*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: A few early issues of Savage Sword Of Conan added to our listings, plus a couple of Marvel Super Specials, #2 & #9, featuring Conan.

Our exclusive Alan Class signing session on 7th June was hugely enjoyed by all who attended (especially Alan himself!). Every visitor was able to spend time chatting to Alan about his comics and his time as a publisher, sharing memories of a mutual appreciation of the material he published. Notable among our visitors was Derek Marsden, comics historian and author of ‘Free Gifts In The Big Five’ and ‘This Was The Wizard’.

For those of you unfortunate enough not to be there, we have created a new page linked to the Alan Class page in our Extras section, where you can see both many more photographs of the day (samples below) plus a video interview with Alan.

Just in case you’ve been vacationing on another planet and haven’t heard yet, we’ll be opening specially this coming Sunday from 2-5 pm for our exclusive Alan Class signing event. Alan will be talking about his decades as a comics publisher and signing copies of his comics and Printing Plate Sets. He is a mine of stories and information about comics publication in the UK from the 1960’s to the 1980’s and a very entertaining raconteur, so come along, be entertained and grab yourself a unique piece of comics history!

*DC: We’re always happy to feature Golden Age issues of any famous characters, and none more so than the most iconic heroine in comics: Wonder Woman. This example is #47 from 1951, with three excellent Wonder Woman fantasies: ‘The World Below The North Pole’, ‘Mystery Of The Indian Totem Pole’ and ‘the Bridge From Mars’. in VG+ grade at £125, this copy presents well, with an unmarked cover with minor edge wear, but rich colour and nice page quality. There is a small corner off upper back cover and last (ad) page, but the stories are unaffected by this. A lovely item.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: As if Summer Specials for Lion & Valiant weren’t enough, IPC/Fleetway also saw fit to publish three combined Special Extras from 1968-1970, featuring characters from both titles, such as Robot Archie, Paddy Payne, Zip Nolan, Billy Bunter, Captain Hurricane and many more. These 96 page bumper editions are vanishingly rare, and we hardly ever see them, so we’re pleased to feature a 1969 example in a very presentable VG+ at £70, with no significant defects. Worth grabbing while you’ve got the chance!

*Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror: Our latest update features more fine anthologies, including Imagination Unlimited (edited by Bleily & Dikter), a VG/FN hardcover copy of Again, Dangerous Visions (edited by Harlan Ellison), Universe 2 (edited by Terry Carr; we’re still looking for the first universe), and several annual productions such as Nebula Award Stories 9, New Writings in SF 26 and Best SF Stories From New Worlds 7.

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: Jungle Comics were de rigeur back in the 1940’s, no more so than at Fox Publications, where if there was a bandwagon to jump on, they headed straight for it. But transcending the genre somewhat, Victor Fox produced a brand of schlock adventure, where scantily-clad jungle princesses starred in lurid adventures, often punctuated by scenes of gore, torture and mayhem. Enter Tarzan alike Jo-Jo (so named because he inherited the funny animal title from the first 6 issues of the comic before it was rebranded) and his mate Tanee; #14 featured here is a fine example of the type of thing we’re on about: three stories, two with wickedly seductive villainesses, and one with an English heroine, wherein Jo-Jo bizarrely ends up in Stonehenge. A very presentable VG copy at £85, with some edge wear, nice page quality and other than being off top staple, no significant defects.

*Marvel: Well, colour me crazy, but I never thought I’d be writing that it’s time in our spotlight for Dazzler & the Human Fly, but these once fringe 70’s and 80’s short run titles are really coming into their own now popularity-wise and we’re delighted to feature them here. The disco diva mutant Dazzler first appeared in the Uncanny X-Men, but went on to a very respectable run of 41 issues of her own series, where she did all sorts of tricks with light (and roller skates!) and encountered both the good and bad denizens of the Marvel Universe; we have the first 5 issues in NM back into stock. The Human Fly was ‘The Wildest Super-Hero Ever — Because He’s Real!” as his covers proclaimed. Based on a real-life stunt-man (allegedly), he lasted 19 issues and guest-starred such Marvel Universe stalwarts as Spider-Man, Daredevil & the Ghost Rider; a complete high grade run of all 19 issues just in! A good time to buy before they announce a movie, I bet!

