*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Following the success of 1969’s Whizzer & Chips launch, the USP of ‘two comics in one!’ with an inbuilt rivalry proved so popular that publishers IPC/Fleetway went back to the well with Score ‘n’ Roar, two football comics in one – neither of which had existed previously as an independent entity. The rivalry aspect was provided by brothers, ‘Jack of United’ and ‘Jimmy of City’, who played for opposing teams – and in rival halves of the comic! Other strips included young prodigy goalie ‘Peter the Cat’, supernatural striker ‘Phantom of the Forest’ and obligatory comedy team of ne’er-do-wells, ‘The Mudlarks’. This copy of Score n’ Roar is an attractive FN, with the original Free Gift – Football League Tables 1970-1971 – VF/NM, not punched out or assembled. Comic and gift together available for £80. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: Commencing a substantial top-up of our Boys’ Picture Library stock, we open with everything pre-Commando: Around a dozen Air Ace from #8 onward, just under 30 Battle commencing with #14, and a small but sought-after selection of Combat from #2 up. Backing these up are smaller updates of one or two copies of shorter-run series; Action War, Attack, and Battleground.

*Girls’ Comics: Not the first girls’ weekly comic, but the longest-lasting and best-remembered, Bunty stands as the definitive go-to destination for generations of girls, for stories of ballerinas, equestriennes, orphans, cripples, crippled orphans, and plucky schoolgirl sportspeople who were very often blind crippled orphans into the bargain! Following our acquisition of Bunty #1 – which has already left the building, sorry folks – we’re following up with a Bumper Bonanza of Bunty back issues! This week, we add approximately 250 new copies to our listing from 1958 (the first year of publication, commencing with issue #6) and ending – for now – with #415, the Christmas 1965 issue. But don’t despair – if you just can’t get enough Bunty (and who can?), the Bonanza will continue in the near future!

Another batch of vintage goodies at a rock bottom price! Between 1909 and 1953, we have 12 comics of humour and adventure in a mixture of grades, featuring the following titles:
Boys’ Herald (1909), Larks (1929), Tip Top (1953), Wild West Weekly (1938) and 8 issues of Wonder from 1947-1952. On offer for just £10. These fit into a medium envelope weighing less than half a kilo. UK postage if required would be an extra £5.50.

This week, our previously listed spotlight falls on the earliest issue of Amazing Spider-Man we currently have in stock. In the appropriately-numbered thirteenth issue, Peter Parker’s costumed alter ego faced one of his most baffling foes: Mysterio, whose inexplicable feats bordered more on the supernatural than the super-powered, and brought Spidey close to the edge of insanity. Steve Ditko’s artwork here brought a touch of his imagination from Doctor Strange to Spidey’s more urban environment, and from the visual evidence, Sturdy Steve was having great fun making both worlds collide! This debut issue of one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains is a beautiful FN/VF copy, pence priced, with unmarred white-background cover image, vivid colour, good cover gloss, and beautiful, flexible, cream-coloured interior pages. Tight edges and corners, firm staples at cover and centrefold, a lovely vintage item. On sale at £460.

*DC: A lovely selection of vintage Batman issues from 1953 & 1954. Issue #79 features the greatest menace ever to Batman’s career, as intrepid photographer Vicki Vale drags him to the altar in “The Bride of Batman!”, plus “Batman – Gang Boss!” and “The Batman of Yesterday!” This is a lovely bright copy which would grade higher except for a vertical cover crease. GD at £75. Issue #80 features the Batman’s greatest enemy in “The Joker’s Movie Crimes!”, plus “Dick Grayson’s Nightmare!” and the cover-featured “Machines of Menace!”. This is FA/GD, with some erosion at bottom right cover edge, at £65. Finally, issue # 82 brings us “The Flying Batman!”, plus “The Man Who Could Change Fingerprints!” and “The Olympic Games of Crime!”. Sound and tight copy, with the only significant defect being a small tear mid-right edge, which penetrates the entire book at margin but does not detract from the stories. GD+ at £85. All three issues have Win Mortimer covers and some interior art (at least two stories per issue) by the innovative Dick Sprang.

*DC: In 1993, the wider world was rocked by the demise of Superman, who perished at the hands of the man-monster named Doomsday. Cynical fans, of course, knew better, fully expecting the Man of Steel’s eventual return, but the media brouhaha was considerable, driving civilians into comics shops in unprecedented numbers. Shortly thereafter, despite a quartet of ‘subs’ arising to take his place, the original Man of Steel returned in Adventures of Superman #500. We have the Deluxe Collectors’ Editions of both Superman #75 (NM £30), and Adventures of Superman #500 (NM £10) back in stock, and both still sealed in the original bag with all the free gift paraphernalia.

