and Magic, a one-off which, for all intents and purposes, was an annual of the highly-popular ‘Spellbinder’ strip (which actually appeared in Lion, not Valiant, harrumph) with some guest-features, behind a rather splendid new cover by Spellbinder’s co-creator, Geoff Campion. This attractive and scarce item is FN/VF at £35 (pictured).

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: A quartet of Christmas issues from two of the most popular Fleetway/IPC weeklies – Lion (from 1969 and 1972) and Valiant (from 1964 and 1969). Often bought by folks who don’t purchase regular issues, the Christmas issues are always popular, so now’s a good chance to get a head start on the festive fun! SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Humour Comics: The veteran DC Thomson humour weekly, Beano, is the focus of our Long Hot Summer event this week, with a spectacular array of oversized Specials dating from 1965 onwards. Following the success of 1963’s Dandy-Beano Summer Special, it was decided to give both titles their solo Specials, launching what became a British institution for generations. We open our Beano selection with 1965’s Summer Special, the second Beano solo, in a very attractive VG condition; minor spine and corner wear, but sound and clean pages with no creasing, stains, scribbles or discolouration. We then have a consecutive run from 1966 to 1977, in affordable grades ranging from FA to VG/FN, a shorter consecutive run from 1979 to 1982, and a final selection from the turn of the century, 1998 through to 2002, in higher grades averaging VF. Depicted is the star of this update, Beano Summer Special 1965, VG £65, but rest assured, there’s affordable Summer fun and frolics with Little Plum, the Three Bears, Billy Whizz and all the gang in our online catalogue listings!

*Girls’ Comics: The distaff version of Eagle, Girl echoed the themes of adventure and patriotism, albeit in a slightly fluffier way: Wendy and Jinx led the inevitable boarding school stories, while Jacky visited various stars for gushing interviews. Most issues included a royal portrait of some sort, or failing that, fluffy kittens. We’ve just added many issues from Volume 2 and Volume 3 to our stock, which previously consisted of just two issues from that period. Volume 2 extended to more than 60 issues to bring the volume numbering into line with years, so it includes two Christmas issues (1952 and 1953). There are also two Coronation issues (pictured is the second one).

*DC: Having quite startlingly revitalised the moribund Jimmy Olsen title with #133, writer/artist Jack Kirby took it up a notch by introducing Darkseid, the fiendish ruler of the hell-world Apokolips, in the very next issue. It was only a fleeting cameo – Darkseid’s image flashes up on a monitor screen while Facetiming with Morgan Edge – but it’s nevertheless the first appearance of the villainous fulcrum of the entire Fourth World Saga, and as such is commanding insane prices right now. Our new copy of Jimmy #134 has minor spine creasing, multiple light pressure marks which do not impair the Neal Adams cover image, and a small diagonal crease in the lower right cover corner. Tight staples, and interior pages which, while clean and flexible, are just a tiny bit beige. Nevertheless, clean and sound and a relatively affordable copy of a zooming-up key debut. VG/FN p £85. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: With Jolly Jack Kirby leaving the art chores of the X-Men after issue #11, Stan Lee realised he had to crank up the excitement to keep readers’ attention, and he certainly achieved it with this dynamic story introducing one of the X-Men’s (and the broader Marvel Universe’s) most powerful opponents, the Juggernaut! Cain Marko, the hitherto unsuspected step-brother of the X-Men’s mentor Professor Xavier, dabbled with arcane forces and was transformed into the embodiment of an irresistible force – giving him the power to crush his hated step-sibling, and his super-powered students! This FN- p copy of a major character’s debut has extremely faint breaks in the cover edge & spine colour, but the cover scene is entirely unimpeded, with the vivid red background entirely unfaded. Juggernaut’s re-entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with ‘Deadpool 2’ has once again piqued interest in this character. X-Men #12 FN- p £265. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: The seventeenth issue of Marvel’s First Family saw our heroes waving goodbye to Ant-Man before being embroiled in another revenge scheme of their arch-enemy Victor Von Doom, involving Alicia’s walking in the air, individually-tailored sinister death-traps and… goofy inflatable balloons? Fast-paced action and adventure all the way in this Lee/Kirby classic, with each of the team getting a chance to show off their individual prowess. This is a VG p copy, very minor wear and slight diagonal creases at the lower right cover corner, available for £75. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: Atlas, and its predecessor Timely, was well known for having an eye on popular trends, and being the first not only to bandwagon-jump but also unafraid to try every off-beat genre they could think of. This week, we pay tribute to that diligence with a quartet of miscellaneous – some of them very miscellaneous – oddball titles, three of whom began as Timely rather than Atlas series. 1953’s Bible Tales For Young Folk was an attempt at a ‘worthy’ comic to counter prevailing criticism of the medium, retelling Christian myths – sorry, fables – with often quite beautiful illustrations. During the 5-issue run, Jerry Robinson, Joe Maneely, Fred Kida, Syd Shores, Sid Greene and Bill Everett were all contributors to this advertisement-free anomaly. Girl Comics was a counterpart to Man Comics, tales of true-to-life adventure and daring with female central characters. It began in 1948 as a straight romance series, but from #5 to #12 tried to tap into the ‘Nancy Drew’ demographic, before falling back into the safe love route with #13 and a title change to Girl Confessions. 1949’s Little Lenny was one of a multitude of ‘mischievous kid’ strips, and… no, that’s all I got. Moving on, our final entry here is the 1949-launched Sport Stars, which changed its title to Sports Action from #2, originally real-life biographies of contemporary (then) and historical sporting figures and their achievements, which later branched out into sport-themed thriller fiction. Illustrated are Bible Tales for Young Folk #2 VG £27, and Sports Action #14 FN £49.

