Duran Duran, David Cassidy Look-In art and more goes under the hammer

By John Freeman on February 8, 2016

The “Duran Duran” strip from Look-In Issue 50, by Steve McGarry

A huge auction at Stroud Auction Rooms this week, offering antique guns, Hornby trains, art prints (including a Battle of Britain print by Frank Wooton), also features a number of comic art pages from Look-In and other comics featuring top TV characters and actors, by artists such as Barrie Mitchell, Bill Titcombe and Martin Asbury – including strips featuring Duran Duran and David Cassidy.

A page from “The Six Million Dollar Man” strip published in Look-In. Art by Martin Asbury

A Look-In “David Cassidy” strip by Alan Parry for Issue 37

The lots include an imaginary story featuring David Cassidy by Alan Parry published in Look-In Issue; “Knight Rider” and “Streethawk” art by Barrie Mitchell; “The A-Team” by Gray;”Supergran” art by Bill Titcombe; a Duran Duran spread by Steve McGarry; “The Six Million Dollar Man” art by Martin Asbury; a page of “Dangermouse“; “Mork and Mindy“, also by Bill Titcombe; and a “That’s My Boy” spread featuring Mollie Sugden.

A selection of strips published in Marvelman, including at least one strip that is the work of Dennis Gifford.

Also going under the hame are a handful of one page comedy comic strips that ran in the 1950s Marvelman comics, some of which were written by the late Dennis Gifford.

The Marvelman-related lot includes art featuring characters such as “Flip and Flop” by Dee Gee (Dennis Gifford), “Jim Poeey” and “Young Joey” (credited to “Will O’Tree, probably also Gifford’s work) and “Dan’l Goone”, all published in the 1950s by L. Miller & Son.

Original draft art by Robbie “Wally” Robertson, writer and artist on comics of the 1930’s-1960’s, for 1940s wartime Radio Fun Comic strips including Sydney Howard and Max Miller

Also on offer are some rare pencil sketches credited to Radio Fun artist Robbie Robertson, actually better known as “Wally” Robertson. Auction House Biddle & Webb sold a larger lot of his sketches last year.

Born in 1892 in Glasgow, Alan Clark’s Dictionary of British Comic Artists, Writers and Editors notes he worked on most of the Amalgamated Press comics, often ‘ghosting’ other artists. Lambiek simply notes his first comics work was published in 1914, drawing “Charlie Chaplin” after the war.

Radio Fun was first published in October 1938 (first issue cover dated 15th October) until February 1961, by which time it was titled Radio Fun and Adventure, it became the first out of twelve titles to merge with Buster.

Stroud Auction Rooms was established in 2004 in the heart of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. Since then, they have expanded to become one of the county’s leading salerooms with regular monthly two day auctions at our permanent base just outside Stroud.

The company aim to provide a friendly, yet professional service to both buyers and sellers, regardless of the value of their goods. They offer online bidding on all lots in their auctions, opening up the sale to customers worldwide, and currently have the highest number of online buyers in the country.

• The guns, weapons, medals, militaria, taxidermy and toys auction runs 10th – 11th February 2016 at Stroud Auction Rooms and includes live steam models, musical instruments, vinyl records and mechanical music. Full catalogue here | Web site: http://stroudauctions.co.uk

• The Boardman Comic Monograph #1 by Matthew Gore, available via lulu.com, has some information on the Marvelman comedy strips, as well as information on the Marvelman strip

John Freeman

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.