There are some absolutely cracking lots in the latest Compalcomics auction catalogue this month, including British comics with their free gifts, complete runs of short-run titles such as Starlord and Target – and some amazing comic art, including plenty of “Garth” Daily Mirror newspaper strip boards by Frank Bellamy and two consecutive episodes of “Charley’s War“, from Battle, drawn by Joe Colquhoun. Plus, there are some great US comics, including a “Pence” copy of The Incredible Hulk #1, and the chance to own a copy of John Byrne’s first ever comics work, ACA Comix #1, published in 1971.
The auction includes scarce Dandy and Beano early issues from 1938 to the War Years, lotted into neat, small groups to help long-time collectors who are always searching for key missing numbers to fill in those ‘orrible gaps.
Adventure (1949) 1263-1269 featured the new comic strip ‘Black Slink the Shadow Spy’. This was regarded as breach of the Superman copyright by DC Comics in the United States, and banned from future publications. After only four episodes The Black Slinked away…
Four issues of Adventure from 1949 featured new comic strip “Black Slink the Shadow Spy” but he looked a bit like a certain bloke who was “faster than a speeding bullet” and DC Comics regarded this as breaching their Superman copyright so he was banned and, unhappily, the Black Slinked away.
Into the 1950s and there are complete/near complete years of Beezer 1956-58, The Topper 1957-58 – mostly flat, fresh copies. The Dandy complete years for 1952 and 1954 include fine, very fine and Near Mint examples with further full years of 1952, 1956, 1958 and 1959.
Beano (1945) 256-259. Propaganda war issues – Save Paper with Pansy Potter and Snitchy & Snatchy. Also starring Pansy Potter (with guest appearance Magic Lollipops), Lord Snooty, Tom Thumb and Six Brands for Bonny Prince Charlie by Dudley Watkins
Propaganda war issues of the Dandy published in 1940 with Addie & Hermy, those Nasty Nazis and No 128 Hitler and Goering balloons front cover
Beano 351 Xmas issue (1948). Biffo invites all the Beano characters to his very Expensive Christmas Party
Dandy Monster Comic (1952) featuring Korky’s Toy Shop
ComPal also offer the wonderful Picturegoer Postcard Album, “My Film Favourites” – 241 studio postcards from the 1930s-40s including Greta Garbo, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich, Rudolph Valentino, Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Al Jolson, Fred and Ginger, Humphrey Bogart, Buster Keaton and many, many more, all in pristine condition at lot 7. Following that theme, Fans’ Star Library (1958-60) is offered from numbers 1-54 where Marilyn, Brigitte, Elvis, Frank, The Everleys and Jimmy Dean are not to be outdone.
After the huge £780 paid for Buster’s 1962 complete year with free gifts in Compal’s February auction, they follow with 1963, ’64 and ’65 to tempt you further. – plus there’s a copy of Buster No. 1, too, alongside the very last issue of Film Fun, which merged with the new humour-led title in 1960.
Buster 1 (1960) starring Buster, “The Son of Andy Capp”, Phantom Force 5, the Terrors of Tornado Street, The Sea Hawk and Milkiway – the Man from Mars. With Film Fun 2225 (cover dated 8th September 1962) With Free Gift, a Vickers Vanguard model as new (the last issue before amalgamation with Buster)
Black Magic Album 1 (1954, Arnold Book Co) Jack Kirby cover art. Stan Lee, Jerry Robinson, Joe Maneely, Simon & Kirby stories. (Reprints US Black Magic # 20)
Star Lord (1978) 1-22, a complete run, With Free Gifts for Issues 1-3. Featuring Strontium Dog by Carlos Ezquerra, Planet of the Damned and Timequake by Ian Kennedy and Ro-Busters by Carlos Pino all begin. Hell Planet Game in issues 4-7 complete
A complete run of all 19 issues of Target (1978), with Nos 1 and three free gifts. Target Superbikes, Charlie’s Angels posters, Starring Kojak, Charlie’s Angels, Cannon, Hackett and Hazell
Dan Dare Space Ship Builder No 1 (1953) Construction Set by A & M Bartram Ltd complete and strung to original card backing board with illustrated construction manual
Dan Dare Planet Gun produced by J.L. Randall (1953), with “The Race To Mars Space Game” complete with board, dice and counters (1950s)
The Alan Class black and white square-bound reprints are amassing greater value and collectability as the American originals head forever skywards. Creepy Worlds 32 with Fantastic Four #1 US cover and story is at lot 32, followed by Sinister Tales 23 with its first Iron Man cover and story and Out of This World 17, reprinting Amazing Fantasy 15 (which has two panel cut-outs, unfortunately).
This auction’s original artwork selection includes more brilliant Frank Bellamy “Heros the Spartan“, for Eagle, and “Garth” boards, “Doctor Who” for Mighty TV Comic, drawn by John Canning, “Daughter of Lorna Doone“, for Princess, by Ron Embleton, “Defeating the Dutch” – full page man ‘o’ war action by Eric Parker, “Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico” by William Stobbs, “Charley’s War” World War One art by Joe Colquhoun, and a happy hallowe’en story starring Oor Wullie by Dudley Watkins.
