*DC: In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there arose a craze for ‘Gothic Romances’, the covers of which depicted diaphanously-clad lovelies fleeing a darkened mansion/castle/palace at night, frequently pursued by beasts. Writer Denny O’Neil, clearly having had Enough Of This Sort Of Thing, parodied the genre in Batman #227’s ‘Demon of Gothos Mansion!’, casting Alfred’s niece Daphne as the ingenue and arranging a beautiful Neal Adams cover, which became one of the most sought-after iconic covers of the Silver Age – not least because it also ‘homaged’ a Golden Age cover, Detective #31. This copy of Batman #227 is a lovely FN/VF copy, pence priced but unobtrusively in the logo, with deep cover colour, tight staples, and only a few small spine ‘ticks’ preventing a better grade. On sale at £225.

*DC:  A nice range of classic Silver Age Superman fresh into stock this week, issues between #141 and #184, plus annuals #5, #7 and #8. Our favourite period this for the Man of Steel. Most copies are lowish grade and thus very affordable, plus a few better mid-grade examples.

*Marvel: By the time of Spider-Man’s 50th issue, ‘new’ artist John Romita had made the series his own, and this special issue was marked with the debut of a new villain, the Kingpin – so long associated with Daredevil, in the post-Miller years, that many people overlook the fact that he originally belonged to Spider-Man’s Rogues’ Gallery! The cover to #50, with Peter’s temporarily abandoning his Spider-Man identity, has become etched in the minds of a generation, endlessly imitated and ‘homaged’, in comics and other media. Our newest copy of ASM #50 is VG-, a cents copy with no pence pricing or overstamp. Largely unimpaired cover scene, but light to moderate corner and edge wear, particularly at the cover’s upper edge, and a tiny corner off the lower right cover corner. This is on sale at £195.

*Marvel: A selection of significant issues of Marvel’s Avengers: #54 (First Ultron cameo, FN/VF p £40), #55 (1st Full Ultron FN+ p £60), #62 (1st M’Baku/Man-Ape FN+ p £65), #67 (early Barry Smith artwork VF+ p £60), and #83 (debut of the Valkyrie – sort of – and Marvel’s violent voluptuaries, the Lady Liberators, VF- p £100). These bright & shiny new additions are characterised by higher-than average grades, tight flat copies with vibrant cover colour. Up against the wall, male chauvinist pigs!

*Marvel:  First issues are always popular and fast-selling choices for our valued punters, so we’re chuffed to have not one, not a handful, but a full dozen #1 issues from Marvel’s Bronze Age. Eyes down: Battlestar Galactica, Howard the Duck (sumptuous Frank Brunner art), Machine Man (King Kirby karries on from 2001!), Micronauts (1st series, drawn by Mike Golden), Nightcrawler (the superlative Dave Cockrum drawing one of his favourite characters), Nova, Shogun Warriors, Son of Satan, Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man, Spider-Man by Todd McFarlane, Spider-Woman, and the first issue of Wolverine’s first ongoing series. Depicted: Nova #1 FN+ p £40, Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1 FN+ £25, Spider-Woman #1 FN £20 and Wolverine #1 VF+ p £35. For details on the rest, check out our online listings – but you’d better be quick!

*Marvel: A new range in this week of Journey into Mystery between #88 and #124 plus Annual, when Thor had taken over the title but before it officially changed to just ‘Thor’ . Included are #88 (2nd Loki PR £15), #118 (1st Destroyer FN- p £43), #119 (1st Warriors Three VG/FN p £34) and Annual #1 (1st Hercules FN p £61, pictured) plus lots of others from this formative period for the God of Thunder.

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: An offshoot of the crime comics genre, as previously noted, was the Spy Thriller, of which Atlas had several, one of the more notorious being Kent Blake of the Secret Service, a 14-issue run from 1951-1955 in which our square-jawed hero faced off against the ghastly Commie threat. We have five of the series new in stock, ranging from #2 (Hey kids! Drug use issue!) to #13, in grades ranging from PR to FN+. Illustrated is issue #12 FN £32 – cover by Carmine Infantino – which illustrates the gunplay, violence, and emotionally conflicted ladies which typified this series.