*TV & Film Related Comics: A small number of issues fresh in for many favourite titles in this extremely popular category: Joe 90 #4, Penelope (previously Lady Penelope) #183 from 1969, Marvel UK’s Planet Of The Apes #1 (with poster) & #2, a Tom & Jerry Holiday Special from 1979, a few TV Action, a couple of TV Comic (1961 & 1965) and a TV Tornado with the Mysterons.

*Classics Illustrated: More from both the US and UK divisions of this publisher, with adaptations of timeless novels including Great Expectations, Lorna Doone, Daniel Boone, Call of the Wild, and Around the World in 80 Days. Additionally, this update offers the Classics spin-offs The World Around Us (US) and World Illustrated (UK), as well as a stray copy of the 21st Century UK-based Classics reprints.

*Marvel UK: New stocks of the first series of Captain Britain, in which Claremont and Trimpe gleefully trot out every American’s cliché about the UK, for some truly painful reading. A range of issues from #2 to #37 (Silver Jubilee Special!) back into stock. Plus Daredevils #2, with Moore & Davis’ rather more intelligently produced Captain Britain strip; and the debut of Hulk’s 1979 series (inc. Free Gift), with new material starring Nick Fury, Night Raven, Ant-Man and old Green Genes himself.  Plus, the Complete Fantastic Four from #1 onwards with Free Gifts in #1  and #2, and early issues of Marvel UK’s flagship title, Mighty World of Marvel, from #30 upwards.

*Marvel: The debut of Todd McFarlane’s 1990 Spider-Man series is normally beyond our catalogue remit, but for the Limited Retailer’s Platinum Edition, we’ll make an exception! This extremely limited edition was distributed, one per retailer, as a ‘thank you’ for making the 1990 Spider-Man #1 launch one of the most successful comics debuts to that date. Each issue was also accompanied by a (photocopied) letter from Lou Bank, Director of the Direct Market for Marvel at the time, and this copy retains its letter. This copy is FN+, with only minor pressure marks in the upper right corner (and equivalent upper left on the back cover) indicating it’s had a slight impact somewhere along its career. Nevertheless, a very respectable copy of a genuine rarity, offered at £50. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*DC: A consecutive run of World’s Finest, the Superman/Batman team-up book from the heart of DC’s Silver Age, when the title was at its best from #102-119 (excepting just #106). Some wonderful monster covers, a super-powered Batwoman, a Mr. Mxyzptlk/Bat-Mite team-up, plus the debuts of the villainous Clock King and the lovely Bonnie King, aka Miss Arrowette, a personal favourite here at 30th Century (anyone remember the powder-puff arrow? We bet you do!). Mostly low grade copies and priced to sell!

*Undergrounds: A handful (#5-8) of the tabloid sized and extremely rare issues of Raw, Spiegelman and Mouly’s ambitious attempt to create a more cerebral and intellectual alternative magazine, as opposed to the visceral and scatological approach of Crumb, Sheldon, and the like. Each of these has an instalment of Spiegelman’s groundbreaking and acclaimed parental memoir, “Maus”, as well as a plethora of other features by Charles Burns, Paul Boyer, Gary Panter, Munoz and Sampayo, and many more. All are in extraordinary Near Mint condition.

*Horror 1940-1959: We’re in-between courses on our Pre-Code Horror Fests at the moment, but here’s a fistful of five fear-fests from the Fifties, with new stock of Beware Terror Tales (Fawcett), Journey Into Fear (Superior), Nightmare (St. John), Unknown World (Fawcett) and Web of Evil (Quality); these very affordable mid-to-low grade copies are a ‘taster menu’ for future horrors to come!

*Girls’ Picture Libraries: A shimmering sextette of romantic picture libraries this update, with new listings for Confessions, Famous Romance, Love Story, Star, True Life and – a title entirely new to our inventory – Valentine, which follows the lead of its weekly sister by featuring stories inspired by pop songs of the time. With frequently lovely painted covers and come-on titles such as “I Vowed Vengeance”, “Never Give All”, “He Wrecked Her Life”, and “Prisoner of Love”, these shine an interesting retrospective spotlight on the Battle of the Sexes.

