Lockdown Interlude Week 2
Just to reiterate that we’re still closed of course and unable at this time to offer a mail order service. But we’re keeping busy with various things, among them creating a few features to entertain you with. We’re very pleased that so many of you seemed to enjoy last week’s article. This week we have one from me and one from Will. Someone asked if we would be writing about our own collections, and, of course, in doing features on our favourite comics and books, that’s just what we are doing! More next week – keep well and stay safe!
The Short but Brilliant Life of the Inferior Five
“You wouldn’t hit a woman with a BABY, would you?”
“No! I’d hit her with a GROWN MAN!”
Despite a short shelf-life – subsequent revivals and ‘updatings’ ranging from mediocre to disastrous – the original series of DC’s Inferior Five remains fondly remembered by a certain generation of comics readers, despite their throwaway origins.
In early 1966 E. Nelson Bridwell, one of the first fans-turned pro in comics, was asked to produce a parody of Marvel’s Fantastic Four for an issue of Showcase. Rather than produce a simple satire with look-alike versions of the FF, ENB expanded the concept, adding a fifth member and adding the genius touch making them what are now called ‘legacy’ heroes – the grown offspring of the Freedom Brigade, legendary (in the sense that they were entirely made up for the series) super-heroes of the Golden Age.
Our ‘heroes’, for want of a better word, were:
Merryman, son of Lady Liberty and the Patriot, saddled with a heroic tradition on both sides of the family dating back at least a century. Although highly intelligent and intensively trained in unarmed combat, Myron Victor’s Walter-the-Softy physique made all his training ineffective.
Dumb Bunny, daughter of Princess Power; although possessed of her mother’s incredible strength, Athena Tremor utterly lacked the wisdom of her namesake goddess.
The Blimp, son of Captain Swift, inheritor of his father’s power of flight, but no super-speedster, easily outpaced by enemies at a slow walk.
Awkwardman, amphibious son of Mr. Might and the Mermaid; his incredible strength and ability to breath under water were bequests from his parents, but – perhaps because of his hybrid nature – his calamitous clumsiness was all his own.
And the White Feather, son of the Bowman, whose archery skills were every bit as great as his father’s, but whose shaking hands, thanks to his incredible cowardice, negated his marksmanship.
Though none of them would have entered the super-heroic profession by choice, they weren’t given any; their parents’ expectations trapped them in a world for which they were ill-equipped, and they caved in to parental pressure rather than forge their own paths.
Their first outing was against Doctor Gregory Gruesome, a mad scientist only slightly more exaggerated than Luthor & company, whose delighted exclamation: “A chance to shoot a woman – in the back! What villain could resist?” set the tone for the series, a charming combination of slapstick, whimsy and a loving excoriation of super-hero clichés.
With the artistic aid of Joe Orlando (in Showcase #62 & #63) and Mike Sekowsky (Showcase #65, Inferior Five #1-6), E. Nelson Bridwell demonstrated his encyclopaedic knowledge of the entire heroic mythos. In a handful of issues, ENB gleefully skewered the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four (he got there eventually…), Giant-Man and the Wasp, the Hulk, the THUNDER Agents, the Man from UNCLE, Tarzan of the Apes, the Green Hornet and Kato, the Scarlet Pimpernel and more. The high spot was issue #4, his take on Thor and the gods of Asgard, which despite its comedic nature proffered, as critic Kathleen Glancy observed: “More authentic Norse mythology in a single issue than the entire run of Lee and Kirby’s Thor.”
It all went a bit pear-shaped with issue #6. In what, in retrospect, was an attempt to ‘Marvel Bullpen’ the DC offices, the issue was a satirical look at the creators, alienating the readership at a stroke by cracking a plethora of in-jokes about people the reader knew little of and cared less. My ten-year old self was bitterly disappointed when not only the multitude of cover-featured guest-stars failed to appear inside, but the heroes themselves graced only a handful of panels, and decades later, my heart remains a seething ball of resentment towards #6!
With #7, there was a definite change in tone. Win Mortimer took over the art – his amiable cartooniness suiting the light-hearted tone – but while the stories remained credited to Bridwell, either they were being ghost-written (as some critics, including Mark Evanier, aver) or he had been instructed to dumb it down, with more slapstick and throwaway gags, and no references to panelological or literary history. The parodies were still in play – Iron Pants, Cobweb Kid – but obvious and dismissive, with no-one’s heart seemingly in it. Other than #9, a delightful ‘Night at the Museum’ issue which was pure comedy rather than satire, the later issues of the Five were thin fare compared to previous stellar efforts.
And with #10, the series was done. A three-issue reprint revival in the early 1970s was all we saw of the Five, apart from cameos in various crossover events, until the second series of Angel & the Ape in 1991. This revival of another ENB creation was helmed by Phil Foglio, famous for the cheerful and witty porno comic Xxxenophile. Fogio linked the two series by establishing Dumb Bunny and Angel O’Day as half-sisters, and with Bunny a supporting character in the series, the rest of the Five inevitably turned up, playing a major part in the conclusion. Foglio reputedly wanted to follow up with an Inferior Five mini, but A & A’s sales, alas, didn’t justify it.
The Five’s last hurrah, oddly enough, was unexpectedly in the morass of… (shudder) modern comics. In the final issue of the early 2000s Brave & Bold, #35. The Legion of Substitute Heroes, in an attempt to get some publicity, travel back to the past to pick up the Doom Patrol and save Earth from destruction. Owing to a series of unfortunate events, the Subs end up with the Inferior Five instead, and the Five’s eternal dumb luck, plus Dumb Bunny’s intellect (!) saves the day: “You have to be pretty smart to act as dumb as I do, you know!” Michael Straczynski and Jesus Saiz, to everyone’s astonishment, ‘got’ the Five. Who’d have thought?
There have been other appearances by the Inferior Five, but none worth dignifying with inclusion – either fleeting cameos, or reboots or retrofits, missing the point and the appeal of the team entirely.
But what made the Five distinctive? The quality of the creators, sure. The comedy, absolutely. But the keynote of the Five’s appeal was their paradoxical courage in the face of all obstacles. They, more than anyone else, were aware of their deficiencies, but they pulled on their big-boy pants and went out to fight the forces of evil anyway, despite the looming spectre of almost certain defeat. They pooled their meagre talents and achieved something greater than themselves. And the lack of self-awareness in the later issues, when the Five seemed to be ignorant of their own drawbacks, may be where the strip lost its heart, and consequently its uniqueness. But when the strip was at its peak, it remains unique, a parody with a soul.
Recommended Issues: Showcase (1956) #62, #63, #65, Inferior Five (1967) #1-5, #9, Angel & The Ape (1991) #1-4, Brave & Bold (2007) #35.