*War: Atlas’ Combat ran for 11 issues from 1952 to 1953, and we have in stock the first ten of this violent and lurid Pre-Code series, which, from #7 onwards, featured Combat Casey, the jolly red-bearded killing machine who subsequently got his own title. Combat’s clashes with ‘The Gooks’ do perpetuate some appalling ethnic stereotypes, but we must rigorously apply the filter of Historical Context to most of Atlas’ war output, and perhaps focus on the stellar artwork – Heath, Maneely, Romita, Krigstein – which proliferated. Illustrated are #3 FN- £37 and #5 VG £27; for more examples of beautifully-illustrated mayhem, see our online catalogue.

*Marvel UK: In 1976, Marvel UK’s first attempt to generate a British-based super-hero was placed into the hands of Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe, whose comic-opera interpretation of the UK has become a source of hilarity for generations. But after a shaky start, CB became inextricably linked with the mainstream Marvel Universe, not least because of his psychic sister, Betsy, who – years later and after many, many changes – turned Japanese and became the X-Men’s scantily-clad ninja mind-warrior Psylocke. As you do. This is Betsy’s first appearance in Captain Britain Weekly #8, a copy in FN/VF condition; the rather flimsy stock of the Marvel UK weeklies has endured well in this instance, with no tears, creases, or marks, and the puzzle page (often completed, to the later chagrin of collectors) is pristine and untouched. FN/VF £125.

*TV & Film Related Comics: The 1967/1968 run of TV Tornado is a favourite among collectors, with popular features including Tarzan, the Phantom, Flash Gordon, the Saint and many others. The major selling point for Gerry Anderson completists, however, is the addition of The Mysterons, antagonists of Captain Scarlet, in their own series from issue #36, following the absorption of TV Tornado’s companion, Solo. Another phenomenon of recent years is fierce competition for certain covers featuring various media figures. TV Tornado had for a period presented a TV-star ‘Cover Man’ portrait, and while folks were largely indifferent to Simon Dee, Leslie Crowther or Harry Secombe, covers associated with cult TV shows – such as The Prisoner, Doctor Who or John Steed from TV’s Avengers – have spiralled massively in price, owing to interest from, generally, collectors outside the comics-reading world. We have been fortunate in acquiring a substantial run of TV Tornado, 55 of the 88 published issues, including the first and final numbers, in generally low-to-mid grade affordable copies. Highlights include issue #1 VG £50, # 3 VF £45 and, pictured, #48 (Prisoner cover) GD £20, #59 (Patrick Troughton/Doctor Who cover) FA £30 and #64 (John Steed/Avengers cover) VG £25.

*Marvel: In 1962, following the smash success of the Fantastic Four, Marvel were casting around for their next hit. Synthesising elements from popular TV shows of the time, Lee & Kirby brainstormed a ‘mash-up’ of Frankenstein and Jekyll & Hyde – the old Universal horror movies going great guns on late-nite horror shows – and threw in a jive-talking teenager a la ’77 Sunset Strip’s ‘Kookie’ for good measure, leavening the mix with a hearty dose of ever-popular Cold War paranoia.

The result was the Incredible Hulk; mild-mannered scientist Bruce Banner runs out into a gamma-bomb test to save the life of a feckless teen who’s wandered into the kill zone, and in consequence Banner becomes the Hulk, a bestial monster of incalculable strength and uncontrollable rage… and one of the Marvel Universe’s leading figures was born!

All the key components of the Hulk were introduced in this issue: Banner and the Hulk himself, perpetual hero groupie Rick Jones, Bruce’s unrequited love interest Betty Ross, and Betty’s overbearing Dad, General ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross – but several elements needed to be refined, including our hero’s skin colour. In this first issue only, he was grey, like the monsters in the black & white TV horror shows; from #2 onwards, without explanation, he became the emerald-hued behemoth we love today. But the main theme of the character – intelligence and compassion triumphing over brute strength – was evident even at this early stage, as Bruce, not the Hulk, turns an enemy into an ally and ultimately saves the day.

Curiously, the Hulk was a flop in his first series, cancelled after a mere six issues, and condemned to a few years as a guest-villain or a back-up strip until the revival of his solo title in 1968, but this is where his long and chequered career began.