In 1976, Alan Class joined forces with the foremost collector and historian of British comics, Denis Gifford to revive the character generally regarded as the first British comics character Ally Sloper. Ally Sloper was a blustery, lazy, scheming ne’er-do-well who debuted in 1867 in Judy, a ‘companion’ paper to Punch. The revival was sadly short-lived, lasting only 4 issues, despite boasting the cream of British artistic talent of the time, headlined by Frank Bellamy.

To launch the series, a party was held on a boat on the Thames, with many artists attending. There was a commemorative board and a large promotional board which many of the comics’ artists adorned with their rendition of Ally Sloper.

Left: Ally Sloper #1

Promotional boards:

1: 91cm x 125 cm

2: 104cm x 124 cm
 
 
 
 
 
 
Attendees included (left to right below, showing details of their Ally Sloper renditions): Denis Gifford, Hunt Emerson, Kevin O’Neill (faint on reverse of board), Ann Spano , Ed McHenry and many others.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
On June 7th at our Alan Class signing session, these promotional boards will be on display and available (as a single lot, together with a copy of Ally Sloper #1) to the highest bidder. Simply contact us before 4 pm on June 7th with your bid (or make a bid on the day if you’re attending) and the best offer will win. Please note that the boards are too big to be posted and MUST be collected and taken away from our shop on June 7th (or within one week thereafter); you’ll need a car to take them, as they’ll be too large for public transport.

*Marvel: A long overdue update to our Silver/Bronze stocks of the Golden Avenger as we present new issues in of Iron Man between #8 and #70, with an emphasis on issues between #30 and #50, less often seen in the UK. In keeping with many of its contemporaries, the Iron Man title had a bewildering range of writer and artist changes during this period, resulting in some memorable highs and some equally memorable lows. Check them out in our online catalogue!

We’ve made a short video explaining and showing what’s in an Alan Class Printing Plate set. You can view that from our Alan Class Page in our Extras section.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: There’s a wealth of issues of the long-running classic Boys’ Adventure & War title Valiant added to our catalogue this week; significant numbers of issues from the early years of 1964, 1965 & 1966, as well as representations from 1967, 1968, 1973 & 1974.

We’re gearing up now for the Alan Class signing event here on 7th June, and in celebration of this, our exclusive window designer, Dr. Evilla, has arranged an informative and visual display in our window space showing and explaining the Alan Class Comic Printing Plate Sets. Much more to come on this event, but in the meantime, here’s a couple of images from our current window:

*Marvel: Still unacknowledged by most guides, 1976’s Hulk Annual #5, features the second ever appearance of Groot, the breakout character from the Guardians of the Galaxy movie. Scripter Chris Claremont had the idea of pitting old Jade-Jaws against a variety of the menacing creatures from the pre-Marvel era of Tales to Astonish, Strange Tales, Journey Into Mystery and the like, and thus this issue featured a sextet of what we at 30th C. have lovingly dubbed ‘Big-Panty Monsters’! In rapid succession, our chartreuse champion fights Xemnu, Goom, Taboo, Diablo, the Blip and, yes, Groot, in his first on-panel experience since 1960’s Tales  to Astonish #13! A faint long diagonal crease – an original printing defect, rather than wear or misuse – is the only flaw preventing a higher grade on this VF copy, which we offer at £30. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Mad Books: ..But not before I tell you about the latest excellent update to the Mad Books section, featuring a selction of titles (nearly 20 in total), in a minimum of VG grade, and two in NM.

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 Books section:
*Mad Books
As of the time of writing, this category is bang up to date, with every item listed available.

*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: We present a near complete run of Dracula Lives from Marvel (1973), all issues of the 13 issue run (except #10), but including Annual #1. Classy covers, accomplished stories and art and full of movie vampire features. What’s not to like? (But we recommend taking with a clove or two of garlic!)