Will Morgan, April 2020
Fantastic Fours
The scientist/leader. His best friend (who’s big and strong). His girlfriend. Her kid brother. Sound familiar? Yes, of course, that’s the format of the team in Rip Hunter, Time Master… Before this tried and tested line-up was borrowed by Stan & Jack to usher in the Marvel Age of Comics with Fantastic Four #1 (November 1961), DC had several attempts with very similarly related groups of characters.
Rip Hunter, Time Master debuted in DC’s try-out title Showcase in May 1959, four and a half years before a certain time-travelling Time Lord (there are similarities in that Rip’s Time Sphere travelled in time and occasionally space, combining historical settings with science-fiction themes from time to time). Rip was a scientist who invented said Time Sphere and persuaded his friends to accompany him on various adventures in which they encountered Hitler, George Washington and Cleopatra, among many others; aliens and magical adversaries were also not uncommon. Rip’s companions comprised Jeff Smith, his strong best friend, Bonnie Baxter, his girlfriend, and Corky Baxter, her kid brother. They first appeared dressed in ‘civvies’ but later adopted a team costume. Created by writer Jack Miller and artist Ruben Moreira, the concept was popular enough to get four try-outs in Showcase before being promoted to its own series which lasted 29 issues. Time travel stories are always engaging, with a different setting each issue, and although the writing and art was sometimes patchy, there is imagination, adventure and humour within the pages of this fine series and outstanding issues drawn by Mike Sekowsky, Joe Kubert and Alex Toth.
Less than a year later, in August 1960, two more teams of four adventurers debuted in Showcase and DC’s other try-out title The Brave & The Bold.
Sea Devils (no connection to the Dr Who story of the same name), beginning in Showcase #27 comprised leader Dane Dorrance, his big strong best friend Biff Bailey, his girlfriend Judy Walton and her kid brother Nicky. These four were engaged in undersea adventures at the hands of Robert Kanigher (writer) and Russ Heath (artist). The same dynamic existed between the team as with Rip Hunter & co. The Sea Devils had undersea adventures for three issues of Showcase and 35 of their own series. I think they may have stumbled across more lost civilizations than Tarzan did in Africa (and that’s going some!), and a monster lurked within every coral reef. Their early adventures were often mind-warpingly wild as was the case with a lot of ‘Barking’ Bob Kanigher’s output, and the art by Russ Heath was superlative (you could really believe these adventures were happening underwater). Later, after the departures of the creators, subsequent hands provided more ordinary fare, though competently done for the most part.
So, the Sea Devils had under the oceans covered, whilst over at the Brave & the Bold, Cave Carson and his chums were doing the same thing under the Earth. Cave was the least successful of these classic foursomes; despite no less than five try-out issues in Brave & Bold (commencing with #31) and a further three in Showcase, Cave never graduated to his own series. Created by Ed Herron (writer) and Bruno Premiani (artist), the dynamic was slightly different here. Cave was the leader, with his big strong best friend Bulldozer Smith and his girlfriend Christie Madison, and there it stopped initially (unless you count Bulldozer’s pet lemur Lena as the fourth member, but that would just be silly). A few issues later they got their fourth member: Johnny Blake, but despite being a young hothead, he was not Christie’s brother – rather he was Cave’s rival for her affections. Cave and co. descended into the Earth in their Mighty Mole, to discover it was just as populated as under the ocean with lost civilizations (had the series gone on long enough, they would surely have encountered Dr Who’s Silurians). Their adventures were fairly standard offerings, and perhaps it’s not hard to see why this series was the least successful under scrutiny here, although special mention should be made of one superb issue (Brave & Bold #40), illustrated by Joe Kubert at the height of his powers.
A year and a bit later saw Fantastic Four #1 hit the stands. Stan Lee had been charged with coming up with a title to rival the success of DC’s Justice League of America, but he didn’t follow the format of DC’s flagship title by bringing together all their most famous established characters into one team. He couldn’t do that at that time of course because Marvel didn’t have any established characters, so instead he copied the dynamic and formula of the DC teams we’ve been discussing. Like Rip Hunter and his chums, they first appeared in normal clothes before getting costumes in a later issue, and Sue Storm of course had her hothead kid brother, but the Sub-Mariner came along in issue #4 to fulfil the other half of the Johnny Blake character. (Stan Lee and Jack Kirby would of course go on to use the JLA format for the Avengers a couple of years later). Unlike their format predecessors, the Fantastic Four had super powers and went on to fight super-villains etc to become the most famous example of this four hero line-up in comics’ history. But Rip and Cave and the Sea Devils got there first.
There were other foursomes from DC where the format was a bit different (Challengers Of The Unknown, the Suicide Squad, even the Doom Patrol) and mention might just be made of another foursome, the Fab Four from Dell, much later in 1967 (in a very silly series called the Super-Heroes), but there was no congruency there, any more than there was with the real Fab Four, which leads me to the Monkees (also a comic version from Dell), and then on to DC’s Maniaks, which almost followed our pattern, but then, like some four colour Ouroboros, I’m eating my own tail.
Rob Rudderham, April 2020
Lockdown Interlude
We know a lot of our followers enjoy reading the write-ups for our newly listed vintage items every Sunday, but while we’re unable to bring you new stock during this lockdown time, we wanted to provide something to entertain, so we’re going a run a series of features and articles spotlighting some of our favourite comics and books. We begin with a short piece on how we got our name, which touches on our very favourite comics characters. More to follow as and when; these will be archived in our Extras page under ‘Lockdown Interlude’ .
What’s In A Name? Why We’re Called ’30th Century Comics’
We have been asked on many occasions why we’re called ‘30th Century Comics’, particularly why such a futuristic name for a business that specialises in vintage comics and books?
Of course, many comic fans will recognise that the 30th Century was the original setting for the DC series the Legion of Super-Heroes, the founding characters of which debuted in the Superboy story in Adventure Comics #247 (April 1958). The LSH was the favourite series of three out of the four of us who formed the business (and our fourth partner was a fan too!). When we got together to form a comic business in 1994, we therefore wanted a name that celebrated our heroes, particularly since three of us met through an APA (Amateur Press Alliance) devoted to the LSH. It was Will who suggested ‘30th Century Comics’ , and it seemed appropriate without being too obvious.
That was a long time ago (over 26 years now), and things move on. We survived a fire above our premises and bounced back from an ensuing closure of six weeks. Sadly, one of our founders died. We carried on, forging our business into very much the type of comic shop we’d like to visit, adding British comics and vintage books to our stock. A few years ago we dropped new imported American comics from our operation in order to concentrate on the vintage back issues we love. Today, we believe we are uniquely placed in the world, selling vintage comics (both American and British) and genre books in a bricks and mortar shop as well as a thriving mail order worldwide business. Currently, in 2020 of course, we have had to close our doors temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic; but we’ll be back.
