The latest Phil-Comics eBay auction, which ends soon, on Sunday 17th and Monday 18th September 2023, includes another great selection of British titles, including a number comics with their original, promotional Free Gifts.
Among the items offered is a copy of 2000AD Prog 72, one of the issues that features Judge Dredd pitted against a “Ronald McDonald”, the fast food chain mascot of McDonalds. It was an issue of the Galaxy’s Greatest Comic that landed then publisher Fleetway in copyright infringement trouble when first published – although the story has been published in collection since by Rebellion, in 2015, following changes in UK law governing parody.
Talking of parody, also on offer is the first issue of TV Help, a short-lived imitator of Oink!, published in 1987 by Eagerslant Ltd, featuring a parody of Doctor Who, “Hector Poo”.
The comic ran for just seven issues before it eventually folded, with Les Lilley, who wrote scripts for Odhams, and David Robinson among its script writers (David writing “BeastEnders”, “Lagney and Casey”, “Small Creatures Grate and Pall” over its run).
Peter Gray has an item on TV Help here on his web site, and there’s a cover gallery here on Comic Vine.
Artist David Lloyd, today publisher of Aces Weekly, recalled recently that he now regrets supplying help with TV Help, in the way of supplying some knowledge of the way things were in the comics field then to its creators.
“I say regret because that action was seen as a kind of betrayal of Oink!,” he said, “when it was fighting a battle against the forces of suppression in the comic market that I was also active in promoting through my position in the Society of Strip Illustration. I can only say I was as passionate then as now in getting anything new happening in comics to spread them wider and that blinded me to the possibility that TV Help‘s intentions were not merely the flattery of imitation but to steal the clothes of the altogether superb Oink! as a ‘clean’ – and more acceptable to the establishment – copy of it.”
• Head to www.ebay.co.uk/str/philcomics for the full catalogue
Here are some of the other items of note in the auction, which include a number of first issue With Free Gift included, or boost issues of British weekly comics…
Run by Phil Shrimpton, Phil-Comics specialises in vintage comics and related items such as annuals, holiday specials, free gifts and original artwork.
Holding monthly eBay auctions, often with a huge number of listings, they aim to bring a diverse array of items – and are always on the lookout for vintage comic collections, either to buy or auction on commission.
• Head to www.ebay.co.uk/str/philcomics for the full catalogue
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: 2000AD, Auctions, British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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