Hulk #1 is regarded by many authorities as the second-rarest Marvel key issue (behind Amazing Fantasy #15, with Fantastic Four #1 in third place); we have only been lucky enough to have three or four copies through our hands in our quarter century of trading.

This is a pence priced copy, with clean, unmarred interiors, supple and unusually white for a comic of this vintage, no browning or brittleness. The cover, as you can see from the photos attached, is still very glossy, with the deep blue background vivid and unfaded. There are very fine, barely perceptible lines in the vertical centre of the cover image, not breaking the cover colour or impeding the image. Moderate spine wear and some corner blunting. The staples are firm at cover and centrefold, but the staples do have some rust, particularly the lower, which has caused some discolouration to a very small area adjacent to the staples at the interior. This discolouration is neither deep nor widespread. There is a 1 cm tear to the right cover edge, going through the ‘ER’ in the word ‘Monster’ on the cover blurb.

Despite these minor drawbacks, this is a highly attractive and eminently collectable copy of an exceedingly rare item. We have graded it VG, pence copy as previously noted, and it’s priced at £8,000.

Front and back cover images are shown below, plus splash page; high resolution images are available on request. Please note that this comic is not stored at our shop premises, and viewing is STRICTLY by appointment only and subject to 48 hours notice.

*DC: While they have a great deal of charm filtered through the veil of nostalgia, most folks agree that Batman in the late Fifties and early Sixties got a bit goofy, with monsters, aliens, robots, unexpected super-powers, and a host of Bat-caped ladies, imps and critters running around an increasingly bizarre Gotham City. This was all swept away by the ‘New Look’, which re-established Batman as serious detectives and crime-fighters – but you know what? Here at 30th Century we celebrate the nonsensical, and there’s plenty of that in this selection of Batman’s own title, from #150 to #163, the last issue before the ‘New Look’ took over. This unbroken consecutive run features – in addition to all the above mentioned tropes – some of the classic villains: the Joker, Clayface, and the Silver Age return of the Penguin in #155, the Bumbershoot Bandit having taken a sabbatical for a few years prior. Pictured are #152 FN+ £50 (Joker story, but blink and you’ll miss it) and #155 FN+ £250, the Penguin’s Return; for everything else – including a fire-breathing Ace the Bat-Hound, because why not? – check out the online lists.

*DC: More of the 1970s oversized tabloid editions issued by DC, most of which never made it over here to the Old Country in any quantity, and which are keenly sought today. We open with Famous First Edition F-4, reprinting, cover to cover, Whiz Comics #2, the first appearance of the original Captain Marvel, now known (because of interference from the House of Ideas) as Shazam! We then move on to Limited Collectors’ Edition C-21, also starring Captain Marvel/Shazam, C-39 – Secret Origins of Super-Villains – starring the Joker, Luthor, the Cheetah, Captain Cold, Sinestro and Dr. Sivana, as well as their heroic opposition; and we close with C-52, aka The Best of DC Vol. 1, with a Neal Adams cover fronting a selection of DC’s most distinguished and famous stories. Issue C-52 (VF £15) is pictured; the rest can be found in our catalogue listings.

*Marvel: A two-‘Fist’ed Slab Happy Event, with the first issue of Iron Fist’s solo series (following his successful ‘tryout’ run in Marvel Premiere) and issue #14, which saw the first appearance of a character destined to become a major villainous figure, the savage Sabretooth! Both of these outstanding items are CGC Blue Label copies, with no restoration whatsoever. The issue #1 is CGC graded 9.0 (VF/NM equivalent) at £100, and #14, CGC 7.5 (VF- equiv.) is £175. SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*Marvel: We here at 30th Century consider the X-Men line-up of Storm, Wolverine, etc., having been around a mere 45 years, to be a bit ‘nouveau’, so we’re always happy to see more of what we old codgers call the ‘proper’ X-Men! This week, we add four early numbers to our lists; #5, #7, #10 and #11. The first two are cataclysmic clashes with our hero’s opposites, the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, with guest-villain the Blob along for the ride; issue #10 presents the debut of Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Land, and his sabre-toothed chum Zabu and issue #11 saw the premier appearance of the cosmic entity known only as the Stranger. Illustrated are #10 VG- p £55 and #11 VG+ p £50. For details on the others – and all our other stock of Marvel’s Merry Mutants – check out our online listings.