The Legion of Super-Heroes has moved on too, in a chequered career of highs and lows at DC Comics. But we’ve resisted rebranding as 31st Century Comics; the roots of what drew us together can be found in those wonderful Legion of Super-Heroes stories from the late 1950s and early 1960s (the best of which were scripted initially by science fiction alumnus Edmond Hamilton), when Legion teams were picked by a Planetary Chance Machine, when Light Lass exercised with a Cellular Trim-Ray and Invisible Kid put his foot on the gas pedal to accelerate the Legion spaceship. It’s that retro future vibe that typifies what we sell and what we stand for – welcome to the 30th Century, way back when.
Rob Rudderham, March 2020
Coronavirus Update: Shop now closed until further notice
We confirm that our shop is now closed until further notice due to the pandemic emergency. For the time being, there will be no stock updates to our catalogue or What’s New page and our weekly newsletter is therefore suspended.
We are not able to offer a mail order service at present, but we are keeping that under review. Obviously, we are not buying collections at this time.
When the situation changes, we will of course keep you informed here.
We deeply regret this interruption to your comic and book buying enjoyment, but it’s the only sensible thing to do. Once again, we thank you for your good wishes and support and urge you all to avoid all but essential trips outdoors and to practise social distancing when you do — and wash your hands!
Keep well and stay safe.
From all at 30th Century Comics
Coronavirus Update: Many Thanks/Mail Order
We are deeply grateful for all the messages of support we’ve recived via email and on facebook.
We sincerely believe that our decision to temporarily close until things are back to normal is the only practical and sensible road to go down. It seems likely that all non-essential shops may be closing in the near future.
After much consideration, we’ve decided that a mail order service is not practical under current circumstances, although we will keep that under review as the situation changes. We will therefore not be able to accept orders for posting from today onwards until further notice.
We will continue to post here with any developments.
We will be doing what we can to ensure that as soon as we can open for business again, we’re ready to unleash a wonderful selection of goodies for you to enjoy in what will hopefully be a safer world.
Coronavirus Update: Shop temporarily closing after 21st March
We deeply regret that, due to the current coronavirus emergency, our shop will be temporarily closing, our last day of business being Saturday 21st March. This is a precautionary measure and will be until further notice. Paramount in our thoughts are the health and safety of our customers and staff.
This is not a decision we take lightly, but two of the three partners who run the business have underlying medical conditions which put them in the vulnerable category.
We look forward to welcoming you back when things return to normal; at the moment of course, no one can predict when that will be.
Mail order: Orders paid for by 6 pm today, Tuesday 17th March, will be posted tomorrow. At the present time, we’re looking into whether we can continue a limited mail order operation. We have to bear in mind the safety of delivery staff.
Further updates will be posted here as things become clearer.
In the meantime, do all you can to stay well. Thank you for all your support in the past, and for your understanding at this difficult time.
THE SQUARE MILE COLLECTION
This is an early Silver Age Collection from an original owner notable for the freshness and vibrancy of the cover colours and page quality; even those with minor reading and handling wear are vastly superior to the majority of comics that have been in circulation since the 1960s. The average grade is well above Fine, with many much nicer.
We’ll be adding selections from this collection for sale here each week across the range of titles represented. These will be over a range of prices each week to suit most budgets, so that all interested collectors have an opportunity to purchase something from this special collection. Each comic will come branded with a special label and certificate of authenticity verifying it as part of the Square Mile Collection. Here’s this week’s:
American Update: Slab Happy/Mighty Marvel Firsts: Hulk #1 CGC 3.5 – Second Rarest Early Marvel Key
*Marvel: A jewel in the crown of the Square Mile Collection! In 1962, following the success of the Fantastic Four, Marvel were casting around for their next hit. Combining elements from popular TV shows of the time, Lee & Kirby brainstormed a ‘mash-up’ of Frankenstein and Jekyll & Hyde – the old horror movies then going great guns on late-nite TV – and threw in a jive-talking teenager a la ’77 Sunset Strip’s ‘Kookie’, leavening the mix with a hearty dose of 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, and in consequence Banner becomes the Hulk, a creature of incalculable strength and uncontrollable rage! Most key components of the Hulk mythos were introduced here: Banner and the Hulk himself, perpetual hero-groupie Rick Jones, love interest Betty Ross and antagonist 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 warring with brute strength – was evident from the beginning, as Bruce, not the Hulk, turns an enemy into an ally and saves the day. Curiously, the Hulk was an initial flop, cancelled after six issues, and condemned to a few years as a guest villain or back-up strip until the revival of his solo title in 1968, but this is where his long career began. This is a CGC Blue Label (no restoration) 3.5, a VG- equivalent, a pence copy (or ‘UK Price variant’, as our American cousins would have it). Several fine lines at the spine and corners do not detract from the central cover image, with beautiful unfaded midnight-blue cover background colour. 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. Please note that this comic is NOT stored at our premises; viewing is strictly by appointment only, for which we require a minimum of 48 hours notice.
PICTURED: HULK #1 CGC 3.5 VG- p £8500
More from the Square Mile Collection next week!
American Update: Batmania: Batman #227 – ‘Demon of Gothos Mansion!’ Classic Adams Cover
*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 is VG pence, with minor faint creasing at corner and spine making it sound less appealing than it is ‘in the flesh’, as the stunning cover image is absolutely untouched by the minimal wear at the cover’s edges.
PICTURED: BATMAN #227 VG+ p £120 SOLD
American Update: DC Debuts! Big Barda Begins in Mister Miracle #4, plus Scott Free’s Origin in #9
*DC: Of Kirby’s ‘Fourth World’ series at DC, Mister Miracle was the best received by the readership due to its relatable protagonist, who, despite his extraterrestrial origins, was an amiable if highly-skilled Everyman. But the pace really picked up with issue #4, when we were introduced to Scott’s old flame, Big Barda, former leader of the Female Furies of Apokalips. The tough, no-nonsense Barda contrasted with Scott’s laid back persona, and the dynamic brought the couple lasting popularity, the occasional ‘dramatic’ attempt to separate them being met with universal disdain. Another hit issue of the series was #9, in which the full background of Scott Free’s upbringing on the hell-world Apokalips, and his full origin, was revealed for the first time in detail. We have both these major issues back in stock this week, both cents copies with no UK pricing: #4 is FN+, with only very faint creasing at the lower cover corners impinging upon an otherwise virtually flawless copy. #9 is Near Mint, a grade we very seldom award to items of this vintage, a breath-taking copy with bright colours, firm staples, glossy cover, sharp corners, flexible interiors and not the remotest vestige of creasing.
