More rare British comic free gifts feature in the latest Phil-comics auction on eBay, which ends soon, including a copy of Marvel UK’s Star Wars Weekly No. 1, cover dated 8th February 1978, with a Near Complete Free Gift – X-Fighter.
There’s scattering of original comic art among the 119 items, too, and some original comic club letters, items connected to “fan clubs” created by Fleetway for their titles.
These fan clubs were part and parcel of comics publishing in the UK for decades, but such items rarely seem to come to auction.
There’s other interesting ephemera on offer, too – not just Free Gifts adrift from the comics they originally came with, but rare promotional flyers, including one for the first issue of The Dandy, companion title to The Beano ahead of its launch back in 1937.
As we previously reported the auction includes a page of “Lord Snooty” artwork by Dudley Watkins, commissioned for The Beano, which is something of a curiosity; and a great “Faceache” page for Buster, too, attributed to the brilliant Ken Reid.
Run by Phil Shrimpton, the award-winning Phil-Comics specialises in vintage comics and related items such as annuals, holiday specials, free gifts and original artwork.
Check out the current full catalogue here on eBay – bidding starts to close tomorrow, Monday 21st July 2025. Here are some other highlights…
• Check out the current full catalogue here on eBay – bidding starts to close on Monday 21st July 2025
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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: Auctions, British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Other Worlds
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There is something endearing about the cover blurb on Star Wars Weekly #1 reading “Valuable first issue”.
It certainly is, now!