*Marvel: As part of our ongoing program to expand the range of our catalogue, we’re adding the first ongoing series of Punisher to our stock this week from 1987, beginning with the very first issue and comprising dozens more plus annuals. Not everyone’s cup of tea, we’ll admit, but, as sales attest, there’s no denying the popularity of the vendetta seeking Frank Castle.

*Marvel: A large quantity of Marvel Silver/Bronze issues across a wide range of titles as follows: Battlestar Galactica (final issue), Captain Marvel (nice grade early issues), Conan (#14 with Elric), Daredevil (Miller issues), Fantastic Four (#57 and Annual #2 with Dr Doom & the Silver Surfer), Hulk (Annual #1), Giant-Size Invaders, Iron Man, Ka-Zar, Machine Man (high grade issues), Marvel Chillers (#3 with Tigra), Marvel Classics Comics, Marvel Premiere, Marvel Super-Heroes (#20 with Dr Doom), Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Two-In-One, New Mutants (#87 2nd printing with Cable debut), Red Sonja, Secret Wars (#1), Shogun Warriors (final issue), Son Of Satan, Star Wars, Strange Tales, Sub-Mariner (nice grade early issues) and last, but no means least, Tales Of Suspense. 

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: A briefly flourishing field after the superheroes faded in the Fifties was the ‘Spy’ sub-genre, an offshoot of the crime comics, in which daring, cool-headed agents thwarted the onset of the Red Hordes, aided, and sometimes opposed, by slinky and dangerous ladies. Atlas’ Spy Fighters was one such, launched in 1951 and starring fearless federal agent Clark Mason as he travelled the world fighting for peace… by any means necessary! We have most of Spy Fighters’ 15-issue run, from #1 (FN £72, pictured) to 1953’s #15, when the title, like most crime comics, fell foul of the incipient Comics Code.

*Western: Two short-run series for our Atlas Western update this week – plus one guest! Billy Buckskin was launched in 1956, attempting to cash in on then-current craze for all things Davy Crockett related with a junior lookalike. Despite eye-catching covers by Maneely and excellent interior art by Mort Drucker (later famous for TV & movie parodies in Mad Magazine), Billy Buckskin lasted only three issues, and we have the first two. 1957’s Western Trails looked good, with Severin covers, interior art by Maneely and Severin, and starring the popular Ringo Kid character; but for some reason it ‘stalled’ never getting beyond its second issue. Both issues now in stock. And finally, a guest ride-along by Gunhawk, a.k.a. Red Larabee, whose series lasted longer than either of these others; low-grade issues added in this week. Illustrated: Billy Buckskin #1 GD+ £20 and Western Trails #1 VG £24.

*Annuals: Doctor Who, of course, has been a fixture in the zeitgeist almost since the TV series debuted in 1963, and it wasn’t long before a world of merchandise emerged themed around Gallifrey’s favourite son and his time-traversing adventures. The BBC released Annuals of original material for the lucrative Christmas gift market commencing in 1965, and we are delighted to have exceptionally nice copies of the first three. The 1965 Doctor Who Annual, the first, is FN+ £25; the 1966 Annual, scarcer than its parent, is also FN+ at £40 and the 1967 Annual, the first featuring Patrick Troughton as the second Doctor, is significantly less common than the first two. This FN/VF copy is £60. All three have unmarked interiors, with the original prices not clipped, no puzzles or activity pages filled in, no gift dedication or previous owners’ names written in; the 1965 and 1966 Annuals have very minor wear at the spine tips, and a small ‘bubble’ in the laminate on their front covers. The 1967 Annual has a tiny impact flaw at the upper right front cover corner, and a matching mark on the back cover, indicating it has been dropped at one point, but without significant damage. All three are clean, bright, superior copies, and the second and third issues are genuinely uncommon. (NB: There is some confusion on certain sales sites regarding the dates. Because they were released for the Christmas gift market, some vendors call these the 1966, 1967 and 1968 Annuals. We go by the actual years of release, since there are no exterior cover dates.) SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD

*TV & Film Related Comics: Another exciting update for our stocks of Lady Penelope this week. This rarest of the Gerry Anderson TV titles started out as a ‘traditional’ Gerry Anderson venture similar to TV Century 21 or Joe 90;  it evolved into more of a pop/TV mag and ended up as more of a traditional girls’ comics as the name changed to just ‘Penelope’. All three ‘faces’ are featured in this week’s update with new issues in between #24 & #179; pictured are #27 VG/FN £22.50 and #147 VF £25.