PICTURED: MISTER MIRACLE
#4 FN+ £100
#9 NM £75
American Update: DC Comedy Classics – Angel & the Ape and the Inferior Five
*DC: Two favourite series here at 30th C., Inferior Five and Angel & The Ape were both the brainchildren of E. Nelson Bridwell, one of the earliest fans-turned-pro in comics. Tasked to produce a Fantastic Four parody for Showcase, he added an extra member and the idea of the new team being ‘legacy’ heroes, utterly unequipped to follow in their parents’ footsteps, and turned the Inferior Five into a genuine work of comedic genius, taking affectionate swipes at Tarzan, THUNDER Agents, the Scarlet Pimpernel, the Green Hornet, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and more. We have the third I5 try-out from Showcase #65 restocked, plus several issues from the title itself, each one lovely. (Except #6. For obvious historical reasons, we don’t approve of #6.) Following on from the Inferior Five, Bridwell also created Angel & the Ape, a detective duo where one was a gorgeous martial artiste, and the other was a gorilla. No, we’re not being metaphorical, a literal gorilla. And a comics artist. While less subtle and more slapstick than the I5, Angel & the Ape had great charm, and superb art from Bob Oksner, enhanced (from issue #2 up) by the inks of the legendary Wally Wood. The first two A & A issues are back in stock.
PICTURED:
ANGEL AND THE APE #1 VG p £9
INFERIOR FIVE #9 FN p £6.75
American Update: The Wonder (Family) Years! Early 1960s Wonder Woman Issues Restocked
*DC: The early 1960s Wonder Woman, where the Princess of Paradise Island cavorted with her own younger selves (Wonder Tot & Wonder Girl) and fought fantastical creatures such as Mouse Man, the Human Iceberg and Multiple Menace, is a polarizing period for WW fans, who either love or lathe these more whimsical tales. Like ‘em or love ‘em, they’re back, from ‘Invaders from the Topsy-Turvy Planet!’ (#127) , to ‘Kite of Doom!’ (#138) plus a stray latecomer from the ‘Modesty Blaise’ years, the non-powered Diana Prince facing off against Dr. Cyber in #199.
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts: Debut of Black Panther in Fantastic Four #52
*Marvel: Lee & Kirby’s Fantastic Four added to its many innovations in 1966’s FF #52, when they introduced the first black super-hero in comics. Previously, the vanishingly rare heroic black characters in comics had been either embarrassing sidekicks or ‘noble savages’, but the Black Panther was the monarch of a highly sophisticated and technologically advanced African nation, Wakanda, and was to become not only one of the FF’s greatest allies, but a mainstay of their fellow heroes, the Avengers. Following his spectacular big-screen success, T’Challa’s earliest appearances have never been in higher demand, and we have a VG/FN cents copy, with no UK price stamp or overprint, new in stock. Tight at staples, with light to moderate edge creasing leaving the central scene unharmed, this is a highly desirable copy of a key debut.
PICTURED: FANTASTIC FOUR #52 VG/FN £400
American Update: Spider-Mania Max/Mighty Marvel Firsts! Rocked by the Shocker in Spidey #46
*Marvel: A Lee/Romita co-creation, the Shocker – a.k.a. Herman Schultz, career criminal and part-time scientist – created a special insulated suit which generated electrical waves that could open safes and incapacitate the police. Outsmarted by Spider-Man on their first clash, he has returned many times to battle the Web-Slinger and many other Marvel heroes, making his big screen debut in ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ in 2017. This first appearance is a VG, with light to moderate edge wear, fine corner creasing, and slight age-related discolouration at the rear spine, but staples firm at cover and centrefold.
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46 VG p £65 SOLD
American Update: Spider-Mania Max! Silver Age Spideys between #51 and #68
*Marvel: Continuing our stonking series of Spidey updates, we bring you this week ten issues between #51 (2nd Kingpin appearance) and #68 (‘Crisis on Campus’), by Lee & Romita in their prime, with all the usual gang – JJJ, Aunt May, Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Mysterio and more – doing their things! This selection is in decent mid-grades, averaging VG+, affordable copies of classic issues. As always, full details in our catalogue.
American Update: Spider-Mania Max! ASM #253-297, including debuts of the Rose, Puma, Black Fox, Silver Sable and more!
*Marvel: Almost 50 issues of the Amazing Spider-Man restocked this week, the vast majority of which were not in our previous inventory. Highlights include the first appearances of several of Spidey’s friends (Black Fox, Silver Sable) and foes (the Rose, the Puma), and several key clashes with the Hobgoblin, including his apparent demise.
American Update: Spider-Mania Max! Venom’s first solo series, Lethal Protector, back in stock
*Marvel: We’ve often mocked 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 exponentially. This 1993 six-parter by Michelinie, Bagley and Lim was Venom’s first solo series, and saw the start of his transition from outright villain to reluctant anti-hero – though predictably, there were many mis-steps along the way! Establishing an uneasy truce with Spidey, Venom relocates to San Francisco, but his past deeds follow him, when the father of one of his victims enlists super-powered mercenaries to take revenge, plus he’s faced with five further symbiotes – Scream, Phage, Riot, Lasher and Agony – in a highly dysfunctional family gathering! All six issues are back in stock in bright n’ shiny (shinier than most, in the case of #1’s foil cover) NM condition.
PICTURED: VENOM LETHAL PROTECTOR #1 NM £28
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts – Double Debuts for Deadpool and Domino in New Mutants #98
*Marvel: A title we mostly don’t list in our catalogue is New Mutants, but there are a couple of significant issues which are exceptions, and one of them is #98, the premier of not only everyone’s favourite Merc-With-A-Mouth and blockbuster movie star, Deadpool, but also the very first appearance of the probability-manipulating assassin Domino. Since Domino also co-starred in the smash-hit ‘Deadpool 2’ movie, her presence has enhanced the desirability of this already hot collectible issue. Although Deadpool as presented in this issue is very different in tone from his later more popular appearances, this is where it all began, and this copy is a clean, sharp and flat VF. Chances to get this item unslabbed are getting scarcer as people jump on the speculator bandwagon, so grab your copy now – competition will be keen!
PICTURED: NEW MUTANTS #98 VF £150
American Update: The Devil Rides Out! Ghost Rider #1 in FN, Commencing Johnny Blaze’s First Ongoing Series
*Marvel: In the early 1970s, with the supernatural craze at its height, Marvel sought ever-more ingenious ways to produce horror/mystery series which got around the then-Draconian censorship of the Comics Code Authority. One such was Ghost Rider, a retooling of a former Western hero as a stunt-riding Satanic minion (obviously!). After a short but successful run in Marvel Spotlight, Ghost Rider, who notwithstanding his devilish empowerment usually acted heroically, moved to his own series under the aegis of Gary Friedrich, Tom Sutton and Syd Shores, achieving a very respectable 80+ run, and not even two truly execrable movies starring Nicolas Cage have managed to dent his ongoing popularity! This is a FN copy, with minimal cover wear, slight blunting at lower left & right cover corners, but very clean and vivid cover with firm staple attachment.