*Marvel: A surprising breakout character from the 1990s was Gambit, the Cajun adventurer who aided Storm when she was running around de-aged to a powerless child (as you do), and quickly became a mainstay of the team, mainly due to his Doomed Romance with the untouchable Rogue. Uncanny X-Men #266 presented the first full appearance of Gambit, and we have a very affordable VG+ pence copy of this highly-sought issue new in at £30. Rumours of a Gambit cinematic feature have been on and off for a couple of years now, but appear to be back ‘on’, so buy this now before the speculators get it! SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: A much-needed update to our stocks of everyone’s favourite Barbarian as we top up issues between #14 & #92, plus Annuals and Giant-Size issues. Our stocks of Conan have been much beleagured lately by rampant sales, so we’re particularly relieved to be sending in reinforcements. At the hands of Barry Smith and then John Buscema, this is the definitive comics version of the Cimmerian soldier of fortune.

*Annuals: Dozens of annuals new to our stock in the Humour, TV & Film Related and Boys’ Adventure sub-categories: Knockout, Shiver & Shake and Whizzer and Chips from the 1970s in Humour; Captain Scarlet, Catweazle, Dr Who and TV Century 21 in TV & Film Related; Boys’ World (from 1964-1970), Lion 1954 and Swift (1955 1st and 1960) in Boys’ Adventure. 

*Girls’ Comics: From January 1958, we are pleased to welcome the first issue of the girls’ weekly which came to define the category: Bunty. D C Thomson’s first venture into the girls’ comic market (they had essayed a few story papers for the fairer sex, without conspicuous success) proved to be a smash hit. Granted, at the time of its launch, rivals were scarce – only Odhams’ distaff Eagle, Girl, and the converted story papers from Amalgamated, Girls’ Crystal and School Friend, existed to compete – but Bunty trumped them all, becoming the longest-running of the type, not hanging up her hockey sticks until the early days of the 21st Century. This copy of #1 – only the second we’ve ever had in stock during our 25 years’ trading – features ‘The Four Marys’ (who lasted until the final issue – without ever leaving school!), ‘The Dancing Life of Moira Kent;, ‘Orphan of the Circus’, ‘Parachute Nurse’, and what appeared to be a European import, ‘Bimbo and her Baby’ – which would be a very different strip if it were released these days! It’s an attractive VG-, with clean interiors, tight corners and edges with no fraying or significant wear, and a firm uncreased spine. An exceedingly rare item, it is on sale for £225. 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:
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics (R – S)
*TV & Film Related Comics
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

*TV & Film Related Comics: It’s Long Hot Summer, First Quenchers and Free Gift Farrago all rolled into one!

We’ve been blessed, the last year or so, with some truly extraordinary acquisitions, and this entry is no exception, featuring not one, but several of the Holy Grails of UK comics collecting. Not only do we have the first ever issue of the acclaimed TV Century 21, in a choice of conditions, one with the original free gift – but we also have seven of the six TV Century 21 Specials! How did we manage that? Read on…

Launched in 1965 (but cover-dated 100 years ahead), TV Century 21 combined the huge appeal of Gerry Anderson’s hit sci-fi TV shows (Stingray, Fireball XL5) with the finest comics artists in the UK at the time, such as Ron Embleton and Eric Eden, and a high standard of production values unseen since the launch of the Eagle. Jettisoning the readers into a future of imagination and high adventure, TV Century 21 is one of the most fondly-remembered British comics. We have two copies of issue #1: a VG, with only minimal spine and corner wear, with the original free gift – Secret Agent Identicode – written in by the previous owner, but otherwise GD. Fireball XL5 by Graham Coton, Stingray by Ron Embleton, Lady Penelope by Eric Eden (a full year before Penny’s debut in the Thunderbirds TV show!), The Daleks by Terry Nation and Richard Jennings all begin. This copy is on sale at £400. Our second copy of #1 is an unabashed PR: extensive spine wear, covers almost separated, tape residue on spine, tape on back cover, extensive wear on all page edges, with a small corner missing from the back cover, impinging slightly on the Daleks strip. However, apart from that very minor encroachment on the Daleks, all pages complete and readable. Available for £50.

There were also six TV Century 21 Specials with orginal comics stories, and we’ve scored the full set. Taking them in order of appearance:

1965’s TV Century 21 Stingray Special starred the eponymous heroes of W.A.S.P., based in Marineville, illustrated by Ron Embleton, backed up by Marina, Girl of the Sea and Oink the Seal. GD (light spine wear) £80. 1965’s TV Century 21 Summer Extra featured Lady Penelope, Stingray and Fireball XL5 among others, with contributing artists Frank Hampson and Ron Embleton. This is a FA copy, considerable spine and edge wear but no interior markings – puzzle pages are often done in copies of this – on sale at £50. 1965’s TV Century 21 International Extra is another Stingray-heavy issue (Stingray was a hit on US TV at the time) but also featured Fireball XL5, Lady Penelope, Supercar and a behind-the-scenes photo feature on the making of the Stingray TV show. Contributing artists include Ron Turner. GD/VG £100.

