*DC: Another iconic Joker cover from the Midas Collection this week, by Dick Sprang, illustrating the lead story where the Joker organises a syndicate of Jokers so that there can be a Joker in each of the 48 states. In the second story, to fulfil a promise to a dying police officer, Bruce becomes a policeman. Then, Batman and Robin face a new villain, The Gong, who commits crimes based on bells. Stories by Bill Finger and unknown, art by Sprang (on Joker story), Bob Kane and Charles Paris. This is a low grade copy, with good central cover scene and bright colours. Front and back covers are detached from staples (but still attached to each other). The spine is quite worn, with two holes at the staple areas, chips out at top and bottom spine and bottom edge, Ragged top edge and colour-breaking creases, including a long diagonal one across the cover. There is another chip out right edge, plus a tear of 4 cm without loss. Staples hold the pages together and are strong throughout, including the centre. Pages are a decent off-white, with a couple of corners torn off within the margins. 
PICTURED: BATMAN #55 FA+ £280 

*DC: One of the stories which redefined the concepts of comics narrative and super-heroic iconography in the 1980s, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen has been constantly in print since its 1986 debut, with myriad editions, collections and archives, but these are the original comics which set comics fandom and the industry alight. At first intended to be a ‘grim and gritty’ reinvention of the Charlton Comics heroes, who had only recently then come into DC’s possession, Dick Giordano convinced Moore to come up with original characters instead. Often imitated – frequently to the detriment of the medium – but never equalled, the 12-issue series is on sale in its entirety as a complete set, all very high grade with an average of VF/NM. 
IN THIS UPDATE: WATCHMEN #1-12 COMPLETE SET Av VF/NM £120; #1 PICTURED. 

*Marvel: Well, I don’t think anyone saw this coming back in 1973! In Amazing Spider-Man #121, Gwen Stacey died at the hands of the Green Goblin, and that villain perished himself in the very next issue. These landmark stories still resonate to this day, and although perhaps somewhat diluted by the return of both characters (hey kids, this IS comics!), the impact at the time was momentous and both issues still attract much collector interest. Here we offer a CBCS copy of Amazing Spider-Man #122 in 8.5 (VF+) Unrestored, case perfect, white pages. CBCS ref: 16-1B0D51D-005. You should note that there are a couple of small purple ink smudges on the left of the logo. 
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #122 CBCS 8.5 (VF+) £335

*Marvel: If you want to read about Klagg, the Creature in the Black Bog and Monstrollo, you’ve come to the right place, as these are featured in these three pre-hero issues of Tales Of Suspense, from the Kirby/Ditko Big Panty Monster era. 
IN THIS UPDATE: TALES OF SUSPENSE
#21 GD p £34 Pence printed. Klagg. Kirby and Ditko. Spine wear, cover creasing and corner blunting. Small biro price above logo; small bookshop stamp. 
#23 PR/FA p £13.25 Pence printed. The Creature in the Black Bog. Kirby, Ditko, Reinman. Ugly tape along spine. Cover very worn and creased with chip out bottom centre and biro name below logo. Loose centrefold. 
#25 GD/VG £65 (PICTURED) Monstrollo. Kirby, Ditko, Reinman. Okay copy with handling wear and small water stain at spine. Staples and pages both good.  

*Horror 1940-1959: A trio of Pre-Code chillers from the Bute Collection this week, in fact the final three Pre-Code issues before the code came in with issue #37 of Atlas’s Mystic. An intriguing mix of ‘Mystic Tales’. 
PICTURED: MYSTIC
#34 GD/VG £60 Pre-code. Cover by Russ Heath. Art by Tony DiPreta, Tony Mortellaro, Sid Check, Chuck Winter, Tom Cooke. Decent copy with nice colours, some gloss, very short nicks at upper and lower spine, spine and handling wear, stamped arrival date on ‘M’ of logo, firm staples off-white to cream pages.  
#35 FN/VF £150 Pre-code. Cover by Sol Brodsky. Art by Dick Ayers, Robert Q Sale, Al Hartley, John Forte, Pete Tumlinson. A superior copy with great colours and gloss, some handling wear including stress marks at spine. Great near white pages, tight staples. Presents very well. 
#36 FN £100 Pre-code. Cover by Carl Burgos. Art by Howie Post, Jay Scott Pike, Art Preddy, John Tartaglione, Bob Brown. Nice black background cover good colours and some gloss. Some stress marks at spine and handling wear, particularly along right edge. Supple off-white pages and nice staples.   