PICTURED: GHOST RIDER #1 FN £165
American Update: Silver Surfer #4 – the Sentinel of the Spaceways Battles the God of Thunder
*Marvel: All the Silver Surfer’s original 18 issue series, launched in 1968, are keenly sought, but issue #4, in which our angst-ridden cosmic hero faces the might of Thor, is particularly scarce, both here in the UK and in its native USA. Many theories abound (including one about most of the print run being set alight by disappointed truck hijackers, which we declare inventive but apocryphal), but no conclusive explanation has yet been presented. Nevertheless, rare it is, significantly less common than even #1 in our experience. This copy of the epic Thor/Surfer clash, beautifully illustrated by John Buscema, is an attractive GD/VG; very minor peripheral cover creasing which leaves the central cover scene unharmed, and a small split toward the bottom of the squarebound spine. Nonetheless, a solid, bright copy of a rare issue, with excellent visual appeal.
PICTURED: SILVER SURFER #4 GD/VG p £160 SOLD
American Update: Six of the Best – Ladies’ Firsts! Fighting Females of the Marvel Universe
*Marvel: To celebrate Women’s History Month, this week’s ‘Six of the Best’ focuses on the heroic ladies of the Marvel Universe. Claws of the Cat #1 brings us Greer Grant Nelson, pioneer feminist super-heroine in her origin story by Linda Fite, with superb artwork by Marie Severin and Wally Wood – later, Greer returned to the MU as Tigra the Were-Woman. Disco Diva the Dazzler, a surprise hit generated from a failed cross-marketing scheme with a record company, became a member of the X-Men and has surpassed her rather dodgy origin to become a much-loved character. Red Sonja, She-Devil With A Sword, spun out of Conan the Barbarian’s series to solo stardom under the controversial aegis of Frank Thorne. Shanna the She-Devil, an environmentally-conscious attempt to modernise the ‘Jungle Queen’ genre, premiered in 1972 with a stunning Jim Steranko cover – though not a hit originally, Shanna remained prominent thanks to her marriage to Ka-Zar. Sensational She-Hulk #1 was Jennifer Walters’ second time around as a solo act, and it was her best run, written and drawn by John Byrne with genre-busting wit and charm. And finally, Jessica Drew, the original and still the best Spider-Woman, won her own series after her copyright-protecting one-shot in Marvel Spotlight #32 proved to be a breakout hit, launching a series that was for most of its run genuinely inventive and occasionally disturbing.
PICTURED:
DAZZLER #1 VF/NM £19
SHANNA THE SHE-DEVIL #1 VG+ £15
SPIDER-WOMAN #1 VF £35
American Update: Infinity Ad Infinitum! Complete Set of Infinity War back in stock
*Marvel: In the wake of the spectacular success of Infinity Gauntlet, writer Jim Starlin returned to the well with a sequence of sequels, the first of which was Infinity War, in which Thanos ‘got the band back together’ – himself, Warlock, Drax, Gamora, Pip the Troll – and unleashed a scheme that forced most heroes to confront their own dark doppelgangers, both in the main series, and in many, many – oh, so very many – crossovers in other titles. This cosmic odyssey is now available as a complete 6 issue set, each a nigh-flawless NM.
PICTURED: INFINITY WAR #1 NM; COMPLETE SET #1-6 NM £50 SOLD
American Update: Now, Here’s the Thing… Bashful Benjy’s solo series from 1983-86 restocked from #2 to the final #36
*Marvel: The cancellation of Marvel Two-In-One, the Thing’s team-up title, left a slot in the schedule for Ben’s first truly solo series. Originally written by John Byrne and drawn by Ron Wilson, it explored Ben’s early life on Yancy Street, and told of his forays into the world of super-powered pro wrestling, with a substantial detour to allow for the events of the first Secret Wars series. We have twenty new issues added to our sadly-depleted stock, including the ‘Assistant Editors’ Month’ #7 – The Power! The Fury! Goody Two-Shoes unleashed!
American Update: Atomic Sci-Fi: Strange Worlds #3 – Wood, Frazetta, Williamson, Greene, Krenkel and more
*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: While Avon’s Strange Worlds is well-remembered for its lavish and beautifully illustrated science-fiction stories, issue #3 is one of the most sought-after, because of its all-star line-up. Wally Wood and Joe Orlando illustrate ‘The Alien Raiders!’, an adventure of Kenton of the Star Patrol, while Sid Greene brings us the tale of ‘The Flame Goddess!’. Howard Larsen and Sid Greene collaborate on Princess of the Past!’ an unused story of Malu, the Slave Girl Princess; and Wood, Krenkel, Williamson and Frazetta jointly illustrate the cover story, ‘Invasion From The Abyss!’. Not a dud in the lot, and this copy, at GD/VG (unmarred cover and interiors other than light general age-related wear, approx. 3″ diagonal back cover tear, otherwise would be an easy Fine) is relatively bargainaceous for such a widely-desired issue.
PICTURED: STRANGE WORLDS #3 GD/VG £275
American Update: Werewolf By Night – From #1, including early appearances by Moon Knight
*Horror/Mystery 1960-1980s: After a few issues in Marvel Spotlight, unfortunate lycanthropic teen Jack Russell (yes, we know) proved such a hit that he launched into his own series with fine scriptwork from Doug Moench and superlatively evocative illustrations by Mike Ploog. This happy alchemy continued until the late teens, when it all went a bit Don Perlin on the visual front, and the series never really recovered, although it did continue until #43 despite Mr. Perlin’s blocky figurework. A boost to the issues in latter years, however, has come from interest in the Moon Knight character, who debuted in #32 (NOT in this update), and made several subsequent appearances in the series. We have a newly added ten issues of WBN from #1, in a very affordable FA, to #37, including #15 (a classic Werewolf/Dracula battle), and #33 and #37, the second and third ever Moon Knights, respectively.
PICTURED: WEREWOLF BY NIGHT
#15 VF/NM £80 SOLD
#33 VG+ £80
#37 NM- £100
American Update: ‘Prozines’, 1980s to 2000s: Comics Journal, Alter Ego, Comic Book Marketplace and More
*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics: Close to 30 new issues added in to various ‘prozines’, the phenomenon where magazines either started out as professional operations from the get-go, or originated as true fanzines, but mutated into slick productions with paid contributors, with a wealth of research, history and anecdote. Included in this listing are the Twomorrows publications Alter Ego (second series), Back Issue, Comicology and Rough Stuff, later issues of Fantagraphics’ Comics Journal, Comic Book Marketplace, Comic Book Artist (second series), the short-lived 1980s attempt at a true comics-themed newsstand mag, Comics Scene, and the magazine of the graphic arts, Hogan’s Alley.
