*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 CGC 8.5 blue label (no restoration) copy, VF+ equivalent. Given Iron Man’s pivotal status in the Marvel Universe, both Comic and Cinematic, this is, although we’re ordinarily loath to use such terms, an investment grade key first issue, and is on sale for £900. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: In the Frank Miller era of Daredevil, Bullseye, the unfailing assassin, became firmly established as DD’s bête noire, causing the Man Without Fear endless grief and misery. And can we ever forget Colin Farrell’s epic scenery-chewing as Bullseye in the Daredevil movie? Well, maybe if we’re lucky and get hit in the head with a blunt object. But a lot of people, even today, aren’t aware that Bullseye wasn’t a Miller creation; step forward Marv Wolfman and Bob Brown, who presented The Assassin Who Never Misses for the first time in Daredevil #131, two years before the Miller regime kicked in! We are pleased to present a Fine+ pence copy, (light spine & corner wear), of this increasingly significant debut issue at £75.

*Marvel: We’ve often joked about the popularity of Venom, the cuddly brain-eating symbiote introduced as Spidey’s new summer outfit in Secret Wars #8, but since the hit movie starring Tom Hardy, Venom’s star has risen, with his early mini-series having around tripled in price. This update, we add Venom to our catalogue listings, all his early minis such as Enemy Within, Funeral Pyre, Lethal Protector, the Mace, and the Madness, mostly co-starring other Marvel comics super-stars such as Spider-Man and the Punisher, and several featuring early work by creators such as Liam Sharp and Kelley Jones, who would go on to higher-profile gigs. Our picture is of the first Venom ‘solo’, Venom: Lethal Protector #1 (NM/M p £35), while details of the others may be found in our online listings.

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: At the height of the Cold War, comics about spies abounded, but Magazine Enterprises’ Starr Flagg stood out from the crowd, not least because she looked as if she’d be more at home on a beach or at a cocktail parties than getting to grips with the Red Threat. But battle for democracy she did, and was unafraid to deploy her perfectly-manicured fists in the cause of freedom! This high-octane adventure series was beautifully drawn by the criminally underestimated Ogden Whitney, written by the sublime Gardner Fox, who was clearly having as much fun with his heroine as his readers did. Launched in Manhunt #1 in 1947, Starr appeared in only 19 comics in all, and her adventures are very elusive, so we’re chuffed to have #6 of her own series (alias A-1 Comics #98), in stock. This VG+ copy (listed in our catalogue as Undercover Girl) sports a cover by Bob Powell, with the light cover background occasionally softly creased, but unmarked. Corners are sharp, staples are firm, interiors creamy and extremely flexible – much like our heroine! VG+ £140.

*Horror/Mystery 1960-1980s: From 1972, the first issue of Werewolf by Night. Created by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog, the story of a young lad named Jack Russell (no, really; stop laughing at the back there) who contracted a lycanthropic curse hit a high note with the readership when tried out in issues #2-4 of Marvel Spotlight, and was awarded his own title which ran for 43 issues. This is a lovely VF copy, with vivid red unfaded cover background, almost flawless spine with no weakness at staples, and only the slightest ‘blunting’ at upper and lower right cover corners. A cents copy (never distributed in the UK, so there are no pence copies), this VF item is on sale at £70.

*Vintage UK/Australian Reprints of US Material: In the 1950s, Strato/Arnold acquired the rights to repackage Simon & Kirby’s three groundbreaking romance titles from the 1940s – Young Brides, Young Love and Young Romance. But the usual 68-page black & white squarebound format required an insatiable influx of material, so the repackagers, with a splendid disregard for order and method, reprinted love stories from any American publisher they could strike a deal with – with the result that each issue is a mish-mash of Simon & Kirby, Atlas, ACG, Quality, Ajax/Farrell, Charlton, or any number of random heartstring-pluckers! We have selections of these three titles newly in, many with Simon & Kirby reprints (differentiated within our listings) and several… not, although there is often some fine work among the non-S&K issues. Young Brides are refreshed from #4 to #37, Young Love from #12 to #39 and Young Romance from #9 to #38. Pictured are Young Brides #5 FN £20, Young Love #16 FN £20 and Young Romance #9 FN £20, all Simon & Kirby issues.

*Annuals: Two separate strands to the final Boys’ Adventure update in our Immaculate Annuals event, with one side embodied by plucky youths and gallant men doing daring things for the Empire, while the other side is brash superheroics from across the Atlantic! The Old Country is represented by Boys’ World (1966, 1967, 1969 and 1972) and Eagle (1965, 1966-1970), while our Transatlantic chums are Batman (1967 and 1968), Superboy (1967), and a trio of Storybook Annuals: Batman (1966), Marvel (1967), and Superman (1967). From the same pedigree source as our 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. A few have minor edge wear from long-term storage, or occasionally light breaks in the laminate, but all have exceptional eye appeal. Depicted are Batman 1968 – with a classic movie-still cover (FN £20), Boys’ World 1972, the final BW annual with a cover painting by Mike Noble (FN/VF £11), and Eagle 1965, cover-featuring Dan Dare (VF £20). Details on all the others in our online catalogue, as always.