*Alan Class Reprints: From the Alan Class Personal Archive, we’re delighted to present ten issues of Uncanny Tales between #36 and #135. The first seven are pre-decimal issues. All in nice, above average grade, never read or circulated, and each with a certificate signed by Alan Class.
IN THIS UPDATE: UNCANNY TALES
#36 FN+ £7 (PICTURED)
#55 FN £7.50 (PICTURED)
#56 FN+ £7.25
#67 FN/VF £7.25
#72 FN+ £7
#73 FN £7
#80 FN/VF £7.50
#81 FN/VF £4
#111 FN/VF £4
#135 VF £4.50

*DC: Our star item this week is from the Midas Collection, Batman #10 from 1942. With an iconic cover by Fred Ray and Jerry Robinson, this seminal issue features a Catwoman story by Jack Schiff with art by Ray & Robinson. Catwoman is in the cat-head mask before she adopts her more familiar green and purple livery (see below). There’s also a story where Batman and Robin crash-land on an island inhabited by prehistoric men and creatures by Joseph Greene, Bob Kane and Robinson. Also, Batman rescues a young runaway, by the same creative team, and an adventure in a Western ghost town by Bill Finger, Kand and Robinson. This is a quite sunning copy, clean, unmarked, with minimal wear and a bright, glossy cover. Just slight stress marks at the spine, tiny bits of edge wear and two creases which do not break colour bring the grade down. These two creases are virtually unnoticeable on the front cover, but can be seen on the inside front cover; they appear to have flattened out. Slight foxing or tanning to inside covers, but the pages are lovely, supple and very near white. Staples are tight and excellent at the spine and centrefold (where there is some foxing in the margins). All in all, a beautifully presenting copy, far superior to the condition that contemporary issues usually turn up in. High resolution images are available on request. 
PICTURED: BATMAN #10 FN £2,500 

*DC: House Of Mystery was DC’s premier horror title, starting in 1951. Science fiction and monsters aplenty as well. Six issues in this update from 1960-61, all originally priced at 10 cents.  
IN THIS UPDATE: HOUSE OF MYSTERY ALL SOLD
#102 GD p £6.50
#103 FA+ £5.75
#104 FA/GD £7
#105 VG £17.75 (PICTURED)
#106 GD+ p £10.25
#108 GD/VG £13.50

*Marvel: Always a joy when an early issue of Amazing Spider-Man comes fresh into stock, especially when it’s such a nice copy as this one. Issue #11 features the second-ever appearance of Doctor Octopus, who vies with the Green Goblin for the position of Spidey’s #1 foe. A Stan Lee/Steve Ditko classic. A beautiful clean copy with vibrant and glossy colour cover (no markings), pence printed, tight, firm staples and lovely, supple near-white pages. Very minor handling wear at edges with some small stress marks breaking colour at spine. There are a couple of faint white vertical creases just a few mm length at Dock Ock’s face and arm, and one of about 2 cm below the title blurb box, but these barely detract from the dynamic cover. High resolution images are available on request. 
PICTURED: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #11 FN p £535

*Marvel: The first ongoing series of Moon Knight from 1980 was a fine, clever and intelligent comic by Doug Moench and Bill Sienkiewicz.  The multiple secret identity super-hero often considered an ersatz Batman has been around now since 1975. With Adamsesque art and some stunning covers, this has very much become a fan favourite series. 27 of the first 29 issues in this series newly added from #1 onwards.
IN THIS UPDATE: MOON KNIGHT MOSTLY SOLD, JUST A FEW LEFT
#1 VF+ p £50 (PICTURED) A high grade pence printed issue, glossy with rich colour, great pages and staples and a perfect spine. Just a suggestion of handling wear at top edge. Pictured below.
#2 VF £13
#3 VF/NM £23 1st Midnight Man
#4 FN £7.50 with Werewolf By Night
#5 VF/NM £5
#6 NM- £6.75
#7 FN- £2.50
#8 NM- £6.75
#9 VF/NM £5
#10 VF+ £4.75
#11 FN £2.75
#12 VF £4.25
#13 VF+ £4.75
#15 VF £4.25
#16 VF £4.25 with the Thing
#17 VF+ £4.50
#18 NM £6
#19 VF+ £4.50
#20 NM- £5
#21 NM- £5
#22 FN/VF £3.75
#23 VF/NM £13
#24 NM- £16.25 (PICTURED)
#26 VF/NM £13
#27 FN- £4.75
#28 VF £9
#29 FN+ £12 (PICTURED) with Werewolf By Night