Moving on to 1966, the second Summer Extra puts the new series Thunderbirds front and centre, with Special Agent 21, Fireball XL5, Stingray, the Munsters and My Favourite Martian singing back-up. VG £100. The 1966 Thunderbirds Extra, to no-one’s surprise, also features International Rescue and their chums, with art by Ron Turner and Brian Lewis, and also featuring The Munsters, My Favourite Martian and Lady Penelope. GD/VG £80. And 1967 saw the TV Century 21 Spring Extra, also starred the Thunderbirds, with a strong emphasis on Zero X, the virtual co-star of the Thunderbirds movie (and what Anderson hoped would be a ‘Stealth pilot’ for a Zero X TV series). Artwork by Brian Lewis and Ron Turner. VG £100.

But wait, didn’t we say seven out of six TV Century 21 Specials? Why yes – because while not a comic special, 1966’s Thunderbirds Are Go!, released to tie-in with the premiere of the Thunderbirds movie, featured extensive photos, (b & w and colour), cast list, behind-the-scenes, synopsis and more of International Rescue’s venture onto the silver screen! This highly sought after piece of cinematic memorabilia is FN/VF at £70.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg, as we brace ourselves for a mammoth restock of all things TV Century 21 related in the weeks to come – F.A.B.!

SORRY, ALL NOW SOLD EXCEPT THE FREE GIFT ISSUE #1

*DC: At the height of ‘Batmania’ in the 1960s, with the Batman TV series sweeping the US, it was decided that one thing was missing: girl appeal! A new character was brainstormed to engage female viewers, and she made her first appearance, not in the show, but in Detective Comics #359, dated January 1967! A-list team Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino and Sid Greene brought us Barbara Gordon, mild-mannered librarian, who accidentally gets drawn into the world of crime-fighting through a chance encounter with Killer Moth, and becomes the Batgirl! Both as Batgirl, and for a long time as the inspirational character Oracle, Barbara Gordon has become an integral part of the fabric of the DC Universe, and her first appearance is now seldom seen in any grade, let alone one this appealing. This copy of Detective #359 is FN+, pence-stamped in upper right corner. Firm staples at centrefold and cover, minimal wear at bottom cover edge, excellent interior page quality, and a highly desirable copy of a ‘rising key’, as some of our American chums call it. FN+ p £500. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*DC: A decent top-up to two of DC’s longest running titles, Action Comics & Adventure Comics. Action starts with #289, featuring the first Adult Legion of Super-Heroes story, then skips to a nice run from the 1970s, from #393 to #445, with Superman, Supergirl, Aquaman, Atom, the Human Target, Green Arrow and others. Adventure starts with the Legion in #369 (1st Mordru), then has a run  of the Supergirl series (with the Legion, Animal Man, Hawkman, Zatanna and others), finishing off with a couple of Spectre issues in #432 & #435. Many gaps in our inventory filled!

*Marvel: Following the mammoth success of Venom, Marvel tried to make the lightning strike twice by introducing yet another symbiotic murderous villain into the Spider-Man universe – and, against all odds, succeeded, as Carnage proved every bit as popular as his ‘daddy’ Venom! Amazing Spider-Man issues #361 to #363 brought us “The Carnage Trilogy”, featuring the premier appearance and first major story arc of, well, you know who, one of the major villains of the Marvel Universe. #361 is NM p at £65, #362 NM/M p £15 and #363 NM p £12.50. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Modern Reprints: Some nice additions to our stock of classic DC reprints this week. The Golden Age is represented by Volumes 1 & 2 of the Shazam Archives, featuring the original Captain Marvel, the Silver Age by the Supergirl Archives Volumes 1 & 2, featuring the debut and earliest adventures of the Girl Of Steel from Action Comics, and the Bronze Age by Showcase Volumes 1 & 2 of the Phantom Stranger, reprinting the 1970s series of the mystic mystery man who journeys with those whose lives need him most. Archive editions are hardback and full colour, Showcase editions are black and white and softcover. Full details of these (and the rest of our range) in our catalogue. 

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Another romp for the iconic space pilot Dan Dare and his chums as we unleash a complete Volume 7 of classic Eagle into our stock boxes, all issues present including the Christmas issue, mostly in GD grade, a few better, a few worse.

