Here’s the eighth of our ten posts to mark the release of the Royal Mail’s Comic Collection, celebrating 75 years of British comics. The Royal Mail have kindly sent us large versions of each stamp, so we thought we’d show them off in all their glory, in the order of first comic publication.
Valiant was a British boys’ adventure comic which ran from 1962 to 1976. It was published by IPC Magazines (but ended up at Egmont) and was one of their major adventure titles throughout the 1960s and early 1970s.
Aside from World War Two characters like Captain Hurricane, Valiant ran innovative science fiction strips like the Steel Claw, an assistant to a scientist rendered invisible by his artificial hand. At first something of an anti-hero, he went on to work undercover for a British secret service, battling aliens and villains across the globe.
• Stamps and stamp products are available at all Post Office branches, online at www.royalmail.com/personal/comic-stamps-and-collectibles, the Royal Mail eBay shop: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Royal-Mail-Stamp-Collections and from Royal Mail Tallents House (tel. 08457 641 641), 21 South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB.
- About the Author
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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: downthetubes Comics News, Merchandise
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