*Horror/Mystery 1960-1980s: Dead Of Night was a Marvel series (1973-1975) in their Bronze Age horror revival, reprinting horror stories from the 1950s. The final issue (#11) debuts this iteration of the Scarecrow. We’re offering here the complete set of 11 issues in nice grades, with an average of FN. 
IN THIS UPDATE: DEAD OF NIGHT Complete Series #1-11 Av FN £125
PICTURED: #1 VG/FN, #11 FN SOLD

*Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror: A mixture of four very different books here this week. In Frederik Pohl’s The Age Of The Pussyfoot (with striking Bruce Pennington cover), the protagonist is revived five hundred years after death to a very different world. Tim Powers’s famous The Drawing Of The Dark is a clever and intelligent tour de force of sword and sorcery. Alex Raymond’s Flash Gordon: Space Circus is an interplanetary adventure of the famed spaceman. I – Alien is an illustrated novel of a spaceman stranded on Earth. 
PICTURED: 
FREDERIK POHL: THE AGE OF THE PUSSYFOOT Corgi 1971 1st UK PB GD £5
TIM POWERS: THE DRAWING OF THE DARK Del Rey 1985 2nd US PB VG/FN £6 SOLD
ALEX RAYMOND: FLASH GORDON: THE SPACE CIRCUS Avon 1974 1st US PB VG £6 SOLD
J MICHAEL REAVES: I — ALIEN Ace/Tempo 1978 1st US PB VG/FN £5

39 issues of Sparky, from 1971-1974 in mixed grades, but all reasonable with no duplicates
1971 17 issues
1972 10 issues
1973 8 issues
1974 4 issues
All 39 for £25
Shipping to GB addresses only (post free)

Joyously evocative of childhood, 5 Annuals of the Little Bear from 1937 to 1969.
1937 NM Facsimile (PICTURED)
1946 VG/FN (PICTURED)
1950 VG/FN (PICTURED)
1959 GD/VG
1969 VG/FN
All 5 for £45 SOLD
Shipping to GB addresses only (post free)

*DC: We’re featuring a Supergirl mini-event this week, and what better place to start than Kara Zor-El’s very first appearance? In the May 1959 issue of their flagship title, Action Comics #252, DC introduced another survivor from Krypton, Superman’s cousin Kara Zor-El, who called herself Supergirl. She would go on to become a prominent member of the DCU, until killed off in Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985. Since then, she has appeared in a number of iterations too numerous to go into here. Suffice it to say that Kara remains a firm fan favourite character and one of DC’s mainstays. This is the first copy of her origin story we have had in stock for a very long time. This is the beginning of Supergirl’s regular strip in Action Comics, and there’s also a Congorilla story and a Superman story featuring the first appearance of Metallo; what a landmark issue! It’s a lower to mid-grade copy, pre-distribution so cents of course. The cover image is bright and colourful and the comic presents reasonably well, with firm staples and decent cream coloured pages. Although the central cover image is unmarked, there are signs of reading wear at central right edge in the form of (probably) finger marks leading to smudgy creases which break colour over the tail fins of Supergirl’s rocket (see scan). The other significant flaw is a lower spine split of about 4 cm which extends throughout the pages to lesser degrees. Nevertheless, a good-looking copy of a major key issue which would be beyond a lot of collectors’ budgets if in much higher grade. High resolution images are available on request. 
PICTURED: ACTION COMICS #252 GD/VG £1,350

*DC: We conclude our Supergirl mini-event by getting far more up to date than the paths we normally tread with the Supergirl: World Of Tomorrow 8 issue mini series from 2021. Written by fan favourite writer Tom King, with distinctive art from Bilquis Evely, this full series, the basis of the 2026 Supergirl movie, is presented here in sparkling NM condition. 
IN THIS UPDATE: SUPERGIRL: WORLD OF TOMORROW: COMPLETE SERIES  #1-8 NM £120 (#1 PICTURED)