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:
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics (E – Q)
*Humour Comics
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

Our previously listed spotlight this week falls on X-Men #4, in which Wanda, everybody’s favourite Scarlet Witch, appeared for the first time as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants! The crimson-clad conjuress (though erroneously depicted as a Emerald Empress on this very cover) has been a mutant and a mage, an X-Man and an Avenger, a hero and a villain, and a bunch of other stuff besides, including being the alleged offspring of a bewildering variety of people as new writers take over. But however many retcons she endures, she remains one of Marvel’s most popular leading ladies. This issue, of course, saw the premier appearances of a few other folks as well: the super-swift Quicksilver, for many years Wanda’s brother but now maybe not (long story, Google if you’re bothered), Mastermind, the Toad, and indeed the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants itself! It’s an extremely attractive FN+ p copy with vibrant, deep, unfaded cover colour, and only very fine stress lines at the spine. On sale for £500.

*DC: Among the rarer Silver Age treasures are the pre-distribution, early appearances of Flash in the DC try-out title Showcase. We don’t have issue #4, his first appearance, but we do have the second, third and fourth ever appearances of the Vizier of Velocity for your delectation! Showcase #8, the second Flash appearance, also features the debut of his arch-nemesis, Captain Cold; this copy is FA/GD, generally sound but with one slender triangular piece (just over 3 & a quarter inches in length, about 1/3 rd of an inch at deepest point) missing from the upper cover edge. A small piece of the missing piece is tucked inside the front cover. Issue #13, the Flash’s third appearance and the premiere appearance of the nefarious Mr. Element, may be charitably described as ‘well-read’; PR, all pages intact and readable, but with an extremely faded cover, some edge wear to interior pages, small pieces missing from cover at lower left and right corners and mid-right edge, and a detached cover taped back on. With issue #14, Mr. Element was back post-makeover as Dr. Alchemy, commencing a lengthy criminal career in his new guise. This copy is an apparent GD, but does have unusually heavy colour touches throughout the cover – though, to be fair, these are not immediately obtrusive to the naked eye. The early appearances of the Flash are almost never seen in the UK – seldom, worldwide – and while we have of course have taken the low-to-mid grades of these items into account, they have also been priced with consideration of their extreme rarity: #8 FA/GD £475; #13 PR £75 and #14 App. GD £140. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Marvel: Despite the many issues of Amazing Spider-Man which have passed through our hands in the last quarter century, we’re always thrilled when an early copy by the ‘real’ Spidey artist, Steve Ditko, comes into our possession, and seldom more so than by this week’s acquisition, the second ever issue of Amazing Spider-Man, featuring the debut of one of his most enduring enemies, the villainous Vulture! Despite his physically frail appearance, the airborne pensioner has survived numerous deaths, remodels, and replacements by younger counterparts, and is still flying high today. This issue also features the premier appearance of the Terrible Tinkerer – no, really – who while less persistent than the Vulture, is still an occasional player in the Spidey mythos. This copy of issue #2 is a highly attractive VG+; staples firm with minor stress at upper, a minute hint of Marvel chipping at the right cover edge, beautiful interior pages only just off-white, vivid unmarred cover colour. A pence stamped copy, this is a truly remarkable example for its vintage. On sale at £700. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: Given that his debut had been in 1966, it was surprising that Marvel waited until 1974 to give the Black Panther his own shot at a solo series, but that omission was rectified when T’Challa took over the Jungle Action title, which had foundered under the weight of 1950s reprints. Issue #6 saw the debut of a new series of Black Panther adventures (an edited reprint of a T’Challa-heavy Avengers issue had filled #5), set in his native Wakanda, and introducing a plethora of new supporting characters – many of whom were used in the recent Black Panther cinematic blockbuster! One such example was Killmonger, the primary nemesis in the recent BP flick, who made his very first appearance in this issue. This copy of Jungle Action #6 – one of several never distributed in the United Kingdom – is FN+ cents, a highly attractive copy which would grade higher but for a tiny chip out of the bottom right cover corner and a very slight crease in the upper left cover. On sale at £60. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: One of the phenomena of the last decades 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 six-issue mini-series spawned many, many crossover issues and two direct sequels plus a score of add-ons, but this is the original epic which started it all, written by Starlin and illustrated by George Perez and Ron Lim. This series has been hugely popular ever since its inception, but with Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet at the centre of the forthcoming Avengers/Guardians of the Galaxy cinematic crossover, demand for them is at its height. Infinity Gauntlet #1 is NM p £35; details on the others may be found in the Marvel Comics section of our online catalogue. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*War: A blast from the Big Two in this impressive update, including from DC: Captain Storm (#1 & #8 with grey-tone cover) and  Sgt Rock in Our Army At War inc #280 (Giant) and from Marvel: many early issues of Sgt Fury & His Howling Commandos (from #6, inc. #8 with Baron Zemo and 1st Percy Pinkerton, #10 with 1st Skipper (Captain Savage), running all the way up to #110.