Danny Longlegs original April Fool’s Day artwork (1947) by Dudley Watkins for The Dandy – but unpublished, according to ComPal’s research
“Charley’s War” art for Battle Issue 623 (1984) by Joe Colquhoun, written by Pat Mills, set during The Battle of the Somme, 14th July 1916. The British cavalry advanced … toward a German ambush! Then, at the last moment, a British spotter plane was alerted to the danger by “Lonely”, one of Charlie Bourne’s comrades. Lonely died, warning the plane of the hidden danger, and now … | Indian ink on card. 19 x 15 ins (3 artworks)
“Charley’s War art for Battle Issue 624 (1984) by Joe Colquhoun. Set during the Battle of the Somme, on 14th July 1916. The British cavalry attacked and in the ensuing action, the leading war-horse, Warrior, was hit. Sixteen-year-old Charley Bourne, who found the wounded horse, was faced with an agonising decision… | Indian ink on card. 19 x 15 ins
“Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico”, original Eagle artwork (1950) by William Stobbs, with original comic Volume 1, No 20 1950 Young Cortez and his ship mates encounter a wild storm crossing the Atlantic… William Stobbs (1914-2000) was head of design at the London College of Printing illustrating over 100 books including 20 of his own. ‘Cortez’ was his only comic strip artwork | Poster colour on board. 21 x 15 ins
Robin Hood original artwork (1956) by Frank Bellamy for Swift Volume 3, No 41 pg 2 (1956) | Black ink and wash on board. 18 x 14 ins
Heros the Spartan original double-page artwork (1962) painted and signed by Frank Bellamy for The Eagle Volume 13, No 45 centrespread, issue cover dated 10th November 1962. Caesar has sent Heros, with a hundred men, to conquer the mysterious Island of Darkness but Heros’s cohort is ambushed by animal-like warriors. Luckily the survivors reach a stockade, built by previous ill-fated legions. That night, from the mountainside, an awesome figure taunts Heros and his men to battle … | Pelikan inks on board, 28 x 20 ins. The Heros the Spartan title lettering and square text boxes are laser colour editions to complete the look of the artwork and may be removed if required
Look and Learn original back cover artwork (1968), “Defeating The Dutch”, by Eric Parker for Look and Learn No 326, cover dated 13th April 1968. From The Scrapbook of the British sailor series. |3 ins sealed tear to lower margin. Poster colour on board. 21 x 17 ins
The Daughter of Lorna Doone, two consecutive original colour artworks by Ron Embleton for Princess (early 1960s). Markham, Sir William and Alec fight to the death as Amber saves the day – and the wedding! Bright poster colours on board. 23 x 17 ins (x2)
“Gun Law” original colour artwork (1963) by Paddy Nevin for T.V. Express No 327. Marshall Matt Dillon is out of Dodge as the Masked Bandit strikes again… | Poster colours on card. 21 x 16 ins
Oor Wullie original artwork (1965) drawn and signed by Dudley Watkins for the Sunday Post Fun Section No 743, 31st October 1965. Mince, mashed neeps and tatties are whit the wee lad has fer lunch but his hallowe’en turnip lantern is mashed by a steamroller. The hall lampshade from the hoose will do and PC Murdoch comes to the rescue wi’ a bulb n’ battery | Indian ink and half-tone on card. 19 x 15 ins
Garth “Sundance” original artwork by John Allard for the Daily Mirror, 14th July 1971. Two light bends to the board, not breaking the ink. Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth: ‘Freak Out to Fear’ (1974) two original artworks drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror, 6th August 1974 and 12th September 19’74 | Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth: ‘The Angels of Hell’s Gap’ (1975) original artwork drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror, 13th February 1975 | Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth: ‘The Bubble Man’ (1975) original artwork drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror, 25th November 1975 | Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth: ‘The Spanish Lady’ (1976) two original artworks drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror (K136, undated) and 7th July 1976 | Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins (2)
Doctor Who original double page artwork (1977) by John Canning for Mighty TV Comic 1327, cover dated 21st May 1977. The Klings attack the Tardis with their deadly Storn-Sticks as the Doctor plans a counter attack … Born in London in 1923, John Canning went to the Hornsey College of Art before joining the RAF as a pilot during World War Two. He worked as a commercial artist after the War and his first comics work was drawing the Ladybird adventure for Swift. T.V. Comic then employed him to draw the first Doctor Who series with William Hartnell in the title role in 1966. He drew Tom Baker in 1975-79 whilst also illustrating the Avengers, Charlie’s Angels and the Dukes of Hazard before completing the fourth Doctor Who series in 1980 | Indian ink and wash on board. 26 x 20 ins
The US section starts with a good run of Startling Stories pulps. The Golden Age includes Adventures Into Weird Worlds #30, Beware #1, Beware Terror Tales #1 and 2, Gene Autry scarce deprtment store giveaways, Seven Seas #1 and Weird Fantasy #17 CGC 6.0.
A “Pence” copy of The Incredible Hulk #1 (Marvel, 1962)
There’s a “Pence” copy of Silver Age Incredible Hulk #1, plus Amazing Spider-Man #4, 5, 7 and most issues between #22 and 50, Avengers #2, 5 and most issues up to #48, Conan #1, Fantastic Four #37-55 and X-Men, most copies between numbers #5-37. DC’s Atom, Batman, Detective, Green Lantern, Hawkman, JLA, Action, Showcase and Superman also prevail.
X-Men, Fantastic Four and also on offer is a very rare copy of Superman writer and artist John Byrne’s first ever comic work was as a student at the Alberta College of Art. In 1971 He produced ACA Comix #1 for the college’s comic art exhibition to be given away at the door and on offer is a signed copy.
Postal and fax bids need to be with us by Friday 27th May 2022 and the team will enter them on your behalf in thesaleroom.com/Comic Book Auctions website closing on Sunday 29th May from 2.00 pm
If you have a question about any of the items in the catalogue, please send an email to Compalcomics director Malcolm Phillips at comicbook@compalcomics.com
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.
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