*DC: Four consecutive issues of Batman from 1952/53 from the Midas Collection this week, #74-77, with the Dynamic Duo leaping, jumping, swinging and bursting into action on all four covers. 
PICTURED: BATMAN
#74 GD+ £120 Lead story The Crazy Crime Clown, where the Joker commits seemingly crazy crimes and is sentenced to an insane asylum for access to a fortune. Batman goes undercover as an asylum patient. Other stories involve a movie murder plot and the villainous Mr Hydro. Stories by Al Schwartz & Bill Finger. Cover by Win Mortimer. Art by Dick Sprang, Bob Kane and Lew Sayre Schwartz. A lower graded copy with colour breaking cover creases, a couple of chips out of cover and a central spine split. Lower staple off cover. Decent off-white pages. 
#75 FA+ £75 SOLD Silver Age fans will remember this cover image from its vivid depiction on Batman Annual #3 from 1962. Cover by Win Mortimer and Lew Sayre Schwartz. In the cover story, an executed gang boss has his brain transplanted into the body of a giant gorilla. Plus an encounter with the villainous Mr Roulette and an adventure in an outlaw western town. Stories by David Vern and John Broome. Art by Dick Sprang, Bob Kane and Lew Sayre Schwartz. Good cover image, but extra staples . Cover off lower staple and loose at top. Edge wear with small chip off bottom right cover and lower staple area. Decent off-white pages. 
#76 VG+ £230 SOLD In the lead story, Batman joins the Danger Club to track down the killer within. Also features the Joker in flashback. Plus, the Penguin has a new ruse with mythical giant birds and Batman trades places with a ruthless, cold-blooded killer. Cover by Dick Sprang. Stories by Edmond Hamilton and Bill Finger, art by Bob Kane, Lew Sayre Schwartz and Jim Mooney. Fabulous rich colours on this cover, with a glorious deep purple sky. Solid spine with minor stress marks, minor handling wear, a couple of small colour-breaking creases at right upper edge and a small tear (no loss), right lower. Excellent near white pages and firm staples. 
#77 FA+ £75 Things appear to go wrong when Batman and Robin use a machine to predict crimes; Commissioner Gordon recruits the Secret Star, five men who can stand in for Batman, and the Assistant Commissioner has the Dynamic Duo sorting mundane police matters while ongoing mysterious robberies plague the city. Cover by Win Mortimer. Stories by Edmond Hamilton, Al Schwartz and Bill Finger. Art by Bob Kane and Lew Sayre Schwartz. A tatty copy just hanging on at the staples. Wear and tear along the spine (particularly the staple area, and along the ragged right edge. Small corner off bottom right cover. Several colour-breaking creases and heavy corner blunting. 

*Marvel: From 1971, the debut of Werewolf By Night in Marvel Spotlight #2. Created by Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway and Mike Ploog, the story of a young man named Jack Russell (no, really) who contracted a lycanthropic curse hit a high note with the readership and spun off into his own series after three try-out issues in Marvel Spotlight. This extra-thick #2 is the Werewolf’s first appearance and as a bonus, issued during Marvel’s fleeting flirtation with a 25c standard price, has a gorgeous Venus back-up reprint strip drawn by the incomparable Bill Everett, plus a wonderful Venus pin-up by the man himself. Squarebound issues are notoriously problematical, but no problems with this beautiful copy. Totally intact spine, no glue puckering, firm central staple (as printed and published), strong colours and supple near white pages. Just the tiniest signs of stress at the spine and minimal edge wear. This is an outstanding copy from an original owner collection, bought new in 1971 on a New York newsstand, and carefully preserved ever since.  
PICTURED: MARVEL SPOTLIGHT #2 VF+ £400 SOLD

*Marvel: If you’re looking for really nice copies of Amazing Spider-Man for your collection, then look no further than the Totally Amazing Spider-Man Collection. All high grade; even the few that fall below VF (and most are above) are really good-looking copies – no duds here, and nearly all cents copies. Three excellent Bronze Age issues here against the backdrop of the famous Clone Saga, featuring Mysterio, Cyclone, the Scorpion and… Gwen Stacy…after her death… 
IN THIS UPDATE: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 
#141 VF+ £50 (PICTURED)
#144 FN £25
#145 VF- £35 SOLD

*Miscellaneous 1940-1959: From the Bute Collection: The Anthology title Red Seal Comics had an interesting and unusual history. First published by Chesler in the USA in 1945, it transitioned to Superior Comics of Canada with issue #19 in 1947. Covers varied from horror to crime to funnies. This first Superior issue was filled with unused Chesler material, including the Black Dwarf/Blue Monk horror cover by Paul Gattuso. Interior features comprised Zor the Mighty (jungle/sci-fi hybrid), Sir Guy (knights’ adventure), a ghost horror story with Dr Justice, the funny Impy, Space Nomads, El Tigre (Robin Hood of the Desert), and aviation/war with Ace Atkins. A nice copy with good strong colours, structurally sound with good staples, unmarked cover, some wear/blunting at corners and supple white to off-white pages. Minor wear at spine. 
PICTURED: RED SEAL COMICS #19 FN- £300 SOLD

*Romance: From the Bute Collection: Less often seen, the ACG romance titles are quite charming like their other genres, with an excellent standard of art. In the three issues featured in this update, there is art by John Forte, Ogden Whitney, Ken Bald, George Klein and others. There is also an undercurrent of the supernatural running through many of the stories. 
IN THIS UPDATE 
CONFESSIONS OF THE LOVELORN 
#111 VG p £19 Pence stamped
#112 VG+ p £23.75 (PICTURED) Pence stamped
MY ROMANTIC ADVENTURES #98 GD/VG £5