*War: While many of the Atlas war titles focused on gore and violence – understandably, given the subject matter – there was often an undertone of sarcasm and black humour in series like Combat Casey and post-Code, when excesses of violence were prohibited, the editors creatively tried to parley this into a sub-genre which might be termed ‘funny war’ – stories set in the wartime milieu, but focusing on humour. An early experiment was Devil-Dog Dugan – primarily all-action, but with a comedic twist – while others were basically military sitcoms such as Sailor Sweeney and Sergeant Barney Baxter – the latter of whom was blatantly TV’s Sgt. Bilko with the serial numbers filed off! Our new war selection showcases the softer, chucklesome side of bloody combat, with Devil-Dog Dugan #1-3, Sailor Sweeney #14, Sergeant Barney Baxter #1-3, and Tales of the Marines #4, which is basically leftovers from what would have been Devil-Dog’s fourth issue. John Severin brought the humorous style he used to good effect in Cracked magazine to the covers and occasional interiors of these series. Illustrated here are Devil-Dog Dugan #1 VG £30, Sailor Sweeney #14 VG £33 and Sergeant Barney Baxter #3 VG £26. You know where to find details of the rest.

*Marvel UK: For this week’s Spider-Mania update, we jump back across the Atlantic for a UK update! In the 1980s, with circulation a bit shaky, Spider-Man Comics Weekly went through a surprising range of metamorphoses in style and content, but also started adding in a lot more Free Gift issues to lure readers back. Most of these freebies, of course, failed to survive the hands of the original readership, but we have acquired several ‘gifted’ issues between #438 and #635, plus Spider-Man and Zoids (aka Spider-Man Series II) #1. Highlights include #438 FN with Free Gift – Spider-Man Mask FN £15, #450 VF with Free Gift (Spider-Boomerang (?)) VF £20 and #554 FN with Free Gift (Magic Flyer) VF at £15. All of those trophies are depicted below, but for the remaining plethora of badges, stickers and transfers, check out our catalogue listings!

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: The various Pearson’s Picture Libraries of the 1950s are popular and fast-selling whenever we get them, keenly-sought despite their eclectic and baffling numbering system, and the Western Picture Library is no exception, each issue starring one of a rotating series of protagonists in a complete 64-page comics adventure. We have a small number of issues new in, beginning with #1 (Mustang Gray and the Texas Rangers, GD £25 pictured) and a smattering of other numbers to #24, variously featuring Jim Bridger Mountain Man, Jim Bowie, Buffalo Bill and that Mustang Gray man again!

*Humour Comics: New stock for the two pillars of DC Thomson’s humour empire, Beano and Dandy from the 1970s. Beano from 1974 (the year in which Dennis the Menace finally ousted Biffo the Bear from the cover spot) and 1976, and Dandy from 1976. Biffo, Dennis, Korky, Minnie, Dan, Little Plum and all the gang await!

When the venerable story paper Wizard was laid to rest in 1962, publishers DC Thomson let the title lie fallow for several years before relaunching the title in 1970, with a new #1 and a higher comic-strip content. Among the newer features were ‘Soldiers of the Jet Age’, ‘Scrappy – A Boy All Alone’, ‘Trooper Bo-Peep, He’s After A Sheep’ (file under the heading: ‘You’d never get away with that these days’), ‘Cool Kragg the Team Maker’, ‘The Voice That Ran The Rangers’, ‘Out of the Ice He Came’, ‘Slave of the Ring (Boxing ring, in case you thought that sounded a bit girly), and a comic-strip biography of George Best, which we suspect even then would have had to be quite severely bowdlerised for junior consumption. This is a decent copy of the debut issue, graded VG, minor cover wrinkling but no creasing, clean interiors, on sale at £25. 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 files in our British section:
*Marvel UK
*Power Comics
*Collected Editions
*Magazines/Books About Vintage UK Comics
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

We’re relieved to announce that we have at last received new stock of the archival quality Mylite 2 Silver/Gold size bags/sleeves, which have been out of stock for over two months. These best-selling storage/protection options for your valuable Silver/Gold comics are now available from us again at £16.50 per pack of 50.

