“Biggles” by Ron Embleton and Mike Western, French “Robot Archie” cover art offered on eBay

By John Freeman on December 16, 2021

Paris-based comic shop Fantasmak also has an eBay operation selling comic art and cartoons – and their current catalogue includes a number of British comic works, such as pages of “Biggles” by Ron Embleton and Mike Western, first published in the 1950s weekly comic, TV Express, as well as many covers of French reprint comics of the 1950s and 60s onwards.

While it’s of course easy enough to save the store as an eBay seller and keep track of items on offer, you may want to check out their web site direct, where the catalogue features alphabetically, highlighting artists from across Europe, and several key characters, too, including British heroes such as Battler Britton, currently featuring work by Adolfo Buyalla and Carlos Pino, “Biggles” art by Mike Western, and more.

All the art on eBay and the shop is direct sale, not auction. The catalogue, which is similar in some ways to the offering on Book Palace, is regularly updated and the company are open to offers of art on sale.

*Robin Hood illustrations by Félix Carrion*

A great western cover for the French title L'Intrépide, No. 594, art by Di Marco — *A great western cover for the French title L’Intrépide, No. 594, art by Di Marco*

TV Express - Biggles - art by Ron Embleton — *TV Express – Biggles – art by Ron Embleton*

*War Picture Library cover by Aldo di Gennaro*

TV Express No. 371 - Biggles - art by Mike Western — *TV Express No. 371 – Biggles – art by Mike Western*

TV Express No. 374 - Biggles - art by Mike Western — *TV Express No. 374 – Biggles – art by Mike Western*

Also currently on offer is a War Picture Library cover by Aldo di Gennaro, Robin Hood illustrations by Félix Carrion commissioned through the Bardon Art Agency, and hundreds more artworks, including presumably French “Robot Archie” reprint comic covers.

*“Robot Archie” covers for the French Archie reprint comic*

There’s plenty of Tarzan and western adventure art, too as well as plenty of covers created for other French reprints of British comic titles from the 1950s and 60s. Well worth a look!

The web site also hosts the Encyclo BD, cataloguing “pocket library” (“Petit Format”) comics published in France, mainly between 1949 and 2003.

• Fantasmask is online at fantasmak.com | eBay

The company are open to offers of art on sale. Be aware that there are potentially additional postage and customs charges for art shipped from Europe.

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.