British Update: New Annual Listings – Judy, Rupert, Mandy, Starlord, Diana, the Saint and TV’s Avengers
*Annuals: After a bit of a lull, we’re pleased to top up our stock of the traditional hardcover Annuals in four categories: in Boys’, we have Starlord, the short-lived 2000 AD spin-off which was the first home of Strontium Dog and the Ro-Busters; in Girls’, new entries for popular D.C. Thomson ladies Judy, Mandy and Diana; in Rupert, additional listings for Nutwood’s favourite son, newly-transferred here from his own catalogue section and in TV & Film Related, the Saint (Roger Moore, not Ian Ogilvy), and TV’s Avengers, old (John Steed and Tara King) and New (Steed, Gambit & Purdey)!
PICTURED: AVENGERS 1968 FN £20
British Update: Free Gift Farrago: Victor from 1971 with ‘Star Cars of 1971’
*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Three consecutive issues of Victor, home of ‘Tough of the Track’, ‘Cecil the Stone-Age Scrapper’ and plus-size soccer star ‘Mister Roly-Poly’, each with their original Free Gift. Issue #517 is GD, light wear and browning at cover edge, with ‘Star Cars of 1971’ booklet + stickers in FN. #518 is FN, a cleaner copy with Sheet 2 of ‘Star Cars of 1971’ stickers in VF. And #519 is GD, slight dust shadow at top edge, with Sheet 3 of – oh, you guessed – stickers, unfortunately, partly adhering to an interior page, so also only GD.
PICTURED: VICTOR
#517 GD WITH FREE GIFT GD £30 SOLD
#518 FN WITH FREE GIFT FN £30 SOLD
#519 GD WITH FREE GIFT GD £15 SOLD
British Update: Giant War – What Is It Good For? 25 Plus-Size Picture Libraries added in
*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: After the initial let down that Giant War Picture Library doesn’t actually feature Giants at War, what you do get is an intriguing package. Extra-tall (twice the height of a regular Picture Library, meaning they were a bugger to display) comics, which were relatively expensive at 1/6 in old money, but brought three full-length tales of combat per issue to the reader who had a bit more pocket money to spare. Not widely circulated (we suspect many newsagents may have returned them without ever displaying them, due to their problematic proportions) this is only the second significant amount of Giant War Picture Library we’ve seen in our 25+ years of trading. We have a selection of 25 issues between 1964 and 1965, between issues #7 and #73, averaging GD condition.
PICTURED: GIANT WAR PICTURE LIBRARY
#53 FN £12.50
#60 FN £12.50
British Update: Free Gift Farrago! Plug – the Bash Street Kid Goes Solo! First three issues with Free Gifts
*Humour Comics: In 1977, D.C. Thomson took the peculiar step to try one of the long-running ‘Bash Street Kids’ from the Beano in his own self-titled comic. Percival Proudfoot Plugley, a.k.a. ‘Plug’, was given a slick paper weekly, in his adventures focusing on his never-before-suspected sporting prowess. Several of the back-ups also had a sporting theme, including ‘Ava Banana, the World’s Strongest Woman’, which featured the single worst ‘professional’ art ever seen in a D.C. Thomson comic. While the quality of some of the strips may have been a bit shaky, the production values were high, and the comic lasted 75 issues before merging into Beezer. Mind you, they didn’t stint on the Free Gifts, which were relatively elaborate. While issue #1’s ‘Screamin’ Demon’ balloon was standard fare, the ‘Plug’s Mugs’ funny face maker with issue #2 actually looks like quite a bit of fun, as does issue #3’s ‘Glow’rious Plug facemask, with luminous bits! Issue #1’s Free Gift is still in envelope, with very slight age-related discolouration on two patches of the envelope itself; Issue #2 has two components, the cards for the Funny Faces unpunched from their original support card, tiny bit of rust on the staples of the unopened envelope holding the viewer and other than a slightly rusty staple on the small envelope; the mask with issue #3 is pristine.
PICTURED: PLUG
#1 VF WITH FREE GIFT FN £30
#2 VF WITH FREE GIFT VF £30
#3 VF WITH FREE GIFT VF £30
British Update: Free Gift Farrago – Mandy #139 from 1969, with ‘Rainbow Bracelet’
*Girls’ Comics: In 1969, young female readers could thrill and sob along with ‘The Girlhood of Valda’, ‘Wonder Girl in the Caves of Mystery’, ‘Eyes For Blind Mary’, ‘Slaves of the Mill’, and ‘The Reluctant Witch’, among others – and the week of September 13th had an added bonus in the form of an expandable bracelet which sparkled ‘with all the colours of the rainbow!’ Well, four of ’em. Five if you count the fake metallic bits. This copy of Mandy #139 is FN, and the Free Gift, still in original cellophane envelope, never opened or worn, is VF.
PICTURED: MANDY #139 FN WITH FREE GIFT VF £35 SOLD
British Update: A Plethora of Princesses! Princess Picture Library renewed, from #5 to #119
*Girls’ Picture Libraries: Launched in 1961 and lasting until 1966’s #120, Princess Picture Library started out by alternating between two fixed ‘players’ – Sue Day of the ‘Happy Days’, and Sally Doyle, one of those ballerinas who was always performing her pirouettes in unlikely locales – jungle, castle, Tesco’s, you name it. In later issues, however, the scope broadened to encompass other features, such as the Freedom Fighters for France (it’s a wonder the German Army got anything done in World War II, with all these plucky schoolgirls hurtling at them) and well-meaning plus-size duffer Bessie Bunter – sorry, Tilly Tuffin. Our potpourri of Princesses is delicately refreshed this week with almost 60 issues previously unrepresented in our inventory, commencing with #5: ‘Sue and the Cake Mystery’ and ending with #119: ‘Sue and the Circus Mystery’. My, that girl gets everywhere. Along the way, many issues didn’t even involve either Sue or a mystery, but you’ll have to trust us on that. Averaging VG, with several Fine, these are structurally sound copies with generally bright covers, but brought slightly down by rusty staples.
PICTURED: PRINCESS PICTURE LIBRARY
#21 VG £9
#81 FN £9
Technical Update: Email problems
Once again, our web and email hosts are having technical problems supplying an email service, so we are unable at this time to send our regular weekly newsletter. We will keep this page updated with news as things change. ***UPDATED*** As of 12:22 pm, the email service has been restored, so, all being well, you can expect our newsletter after lunch today.
Housekeeping Update
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 A – C
*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics
As of the time of writing, these files are bang up to date, with every item listed available.