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: We’ve concentrated on longish runs of specific series in recent PL updates, so this week, here’s a bouquet of miscellaneous manly action, a scattering of titles lightly restocked for your pleasure! Action Picture Library from #3, Battle Action In Pictures (Miller) #4, Action Series #1 (starring Secret Agent X-9), Commando #51, Radar, Man From the Unknown from #2, Miller Detectives Theo Drake and Mark Conway (first issues of each) and a handful each of two very popular series, Super-Detective Picture Library from #116 and Thriller Picture Library from #156 to #449. Depicted are Commando #51 in an extraordinary VF at £35, Action Series #1 FN £15 and Radar #4 VF £25.

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  M – S
and in our British section:
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics V – Z
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

*DC: One of the biggest hits of the 1980s was the New Teen Titans, in which Marv Wolfman and George Perez took a moribund Sixties franchise and revitalised it into DC’s sales powerhouse of the decade. Introducing three brand-new characters – Cyborg, Raven and Starfire – Wolfman & Perez hewed very closely to the X-Men model of angst-ridden young heroes, and scored big points not only with DC’s readers; NTT became the DC Comic even Marvel fans bought! But the team made their first appearance, not in their own series, but in a ‘Bonus Book’, a supplement included with another title, DC Comics Presents #26. Here, for the first time, we met the new team, as they were gathered together to face a fearful menace – and the Jim Starlin-drawn Superman GL team-up’s pretty nifty too! Now the stars of a live-action TV show, the New Teen Titans’ popularity is soaring, so we’re pleased to be offering a nice copy of their debut issue. DC Comics Presents #26 is VF, cents copy with no pence price, at £70.

*DC: In excess of 100 issues of Action Comics newly listed, including a catalogue expansion up to #500. From the early 1970s through to the mid-1980s, none of them previously in our stock, this selection gives us a virtually unbroken run from #398 to #450, and a substantial proportion of issues through to #499. Highlights include the debut of the Human Target, later star of his own TV series, in #419, the first Captain Strong in #421, the debut of the second-generation Toyman in #432, 100-Page and Giant issues (#437, #443, #449), the debut of the lethal Faora Hu-Ul in #471, the wedding of the Earth-2 Lois Lane and Superman in #484, an iconic Neal Adams cover on #485 and, as a bonus, Alan Moore, Curt Swan & Kurt Schaffenberger’s elegiac farewell to the Silver Age Superman in #583. Of particular note is that this selection averages exceptionally high grades for its vintage. With only a handful of exceptions, the minimum grade is FN/VF, with the majority being VF+ or better, and a substantial amount of NM, a grade we seldom award to items of this age. Truly beautiful glossy copies with vivid colours and cream interior pages. Depicted is #485 (NM, £11.50). Details on all the rest may be found in our catalogue listings. SORRY, PICTURED ITEM NOW SOLD

*Marvel: From the creative height of Lee and Kirby’s Fantastic Four, a quartet of prime issues. #44 saw the debut of Gorgon of the Inhumans, despatched to retrieve the errant Madame Medusa from the world of humanity; in #45, the secret of Medusa’s and Gorgon’s origins was revealed, and we met the rest of the uncanny Inhumans – with one conspicuous exception! #46 corrected that omission, with the first full appearance of Black Bolt, Monarch of the Inhumans, and in #47, the FF, and the readers, travelled to the hidden land of Attilan, the Inhumans’ home, to face the menace of Maximus the Mad! This was not the end of the Inhumans saga, but these four issues introduce all the key players and elements in the unfolding drama of Attilan. #44 is VF £70, #45 is GD- (covers virtually separated) p £70, #46 is VF p £225 and #47 VF £100.

*Marvel: In the second issue of the Avengers, the team faced the menace of the Space Phantom, an extraterrestrial invader with the novel m.o. of teleporting beings into a limbo dimension, and assuming their forms and powers for his own ends. Swiftly discovering the power of the Hulk, the transmogrified Space Phantom went on a rampage, with his fellow-Avengers finding it all too easy to believe he’d turned to the Dark Side – resulting in some anger when the real Hulk returned, and quit the team in a huff! This copy of #2 is an Apparent FN/VF: tight at staples, flat, glossy, vibrant colours and creamy interior pages. The ‘Apparent’ modifier, however, is because of a slight right edge trim and, more importantly, a thoughtless previous owner’s removal of two interior ad pages (4 sides), neatly done and not affecting the story, which is complete and intact. A decent copy of an early Avengers epic:  App. FN/VF p on sale at £215.

