The Compalcomics August auction is open and, as ever, there’s a host of great British comic rarities on offer – and more from beyond our shores.
The star lot in this auction’s UK section is The Beano No 1 from 1938, introducing Big Eggo, Lord Snooty and His Pals, Morgyn the Mighty, Little Peanut and Tin-Can Tommy.
Also on offer are good condition Beano Books 1 and 2. Not to be outdone, The Dandy offers 80 comics between 1940-47 and Magic Comic 63, 68 and 69.
Original comic art is on offer, too, dating from 1957 – starting with Frank Bellamy’s brilliant portrayal of the battle of Omdurman for Eagle’s “Happy Warrior” strip, detailing the exploits of the 21st Lancers and their young Lieutenant, Winston Churchill.
There’s also the last board currently available of “Heros The Spartan”, three Garth artworks and an all-action piece of “Brett Million and the Ghost World”, all from the hand of the master, Frank Bellamy.
Eagle/Happy Warrior original artwork drawn and painted by Frank Bellamy for The Eagle Vol 8 No 47 (1957). At the battle of Omdurman on 2nd September 1898 a young Lieutenant, Winston Churchill, with 350 men of the 21st Lancers charged what they thought were about 700 Dervishes. Churchill later wrote, ‘A deep crease in the ground – a dry watercourse, a khor – appeared where all had seemed smooth, level, plain; and from it there sprang, with a suddenness of a pantomime effect and a high-pitched yell, a dense white mass of 2000 tribesmen and a score of horsemen with bright flags who rose as if by magic from the earth…’ | Bright Pelikan inks on board. 21 x 16 ins
“Heros the Spartan” original double-page artwork (1962) painted and signed by Frank Bellamy, for The Eagle Vol. 13 No 46. Taken prisoner to the mountain Palace of Gold, inhabited by the priests of the pagan god, Diom, Heros and his cohort survivors are forced to fight duels against the wild, animal-like savages called the Magus… | Bright Pelikan inks on board, 28 x 20 ins. The Heros title lettering and rectangular text boxes are laser colour editions to complete the look of the artwork and may be removed if required
Boy’s World/“Brett Million and the Ghost World” original artwork (1963) drawn and painted by Frank Bellamy for Boy’s World Vol. 2 No 13, 1963. Brett is captured then suddenly teleported by the Aliens again as his amplifier runs dangerously low… | Bright Pelikan inks on board. 20 x 15
Garth: ‘The Wolfman of Ausensee’ original artwork (1972) drawn by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 8th July 1972. Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth ‘Women of Galba’ original artwork (1973) drawn by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 7th April 1973. Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 ins
Garth: ‘The Mask of Atacama’ original artwork (1973) drawn and signed by Frank Bellamy for the Daily Mirror 21st September 1973 | Indian ink on board. 21 x 7 in
The Eagle’s Harris Tweed is also represented with a board by Captain Pugwash creator, John Ryan and it’s signed by him.
Harris Tweed – Extra Special Agent original artwork (1960) drawn and signed by John Ryan for The Eagle Vol. 11, No 12 1960 (with original comic) and Harris Tweed/Eagle Jigsaw puzzle complete in [vg] original box. Artwork: Indian ink on board, 16 x 11 ins
Charley Bourne’s harrowing exploits during World War One’s battle of the Somme are captured once more in two sets of “Charley’s War” artwork from Battle Picture Weekly by Joe Colquhoun – and there are several war pieces by Eric Parker as well.
Charley’s War: three original consecutive artworks (1984) by Joe Colquhoun for Battle Picture Weekly Issue 626. The battle of the Somme 1916. Charley volunteers as a runner to alert the artillery they are firing on the British positions… the first twelve runners did not get through… | Indian ink on card. 19 x 15 ins (Three artworks)Charley’s War: three original consecutive artworks (1984) by Joe Colquhoun (and signed to the lower panel of Page Three) for Battle Picture Weekly 628. The battle of the Somme 1916. After a terrifying run Charley gets a message through to Lt. Snell who finally alerted the artillery. But because the sadistic Snell had caused a fatal delay, Charley returned to a tragic scene… and what he saw drove him mad with rage… Indian ink on card. 19 x 15 ins (3 artworks)
Three Wartime original artworks by Eric Parker. Poster colour on paper 20 x 15 ins. Colour wash on board 15 x 15 ins and black ink on card 12 x 9 ins (for Sexton Blake Library 290 (1953) The Secret of the Indian Lawyer)
Air Ace Picture Library 325 original cover artwork (1966) by Alan Willow showing Dog-Fight Dixon and the Balkan Battle. Gouache on board. 15 x 12 ins
Hulton Press/Eagle/TV Comic Archive (1951): Dan Dare: Red Moon Mystery: 2 storyboards/P.C. 49: 2 storyboards/Riders of the Range: 2 storyboards/Muffin The Mule: 1 storyboard/Jolly Monkeys: 3 storyboards/Prudence Kitten: 2 storyboards. All created for the Martin Lucas Mini Cine Film strips. Eagle and TV Comic Printed strips were edited with original background art and text prior to Mini Cine strip photography 13 x 16 ins each (12 boards)
Ranger/Look and Learn: Military Uniforms of 1500s-1600s, two original colour artworks by Eric Parker (late 1950s). Poster colour on card 19 x 12 ins and paper 15 x 11 ins
Ranger/Look and Learn original colour artwork by Eric Parker combining Fairy Tale and Children’s Books characters including Treasure Island, Alice in Wonderland, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Robin Hood, Old King Cole, Jack & Jill, Hansel & Gretel and Aladdin’s Treasure. Poster colour on cartridge paper. 21 x 24 ins
Defeating the Dutch original back cover artwork (1968) by Eric Parker for Look and Learn No 326 13 April 1968. From the ‘Scrapbook of the British Sailor’ series (With original comic) 3 ins sealed tear to lower margin (not affecting artwork). Poster colour on board. 21 x 17 ins
Disney Comics (1960s). Four original colour centre-spread layouts by Eric Parker for various Disney comics entitled Circus Crazy, Too Many Cooks, A Stitch in Time and It takes Two (with editor’s margin note ‘Eric – Don’t forget Pretty Disney faces! Especially on the girls! Alf.’ Poster colour on paper. 16 x 21 ins each (4)
Lots from the 1950s focus on a The Dandy complete year of 1953, the year of the Queen’s Coronation, with No.602 “Coronation Holiday paper” and most of the 53 issues in [fn/vfn] grades.