*Humour Comics: 17 issues new in of the Beano from 1957, a year with many first appearances, including Pooch, Parachute Reg, Brannigan’s Boy, Thrill a Day Jill, Fusspot Annie, Tough Duff and Bringing Up Dennis (Dennis the Menace as a baby). Plus, a stray issue from 1959 (#861). Full details as always in our catalogue.
PICTURED: BEANO #801 GD/VG £13 1st Fusspot Annie, 1st Bringing Up Dennis

*Crime, Spies and Sleaze. In the early 1960s, American publisher Gold Star produced a series of 17 Hank Janson novels, originally published much earlier in the UK under different titles. Thus the faux American sleazy crime stories came full circle. Although not blessed with the fabulous Heade covers of the originals, these do feature very attractive cover art by the cream of good girl cover artists of the time, such as Paul Rader, Harry Barton and Robert Maguire. More details in our catalogue. 
PICTURED: HANK JANSON
BRAZEN SEDUCTRESS Gold Star 1963 1st US PB FA £8
HER WEAPON IS PASSION Gold Star 1964 1st US PB GD/VG £10
THE SEXY VIXEN Gold Star 1964 1st US PB GD £10 

*Children’s Books: W E Johns, creator of Biggles, was a very prolific writer, responsible for over 150 books. Although two thirds of these were Biggles, there were a great many others, including war, adventure and science fiction. 11 of these were the adventures of Worrals, WAAF Flight Officer Joan ‘Worrals’ Worralson and her sidekick Betty ‘Frecks; Lovell; these were created at the request of the Air Ministry to inspire young women to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Dust jacket illustrations on these by the famous and accomplished Reginald Heade. 2 handsome hardcover volumes this week from our distinguished Arch Collection of books and comics. 
PICTURED: BY CAPTAIN W E JOHNS
WORRALS INVESTIGATES Lutterworth Press 1950 1st UK HC  GD/VG £30 in GD/VG DJ in removable archival film. 
A post-war adventure of Worrals and Frecks. The last Worrals novel. 
Cover art by Reginald Heade. Plus interior colour plates. Book has some mottling to blue boards, foxing at page edges. DJ has small tears. 
WORRALS OF THE W.A.A.F. Lutterworth Press 6th UK HC 1950
VG/FN £25 in VG DJ in removable archival film. 
The first Worrals novel. Cover art by Reginald Heade. Book is in excellent condition with tiny dinks top and bottom spine and slight foxing. DJ is bright with minor nicks. 

*DC: From the Midas Collection this week, two great Catwoman covers on issues #65 & #69 of Batman. Both these are set at a time when Selina Kyle seems to have reformed and gone straight. Both low grade and relatively cheap for classic Catwoman covers.
PICTURED: BATMAN BOTH SOLD
#65 FA £200 In the cover story, Selina Kyle has reformed from her criminal life and is now the owner of a pet shop. But when a series of crimes based on cats occurs, it is believed that Catwoman has returned to her criminal life. Also: Robin gets a shock when following an accident, he believes Batman is training his replacement; and Bruce Wayne becomes a crime reporter. Cover by Win Mortimer & Lew Sayre Schwartz; stories by Bill Finger, art by Bob Kane & Lew Sayre Schwartz and Dick Sprang. Reasonable cover image. Wear with chips out at top spine, top and right edges, which does not detract from central cover images, although a faint bookshop indicia stamped not too clearly on Catwoman’s face is off-putting. Front cover tears are sealed by tape inside cover. The covers are detached and held together by tape. Staples are sound (apart from the cover) and pages are a quite nice off-white. 
#69 FA £200 The cover story features Catwoman on a double throne alongside the King Of Cats. Batman and Robin face a new criminal who bases his crimes on cat-themes, and discover that he has a connection with reformed Catwoman Selina Kyle. Plus: Batman & Robin play themselves in a movie and the Blaze, a new villain strikes, who burns his victims with a flamethrower. Cover by Win Mortimer; stories by Walter Gibson and Bill Finger, art by Bob Kane & Lew Sayre Schwartz. Covers detached with lower spine splits and chunks out where both staples had been connected. The cover image is nicely intact with good colours, but there is additional edge wear with small tears and colour-breaking creases. A previous owner’s name is written in small letters in crayon near the upper staple area. Staples are good internally and pages are a decent off-white.