*DC: Shrinking super-heroes have always been popular in the medium and a particular favourite here is DC’s Atom (the Silver Age version helmed by Julie Schwartz and beautifully crafted by Gardner Fox and (mostly) Gil Kane and Sid Greene.) Ray Palmer was a scientist who used matter from a white dwarf star to shrink down to microscopic size (as you do) and all sorts of vividly imagined adventures ensued. Schwartz was famous for thinking up covers that the writer had to fit the story around and it’s clear that with the Atom, his imagination ran riot. In this (appropriately) small selection between #9 and #40 (by which time Hawkman had joined the title), we see the Atom clamped to a hand-grenade, inside a futuristic gun, flattened out by an iron and as an exhibit in a butterfly case, amongst many other fates. Issue #19 features a chapter of the famous ‘Zatanna’s Quest’ storyline.

*Marvel: The short-lived ‘showcase’ phase of Marvel Super-Heroes saw the debuts of several interesting ‘pilots’, most of which went nowhere, being a bit too experimental for the period. Among these unadopted concepts was the Guardians of the Galaxy, set in the future of an Earth under the scaly thumb of vicious Badoon invaders, and a rag-tag band of heroes from various planets who formed a resistance movement to liberate the solar system. Created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan, it was stylish and fast-paced, but didn’t ‘take’, and languished for half a decade until fan-turned pro Steve Gerber revived the heroes as supporting characters in Defenders and elsewhere. Since then, they’ve had several successful series with various rosters, as well as a lucrative movie franchise enhanced most recently by their co-starring role in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’. Character turnover means that these Guardians are not the same as the movie version (they’re not Groot!), but this is the debut of the team and the concept. With minimum corner wear and only slight spine ’rounding’, this is a superior upper-mid grade copy for collectors or investors. Buy it now before the next movie causes prices to spike again! MSH #18, in VG+, pence copy, at £75. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: A two-fisted helping of Gamma-infused goodness this week! The first issue of the Hulk’s own title, eccentrically numbered #102, as he assumed the numbering of Tales to Astonish, this was Brucie’s big break, his comeback in his own title 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 the Hulk frolicking with some of Thor’s Asgardian chums. (Bonus points for the appearance of guest-villainess the Enchantress (obviously)). The same year, 1968, saw Jade-Jaws’ first Annual, a 50-page extravaganza by Gary Friedrich and that Severin gal again, in which our not-so-jolly green giant travelled to Attilan and fell out with Black Bolt, leader of the reclusive race of super-beings known as the Inhumans. Needless to say – spoiler alert – wannabe usurper Maximus is behind the hostilities, and assembled his own band of rebel Inhumans to further bedevil our hero, all behind an iconic Steranko cover. Our Hulk #102 is a gorgeous FN grade, pence copy, with only the very faintest creasing around the right and upper edges preventing a still higher grade, on sale at £90. Hulk Annual #1 FN+, pence, with again only very light corner and edge creasing not detracting from the impact of the gorgeous cover image is on sale at £50. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: Of Atlas’ short-lived 1950s revival of their Golden Age Heroes, Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner, was the longest survivor, not necessarily because of sales figures, but because the character had been optioned for a TV series, a potential rival to the hit ‘Sea Hunt’, so Namor’s revival was kept running for ten issues, longer than Cap’s or the Torch’s, to keep the character in the public eye. Ultimately the TV series was never made, but we readers can be grateful, as it meant more stories, beautifully illustrated by Namor’s creator, Bill Everett, than we would otherwise have had. Behind a cover by Joe Maneely, issue #39 brings us have three Sub-Mariner tales – the cover-promised ‘Commie Frogmen’, livened up by a shapely blonde lady as the story’s catalyst, an encounter with an evil hypnotist, and a flashback to Namor’s youth detailing his first meeting with his cousin Namora – in which our male chauvinist hero gets a lesson on who’s the weaker sex! All three Namor stories are superbly illustrated by Everett. This copy has nice interiors, flexible and very presentable, but the cover has several minor flaws. The cover is detached from the lower staple, and adherence to the upper staple is quite frail; there is moderate creasing and wear, and while the cover image is largely unmarked, there are two light long diagonal creases which slightly break the cover colour. In addition, there is a shallow crescent tear missing from the top cover edge. Nevertheless, a clean, respectable copy of one of the iconic heroes, by his original creator at the peak of his artistic prowess. Atlas super-hero issues (of which there aren’t many) are scarce anywhere in any grade, and extremely uncommon here in the UK. We have graded this copy as GD-, and it’s priced at £90. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*War: A spiritual ancestor of Marvel’s Sgt. Fury, Combat Casey was one of the recurring battle characters in Atlas’ war anthologies who proved popular enough to win his own title, commencing with issue #6 (previously ‘War Combat’) in 1953 and winding up with #34 in 1957. Casey was, like many of his brethren, a scourge of the Koreans (or occasionally the Red Chinese, just to mix things up), though the writers seemed to dismiss all Eastern races under the general heading of ‘Commies’, as Casey’s opponents were seen shouting things like the Japanese exclamation ‘Banzai!’. Cultural sensitivity, alas, was decades away. The series commenced Pre-Code, and Casey took full advantage of that, with often extreme levels of violence (under the notorious hand of artist Robert Q Sale), characterised by a very dark humour indeed. We have 28 of the 29-issue run (missing only #25), in conditions ranging from Fair to Fine. In addition to Sale, other contributors include Heath, Maneely and Severin, for a high standard of artwork throughout. Pictured are #13 (FN £50) and #19 (FN £50). For prices and grades on the rest, see our online catalogue.