*Marvel: In 1975, Roy Thomas’ lifelong love affair with all things Golden Age paid off, as he got to reunite the 1940s iterations of Captain America, the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch in a series of ‘untold tales’ set in World War II. Intended to be an ongoing double-sized title, Giant-Size Invaders #1 proved to be a one-shot owing to Marvel editorial retrenchment, but relaunched as an ongoing series later in the year, running 40+ issues, and being generally accepted as the retconned foundation of the Marvel Universe. This premier team-up of Timely’s ‘Big Three’ (plus their sidekicks, Bucky and Toro) is an outstanding VF+ with squarebound spine virtually unmarred. Never distributed in the UK, it is of course a cents copy. On sale at £50.  SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: Following his return from Limbo as part of the dynamic Defenders, a solo series for Stephen Strange was inevitably on the (tarot) cards, and Marvel duly obliged with Marvel Premiere #3, Stan Lee himself returned from semi-retirement to write the book length story, superbly illustrated by Barry Smith, re-establishing Strange as the Sorceror Supreme, and triggering a revival which has never seen the good Doctor out of print for long since! This copy of Marvel Premiere #3 is an attractive VF+, firm staples, unbroken cover colour, glossy with tight corners, and only very slight wear on the upper edge stopping us from grading it higher. On sale at £55. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: A much needed run of Strange Tales new in between #118 & #130, the first half of each issue with a Human Torch (later with the Thing) story and the second half with some of Dr Strange’s earliest adventures chronicled by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko. Highlights include Iceman guest-starring in #120, 1st Beetle (super-villain) plus Loki and Thor in #123, Sub-Mariner in #125, Quicksilver & the Scarlet Witch in #128, and the Torch & the Thing meeting the Beatles (pop combo) in #130. Nice mid-grade copies of a lovely run of this title.

*Marvel: Another canter through the Marvel Silver & Bronze Ages, this time including the following titles: Amazing Adventures (with Inhumans, the Black Widow and the Beast), Astonishing Tales (with Ka-Zar, inc. 2nd Man-Thing in #12), Conan (Barry Smith art and 1st John Buscema art in #25), Marvel Super-Heroes, Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, Not Brand Echh, Punisher, Rom (inc #75, final issue), Silver Surfer (1st and 3rd series), Son Of Satan, Star Wars (inc 1st Annual), Strange Tales (inc #188, final issue), Sub-Mariner (#24, 1st Stingray) and Tales To Astonish #52 (1st villainous Black Knight).   

*Alan Class Reprints: We continue to list the final haul of Alan Class Printing Plate sets featuring classic Marvel comics. A significant latecomer to the Silver Marvel Age, the Vision premiered in Avengers #57 as a villainous pawn of Ultron. Rapidly being discovered to be misguided, he was offered membership the next issue, in one of the most rapid reforms ever, and became a mainstay of the Avengers and the MU in general. Based on a Simon & Kirby character from the 1940s, the ‘new’ Vision of the Silver Age captured the hearts and minds of readers worldwide. In Uncanny Tales #64, the Vision’s first appearance was re-presented, in what we believe to be the first reprinting of this classic debut. The pre-decimal comic is present, as are the three lead plates used in the original printing process (We actually believe there to have been only three colour plates, black, yellow and red, used in producing this issue rather than the usual four owing to the cover’s limited colour palette.) The package comes with a signed certificate of authenticity from Alan Class himself. The comic is GD, with light to moderate spine and edge wear, but an unimpeded central cover scene. The plates are equivalent to FN. This unique set, comic, three printing plates, and Certificate of Authenticity signed by publisher Alan Class, is priced at £60. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: In addition to the hugely successful extra-length Summer/Holiday Specials for their respective weeklies, the two titans of IPC/Fleetway, Lion and Valiant, released three joint ‘Special Extras’ between 1968 and 1970. Identical in format to the regular Summer/Holiday Specials, these Special Extras shared the billing between the stars of the two popular series – ‘Captain Hurricane’, ‘Kelly’s Eye, ‘House of Dolmann” and others from Valiant, ‘Robot Archie’, ‘Spellbinder’ and ‘Zip Nolan’, plus more, from Lion. Almost never seen for sale – we ourselves have only previously in recent times had the 1969 issue in stock – we are delighted to have all three available. Both the 1968 and 1969 Lion and Valiant Special Extras are a remarkable FN/VF at £100 each; the 1970 issue is VG (minor wear at corners) £75. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Girls’ Comics: Lasting a mere 20 issues in 1975, Lindy is one of the ‘ghost’ titles of IPC/Fleetway’s girls’ line, mostly remembered for being the latter half of ‘Jinty & Lindy’, an amalgam that ran almost as long as ‘June & School Friend’. Printed on slightly better quality paper, any copies of this short-lived series are uncommon (the double-page centrefold full-colour pop pin-ups mean that any you do find are usually ‘gutted’), but we’ve been lucky to obtain five issues, including #1 & #3 with free gifts! The #1, introducing ‘Jean’s Jeannie’, ‘Nina – A Slave To Sewing!’, and distaff ‘Chalky’, ‘Penny Crayon’ among others, is FN with the Free Gift – Love Heart Bracelet – still untouched in its original envelope, VF. Issue #3 is VG, with minor corner and edge wear, but has its Free Gift ‘Cards of Fortune’ untouched and unpunched from their backing card, VF. Issue #1 FN with Free Gift VF is on sale at £100; issue #3 VG with Free Gift VF is £75. The others are cheaper, as you’ll no doubt see from our catalogue lists.

One of our regular visitors pops in to cast an eye over one of our new additions…

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 D – L
and in our British section:
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics F – T
As of the time of writing, these categories are bang up to date, with every item listed available.

*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.

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.

*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