*Clearance Corner: A rootin’ tootin’ riot of ‘faux’ British 1950s westerns up for grabs this week from Miller, Westworld and other publishers. All feature material originated in the UK or Europe rather than the genuine US of A. Titles include Ace High Western (1), Broncho Bill (2), Colorado Kid (3), Jim Bowie (2), Kid Dynamite (1), Little Sheriff (8), Pancho Villa (3), Pecos Bill (3) & Rocky Mountain King (6). All in decent condition and previously on sale for well over £100, this lot is now offered at the bargain price of just £30. UK postage if required will be an extra £5. SORRY, THIS LOT HAS NOW SOLD

*DC: After a decade in retirement, Catwoman was brought back as one of the major antagonists in 1966’s Batman TV show, and in short order returned to the comics pages – not in Batman or in Detective Comics, which one might have reasonably expected, but in the 70th issue of Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane! Well, obviously. In a full-length thriller (and a rather fetching variation of her classic costume), Selina Kyle transformed Superman into a Puss of Steel, resulting in the inevitable (ahem) catfight with Lois when the latter discovered her beloved’s fate. Other guest-appearances by the Penguin, Batman and Robin stretched the story out to the extent that it had to be concluded in the following issue. It’s all complete hooey, but huge fun, with Kurt Schaffenberger’s illustrations at their finest. This copy of Lois Lane #70 is a striking VF- pence, with only the faintest wear at corners and spine precluding a higher grade. On sale at £175. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD

*Marvel: An all-star entry for the Marvel Universe’s First Family this week. Five landmark issues of the Fantastic Four, each of which featured the debut of a guest hero, villain or supporting character who would become crucial to the FF, and the greater Marvel Universe, in decades to come. In #45, we first met the Inhumans en masse, the Royal Family of Attilan from whom the previously-introduced Medusa and Gorgon had sprung. In #46, we had the full debut of Black Bolt, the silent monarch of the Inhumans. In #48, of course, we saw for the first time not only the planet-devouring Galactus, but also his herald, the cosmic-powered Silver Surfer. #50 brought us the conclusion of the first Surfer/Galactus story arc and the premier of Wyatt Wingfoot, friend of the FF and later main squeeze of the She-Hulk, who despite being around for decades has yet to manifest a single super-power (is that even legal in Marvelworld?). Last but far from least, #52 presented the Black Panther, monarch of a mysterious African nation who would later join both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four themselves. All of these epic issues are illustrated below for your appreciation: #45 GD- p (light book centre stamp) £70,  #46 VG p £55,  #48 FA p, covers detached & separated £200, #50 FN p £125 and #52 PR/FA p, covers detached and separated £60. The low to mid grades on these key issues make them relatively affordable to the casual reader – if you’re quick; we don’t expect to have these in stock for long! SORRY, #48 & #52 NOW SOLD

*Marvel: Three years after the debut of the Black Panther, 1969’s Captain America #117 saw the debut of Marvel’s second African-American super-hero. Having switched bodies involuntarily with the Red Skull, Cap ends up on Exile Island, being hunted by the Skull’s henchmen. Rescued by a young man named Sam Wilson and his pet hawk, Redwing, Cap persuades Sam of the importance of a costumed identity as a symbol, and Sam adopts the guise of the Falcon, first to inspire revolution in the native population of Exile Island, and later as an aspirational figure in Sam’s Harlem home. The Falcon and his avian sidekick Redwing would become a mainstay of Cap’s series, and of course figure largely in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe, so this first appearance, long undervalued, is now climbing. This is an attractive VG+, cents copy with no pence price or overstamp, clean and tight with only light to moderate wear at the edge and spine but an unimpeded cover scene and clean interiors, on sale at £65. SORRY, THIS HAS NOW SOLD