*Alan Class Reprints: More from five of the Alan Class ‘Big 6’ long-running mystery/sci-fi titles – Astounding Stories, Secrets of the Unknown, Sinister Tales (from #10), Suspense and Uncanny Tales – as well as the one-off Race Into Space from 1961, tapping into the astronomical zeitgeist of the day. As mentioned many times before, the AC titles are a delightful miscellany from a variety of publishers – Atlas/Marvel, ACG, Charlton, Tower, King and others – and you’re as likely to find a Steve Ditko twist-ending shocker in the same issue as a story of Archie’s bizarre version of the Shadow, Charlton’s Captain Atom, a Jack Kirby Big-Panty Monster tale, or an adventure of the Phantom – all categories represented in this selection of titles!

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: In 1979, in the wake of Star Wars and other sci-fi cinematic successes, DC Thomson launched Starblazer, a series of digest-sized, done-in-one SF stories, fast-paced thrillers heavy on the action and light on more than the most superficial characterisation, though as the series progressed, the creators were allowed to vary the formula quite a bit. Of interest to comics historians is the fact that this series saw some of the earliest work by later-acclaimed scripter Grant Morrison – though these were considerably more coherent and linear than his later works are known for being! Morrison scripts in this new influx are issues #127, #167, #177 and #209. We have more than 100 issues new to out listings, from the second issue in 1979 to the antepenultimate number, #279 in 1991.

Yes, it’s that time of year again when our thoughts turn to things that go bump in the night etc. Dr Evilla, aided no doubt by her feline familiars, has brewed up a nasty cauldron of classic horror comic cover images for our Halloween window. Most apt, since we’re bang in the middle of our biggest ever Pre and Post Code Horror Mega-Fest, with new thrills and chills coming your way most every week. The window itself is shown to the right but you can get real up close and personal with our horrors by taking a look at the Gallery below. But… best do it with the light on, eh?

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We turn to a high grade early issue of Marvel’s Merry Mutants for our What’s Old spotlight this week. A staggering array of inventive villains graced the X-Men’s first twenty or so issues.The Vanisher, the Blob, Magneto, Mastermind, the Stranger – each with an unusual twist to their abilities which suited the off-beat atmosphere of our mutant chum’s adventures. One such was Unus, introduced in the X-Men’s eighth issue, a villain who was literally untouchable – any force directed against him would be repelled, meaning that he could commit crimes in plain sight with impunity. Our mutant heroes were stymied, until – ah, but that would be telling! We have a high-grade copy of this Lee/Kirby classic introduction of a major villain, a cents copy with no pence overstamp. White & bright, tight staples at cover and centrefold, sharp edges and corners, vibrant cover colour, with only the very faintest of stress lines around the upper staple area. Unus’s debut (whatever you do, don’t call him ‘Eunice’!) is graded VF+, and can be yours for £330. Front and back covers and splash page illustrated below. High resolution images are available on request.

X-MEN #8 VF+ FRONT

X-MEN #8 VF+ BACK

X-MEN #8 VF+ SPLASH