American Update: Fabulous Facsimiles – The First Robin Appearance, ‘Flash of Two Worlds’, Wolverine, Vampirella and more
*Modern Reprints: More from DC and Marvel this week, with new additions in the Facsimiles range being Detective Comics #38 (the very first appearance of Robin the Boy Wonder, originally published in 1940!), Batman #232 (First Ra’s Al Ghul, illustrated by Neal Adams), Flash #123 (‘Flash of Two Worlds’, the first meeting of the Silver and Golden Age Flashes), and Mystery In Space #75 (a.k.a. ‘Justice League 3.5’, with the JLA teaming up with Adam Strange against Kanjar Ro!), plus the Dollar Comic edition of New Teen Titans #2, presenting the first Deathstroke. From the House of Ideas, we have Wolverine #1 (the mini-series by Claremont and Frank Miller) and… Wolverine #1 (the first issue of the later ongoing series, by John Buscema and that Claremont lad again!), plus the ‘True Believers’ edition of Spider-Man #101, with the first appearance of Morbius the Living Vampire! But wait – there’s a third entry in the race? Yup, we also have a modern facsimile of Warren’s Vampirella #1, in which the lass from Drakulon sets off for Earth to save her own dying planet – while drinking human blood and striking lots of suggestive poses. Well, a girl’s got to have a hobby! All of these ‘Time Capsules’ are brand new/mint.
Books Update: The Player’s Boy – Antonia Forest’s Novel Set In The Time Of Gloriana
*Childrens’ Books: Antonia Forest is best known by aficionados of children’s literature for her series of novels about the Marlow family set in the 20th century, The Player’s Boy is set in the time of Queen Elizabeth I; it tells the story of an ancestor of theirs, who runs away from his family hoping to sail to America. Instead he meets not only Kit Marlowe but also William Shakespeare, and ends up joining the Lord Chamberlain’s Players. The book is graded VG, with a water ripple at the top of the first few pages (but no sign on the boards; otherwise the book would grade higher). The dust jacket is also graded VG, with very slight erosion at the ends of folds and a small mark at the top right of the front cover. The evidence of the book’s former life as a library book is limited to a large and very pink label on the flyleaf and a stamp on the publisher’s page. This is a rare opportunity to obtain a first edition by ‘the ‘Jane Austen’ of children’s literature’.
PICTURED: THE PLAYER’S BOY VG (DJ VG) £80
THE SQUARE MILE COLLECTION
This is an early Silver Age Collection from an original owner notable for the freshness and vibrancy of the cover colours and page quality; even those with minor reading and handling wear are vastly superior to the majority of comics that have been in circulation since the 1960s. The average grade is well above Fine, with many much nicer.
We’ll be adding selections from this collection for sale here each week across the range of titles represented. These will be over a range of prices each week to suit most budgets, so that all interested collectors have an opportunity to purchase something from this special collection. Each comic will come branded with a special label and certificate of authenticity verifying it as part of the Square Mile Collection. Here’s this week’s:
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts! Debut of the Puppet Master (and Alicia) in Fantastic Four #8
*Marvel: The early issues of the Fantastic Four were bursting with characters who would later play pivotal roles in the greatest Marvel Universe, and issue #8 was no exception. This issue saw the introduction of Phillip Masters, the Puppet Master, whose traumatic childhood caused him to seek power, wealth and companionship by controlling the minds of others via a certain radioactive clay isotope, which he fashioned into puppets of the real people to invoke a modern-day voodoo. Appearing multiple times in the Marvel Universe, he remains a bane of the FF to this day – though his one emotional weak spot is his genuine love for his step-daughter Alicia, perhaps born of guilt over Alicia’s blindness, which was caused by an explosion during a dispute between Masters and Alicia’s father, in which Alicia’s father was killed. Alicia herself, originally a pawn of her evil step-father, has assumed a larger role, becoming first the beloved of Ben Grimm, the Fantastic Four’s Thing, sightlessly sensing the noble soul beneath the monstrous facade, and also, pivotally, convincing the aloof Silver Surfer of the value of humanity in the epic ‘Galactus Trilogy’. This debut of two key characters is FN+, light corner and edge wear, but firm staples, bright pages, and only the most minimal corner ‘blunting’.
PICTURED: FANTASTIC FOUR #8 FN+ p £375 SOLD
American Update: The Origin of the Juggernaut in X-Men #13
*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 the introduction of the Juggernaut, destined to become one of the X-Men’s (and the Marvel Universe’s) greatest villains! 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 Xavier’s super-powered students! This concluding issue of the two-parter, featuring a guest-appearance by the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch, reveals the origins of Professor X and the Juggernaut, and reveals some of the reasons why Xavier set about training the new generation of mutants. A superb FN/VF, with only the tiniest amount of light foxing at upper cover edge.
PICTURED: X-MEN #13 FN/VF p £125 SOLD
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts – premiere appearance of the Melter in Tales of Suspense #47
*Marvel: A major addition to Shell-Head’s Rogue’s Gallery premiered this issue, as Iron Man met for the first time the malevolent Melter, a villain custom designed to neutralise the powers and weapons of the Armoured Avenger! For a one-note villain, Bruno Horgan had a surprisingly long shelf life, becoming a perennial member of the Masters of Evil and racking up dozens of appearances before being bumped off, unceremoniously, in a massacre of villains by Scourge in the pages of Captain America. Typically, Marvel declined to let the name rest, and several other people have claimed the title of Melter, but this one was the first of the ‘legacy’! This copy is FN+, with minimal spine wear, but firm staples and that peculiar ‘midnight blue’ background Marvel favoured in their early years vivid and unfaded.
PICTURED: TALES OF SUSPENSE #47 FN+ p £160
American Update: DC Debuts: The Justice Society Returns in Flash #137: 1st Silver Age JSA and Vandal Savage
*DC: The only example of a duplication in the Square Mile Collection as we release the second Square Mile copy of this famous issue. Flash #137 was a landmark issue in Gardner Fox’s reintroduction of Golden Age characters into the Silver Age DC Universe. Not only did it feature the third appearance of Earth Two (the parallel world that Barry Allen read about in comic books when he was a kid!), and Jay Garrick, the Golden Age Flash, it was also the first Silver Age appearance of the villainous Vandal Savage and the first in-continuity appearance of other members of the erstwhile Justice Society (following a flashback sequence in Flash #129) who decide to ‘get the band back together’ in this very issue! This copy is an attractive FN with just the most minor wear at spine, great cover colour, firm staples at cover and centrefold.
PICTURED: FLASH #137 FN p £100
More from the Square Mile Collection next week!