The complete years of Topper (1953) 1-47 and (1954) 48-99 are also on offer, along with 1955 and 1956, missing a couple of issues each.
Topper (Feb-Dec 1953) 1-47
The 1960s are dominated by a run of TV Comic complete years from 1962-1967 with all the TV Comic Summer/Holiday Specials – and most of the many free gifts, too. There’s Hornet, Victor and Valiant with lots of their free gifts intact in this auction, too.
TV Comic (1962) 525-576. Complete year with free gifts Milky Bar Kid badge (No 536), BMC Supplement (564) and Popeye transfers (566). Starring Popeye, Fireball XL5 begins (572), Supercar colour centre spread, Four Feather Falls, The Range Rider and The Milky Bar Kid. Nos 535, 541 [gd], 15 issues
TV Summer Special Comic 1 (1962) starring Bootsie & Snudge, Supercar, Popeye, Four Feather Falls, Foo-Foo, The Range Rider, The Milky Bar Kid and Mighty MothTV Comic Holiday Special 2 (1963), starring The Milky Bar Kid, Fireball XL5 Space Race, Popeye and Four Feather Falls
Buster (1961) 22 issues between 14th January – 25th November, including Easter and Fireworks issues with Buster (1963) 14 issues between 5 Jan-14 Dec and (1964) 4 issues between 14 Mar-21 Nov and (1965) 6 Feb. Starring Buster, the Son of Andy Capp, Phantom Force 5, The Shrinker, The Terrors of Tornado St and Milkiway – The Man from Mars
1960s British girls comics, offered in one massive lot
Hornet (1965) 75-78 with all Football free gifts ‘Top Players and Teams of Today and Yesterday’ complete in plastic wallet, Tiger And Hurricane (15 May 1965) wfg Wembley Whistle in illustrated envelope. With Radio Fun 925 (1956) wfg British Sports Stars 1-20 complete coloured photo card set incl Peter May, Gordon Pirie, Stanley Matthews, John Surtees, Brian Statham, Stirling Moss, Cliff Morgan, Billy Wright, Judy Grinham and Reg Harris and Roy of The Rovers (22.3.1986) wfg Roy Race Standee figure. With Wizard (1957) 1652, 1653 wfgs Leslie Welch ‘The Memory Man’ booklets of Football Facts, Booklet of Sports Specials, Wizard (1963) No 1970 wfg Ace Album of Britain’s Football
Lion Summer Specials (1968-70) 1-3
Lion Summer Spectacular Epic (1967)
Valiant (1968-71) 16 Mar 1968 wfg 32 pages Valiant Big Book of Football, 23 May 1970 wfg World Cup 1970 Complete Record, Valiant And Smash No 1 (10 Apr 1971), Valiant And TV21 No 1 (2 Oct 1971) with first Star Trek adventure, Nos 3-6 with My Favourite Soccer Stars Album with all 32 picture card inserts and Valiant And Lion No 1 (5 Oct 1974) wfg The Kicking Footballer in original illustrated bag with assembly instructions. (This gift is rare) | Gifts as new, comic
The US section starts with some early 1950s Batman and DetectiveComics Australian reprints. The Marvel Silver Age is represented by long mid-1960s runs of Amazing Spider-Man, The Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Journey into Mystery, Strange Tales, Tales Of Suspense and X-Men.
Akira (1992-95) issues 31-38 are all offered separately and all in high grades.
Finally, who wouldn’t want a copy of Batman & Me by Eclipse Books in 1989? In this instance, a limited edition copy, No 305 of 1000, signed by Bob Kan, with a further full page Batman head sketch also signed by him, another signed by Neal Adams and yet another Batman signed and dedicated by actor Adam West. Book and slipcase as new! POW! SMASH! BANG!
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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