The latest Phil-Comics auction on eBay this week is a smaller offering with 95 listings, with a real focus on comics with their seldom seen free gifts – including a rare pre-World War Two Beano comic item. A large number of early Commando comics are also on offer.

The auction also includes a page of “Boxatrix” original comic artwork for Buster by Brian Walker, and another rare carbon copy “Captain Condor” script by David Motton written for Lion, the lot including the issue the three-page story appeared in, cover dated 7th November 1959, and the free gift – two football team photo cards, no doubt tucked inside since the day the comic was bought by David back in late 1959.

This item has come from the personal collection of former editor and script writer David Motton, who enjoyed a thirty year career working in comics from 1954 to 1985.

Captain Condor was a character created for the first issue of Lion, dated 23rd Febriary 1952. The comic was launched in an attempt to compete with the huge success of Hulton Press’ Eagle, whilst Captain Condor, a space pilot, was their attempt at emulating the mighty Dan Dare, the cover star of Eagle – the story took the cover spot of the first issue. Whilst it’s fair to say the comic never reached the same popularity as its rival Eagle, Lion and indeed Captain Condor were undoubtedly a success (indeed, Lion went on to be published for 22 years, versus Eagle’s 19 years, whilst the strip appeared in the comic for 14 consecutive years, until the issue cover dated 26th February 1966).

The strip was created by writer Frank S. Pepper, and, as we’ve previously noted, it was thought to have been exclusively written by Frank – but it transpires that David Motton wrote a ten issue story for Captain Condor running in issues cover dated 24th October to 26th December 1959. This is the third issue in that run of ten issues.

The script comprises 16 pages including the cover, with original staple in the top left corner. “It’s typed out nicely,” phil Shrimpton notes. “Each page of the script measures 10 x 8 inches, typed on one side only, which had all the details (speech bubble text and scene setting info) that the artist turned into the various panels for the script.

“Originally when David was typing the scripts he placed a carbon copy beneath each page and kept these for his own reference. The top copy would have been posted off to the publisher and so it is the retained copy that is for sale here.

“It’s genuinely rare to find scripts for comics on the open market. Having traded in comics for many years and sold hundreds of pages of original artwork in that time, it’s fascinating to see a script and thus gain a deeper insight into how comics were produced. This is a great example rarely seen on the market.”

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. 

Pictured here are some of the auction highlights…

• Check out the current full Phil-Comics catalogue here on eBay 

• Check out the current full Phil-Comics catalogue here on eBay 

Phil-Comics are always happy to combine postage for multiple wins

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John Freeman

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.

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

Tags: Auction News, Beano, Brian Walker, Buddy, Captain Condor, Commando, David Motton, downthetubes News, Free Gifts, Harvey Comics, Lion, Phil-Comics