American Update: DC Debuts: DC’s Enchantress Premieres in Strange Adventures #187
*DC: “The Enchantress? Isn’t she a Marvel character?” we hear you say. Well, yes & no. Amora, the Enchantress who is Thor’s most beloved enemy, is certainly the most famous bearer of that name, but DC hit back with a short-lived super-heroine in 1966, who went on to better things after fifteen years in Limbo. In Strange Adventures #187, we met June Moone, freelance artist who stumbles into the wrong corridor at a costume party being held in a castle, and gets changed into a mystically-empowered heroine charged to fight crime. Making only two further appearances in SA #191 and #200, DC’s Enchantress was forgotten until she was revived as a villain in Superman Family #204, the years of exposure to dark magic having corrupted her. Following several other guest appearances, she became a regular in the first series of Suicide Squad, transitioning to the Big SCreen as the Big Bad in the Suicide Squad movie of 2016. It was a long strange journey to stardom for Ms. Moone, but it all started here, in this very respectable VG+ copy, light to moderate spine and edge creasing, unfaded cover image, excellent page quality.
PICTURED: STRANGE ADVENTURES #187 VG+ p £50 SOLD
American Update: Tabloid Madness! All-New and Limited Collectors’ Editions, including rare Superman Vs. Wonder Woman battle
*DC: Two different iterations of DC’s Tabloid series (which shared the same numbering sequence, confusingly). We have new issues of Limited Collector’s Edition in stock: C-21 and C-35 (both Shazam!, the latter with a photo cover from the TV series), C-39 (Secret Origins of Super-Villains), and C-40 (Dick Tracy – no, we have no idea how that happened either!). Highlight of this update, however, is All-New Collectors’ Edition C-54, 1978’s Superman Vs. Wonder Woman battle, set in World War Two and featuring spectacular artwork from Jose Luis Garcia Lopez. 72 all-new pages, with Lopez’ artwork looking even more epic at the enlarged size. This is seldom seen in the UK – we’ve had only two or three in our more than quarter-century of trading! At VG/FN, there is slight age-related discolouration around the cover’s edges, but minimal wear and a firm copy with excellent interiors.
PICTURED:
ALL NEW COLLECTORS’ EDITION C54 VG/FN £40
LIMITED COLLECTORS’ EDITION C39 VF/NM £40 SOLD
American Update: Batmania: the mid -late 1960s ‘new look’
*DC: In 1964, Batman bade farewell to aliens, monsters, inter-dimensional imps, hounds and the ‘Batman family’ as Julius Schwartz took over the editorial helm and the emphasis switched to crime, mystery and super-villains from the established Rogues’ Gallery. Oh, and Batman got a yellow circle around the Bat symbol on his chest! 10 ‘new look’ issues this update, including the Joker in #186, the Penguin in #190 and Catwoman in #210, as well as the Anniversary 200th issue and Neal Adams artwork in #219.
American Update: Spider-Mania Max: Superman Vs Spider-Man – Ground-Breaking Tabloid Crossover from 1976
*DC/Marvel: In 1976, after some delicate negotiations, the two major publishers decided to pool their talents and create a team-up between their two iconic characters which proved too big for a regular-sized comic – so the tabloid-sized format, as seen in Marvel’s Treasury Editions and DC’s Limited Collectors’ Editions, was co-opted for this epic event! While Wizard of Oz is technically the first Marvel/DC co-production, that’s really just DC piggybacking onto a project Marvel had already produced, to avoid litigation (long story, Google it if you’re bothered). This was the first true collaboration between the titans of the comics industry, and it’s a tribute to the organisation involved that Superman and Spider-Man (as well as guest villains Lex Luthor and Doctor Octopus) are note perfect in this mega-sized saga. This is a FN+ cents copy of this ground-breaking item, light to moderate edge and corner wear, but clean and unimpaired cover, nice interior pages, and the squarebound spine, though slightly stressed in places, strong and intact.
PICTURED: SUPERMAN VS THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FN+ £75 SOLD
American Update: Mighty Marvel Firsts – X-Men #1 (1963) – Debuts of X-Men, Professor X and Magneto
*Marvel: Well, they don’t come much more ‘firsty’ than this one! One of the most sought-after issues of the Marvel Universe, this is not only the first appearance of the original X-Men themselves, but also their arch-nemesis Magneto. This is the comic which sparked Marvel’s most popular franchise (arguably tying with Spider-Man), and a Lee & Kirby classic which established the X-Men as Marvel’s ‘outsiders’ from the very beginning. This copy is UK pence priced, and while complete and intact, with no staining, scribbling or missing parts, is extremely worn, graded as PR/FA. There is moderate spine roll, the cover is detached at lower staple, and there is extensive spine, edge and corner creasing, though these constitute light multiple creases rather than heavy single ones. The white front cover image, though not specifically soiled, is discoloured through age, and there is a general feeling of ‘dinginess’ to the cover. Interior pages are clean and presentable. Nonetheless, a complete copy of an issue with multiple debuts of significant characters, and the launch pad for Marvel’s most lucrative franchise. High resolution images are available on request.
PICTURED: X-MEN #1 PR/FA p £1100 SOLD
American Update: Spider-Mania Max/Mighty Marvel Firsts: Rhino debut in Amazing Spider-Man #41
*Marvel: Issue #41 of the Amazing Spider-Man saw the first new villain of Jazzy Johnny Romita’s artistic tenure, as he and Swingin’ Stan Lee brought us the curiously endearing Rhino, a virtually unstoppable behemoth whose sheer power and tormented soul made him an instant hit, and a popular recurring villain, showing up everywhere from the Defenders to the Unstoppable Squirrel Girl! (No, really…). Only briefly glimpsed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far – but that was the old version, so he’s ready to ‘reboot’ – this debut of a key player is an attractive and affordable mid to high grade copy, strong staples, tight corners, light spine and edge wear, two very small interior edge tears, unmarred cover and decent interiors.
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #41 FN p £180
American Update: Spider-Mania Max! Spidey #134-136 – First Tarantula, Second Punisher and First Second Green Goblin! (Pardon?)
*Marvel: This trinity of connected tales hails from the ‘wilderness years’ of Spidey’s non-distribution in the UK, and features three sequential events; in #134, we are introduced for the first time to the Tarantula, the leaping menace who was to become a bane of Spidey’s existence, and also featured a last-minute cameo by the Punisher; #135 of course, presented the second ‘Full Punisher’, as Frank Castle squared off against both the Tarantula and Spidey himself; and #136 brought us the first appearance of Harry Osborn as the second Green Goblin, having literally stepped into his dead daddy’s pixie boots. #134 and #136 are high grade ND keys, bright and shiny with flat covers, tight staples and sharp corners, and we don’t anticipate they’ll be with us for long.
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN
#134 VF+ £50
#136 VF £50