The Compalcomics February auction is open for bidding, and there are plenty of items in the British comic section sure to attract fierce bidding – not least of the large runs of TV Comic, several “Charley’s War” art lots, and some Dan Dare art, too, over two separate lots, up for sale, by Frank Hampson and Frank Bellamy respectively.

The first tranche of The Woodard Archive of British Comics was extremely well received in Compalcomics recent November auction, the full 242 issue run of TV Century 21 selling at a hammer price of £3350.00, Lady Penelope’s 1-122 complete run making £3000 and the full 31 issues of Solo took £1180.00 – all new records for these very popular titles.

The second Woodard tranche this February includes the first issue of Knock-Out from 1939, Lion 1-50 with all free gifts, Topper 1 – 50 in a bound volume, TV Comic with Doctor Who front cover illustrations and stories and Victor 1-45 with more free gifts.

Also featured is a scarce complete run of Australian Buck Jones Cowboy Comics – all 36 issues. Printed by Land Newspapers in 1949 they were the template for Amalgamated Press’s hugely successful Cowboy Picture Library series which started publication in the UK three years later.

Beano and Dandy comics are well represented in the 1950s, mostly in smaller runs estimated at under £80 each lot. The Buster complete years of 1962 and 1965 are also on offer, in impossibly high grades, with all their free gifts.

The auction’s key original artwork selection is led by two bright “Dan Dare” boards from Eagle, one by the character’s creator, Frank Hampson, the other by Frank Bellamy; quick–on–the-draw Cisco Kid, Kit Carson and John Wayne WDL covers and four sets of “Charley’s War“, written by Pat Mills, art by Joe Colquhoun, one containing a Battle comic front cover paste-up. Also, there’s a complete 1957 Terry Thomas artwork by Terry Wakefield for Film Fun. “Oh! I sa-ay”

The auction’s US Golden Age section starts with a strong run of 1950s horror comics including Tales from the Crypt, Tomb of Terror, Uncanny Tales, Vault of Horror, Web of Mystery and Voodoo – and a scarce 1940 original artwork of Dr. Voodoo by Mac Raboy, from Whiz Comics #11.

The Silver Age highlights include The Amazing Spider-Man #55 CGC 9.4, a #129 The Punisher cents copy in [vfn+], The Avengers #3 and 6, Fantastic Four #4, 6, 7, 48-50 and 52, The Incredible Hulk #5, Journey into Mystery, Silver Surfer, Strange Tales #108 and 116 in high grades, X-Men, Adventure #304-317 all cents copies [vfn/vfn+], Batman, Detective Comics, Justice League of America and Superman.

• Click here to visit this latest ComPalComics Auction (and register to bid) in thesaleroom.com | You can also browse auction lots and print a fax or mail bidding form at the Compalcomics website

Postal bids need to be with us by Friday 23rd February and the team will enter them on your behalf in thesaleroom.com/Comic Book Auctions website closing on Sunday 25 February from 2.00 pm.

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.

Categories: Art and Illustration, Auctions, British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds, US Comics

Tags: Auction News, Battle Picture Weekly, Charley's War, Compal Comics, Dan Dare, Denis McLoughlin, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Film Fun, Frank Bellamy, Frank Hampson, Girl Picture Library, Humour Comics, Joe Colquhoun, John Wayne, Jordi Panalva, Kit Carson, Knock-Out, Lion and Thunder, Mac Raboy, Pat Mills, SF Comics, Terry Thomas, Terry Wakefield, The Cisco Kid, The Vault of Horror, TV Comic, Valiant, Walt Howarth, Whiz Comics