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Graham Coton’s “Heroes Never Die” original art set to sell for peanuts?

By John Freeman on October 9, 2025 • ( 0 )

There’s a few days left to bid on a stunning piece of cover art by Graham Coton, commissioned for Fleetway’s long-running War Picture Library, a staple of the British newsstand for many years. But, ironically you can’t bid on it if you live in Britain…

*The original cover artwork for War Picture Library 656 published by Fleetway in 1971 by Graham Coton. Gouache on board, measuring 38 x 45 cm*

War Picture Library 656, "Heroes Never Die", cover art by Graham Coton — *War Picture Library 656, “Heroes Never Die”, cover art by Graham Coton*

“Heroes Never Die” Graham’s art for the cover of War Picture Library No. 656, published in 1971, is one of many artworks on offer in the latest Catawiki Comic Artworks Auction curated by Filippo Piras, closing on Monday 13th October 2025.

Sadly, although there artworks in the auction that British comic art lovers can bid on, this piece isn’t one of them, sales restricted because of increasingly convoluted rules on overseas sales between the UK and member states of the European Union.

You can, at least, admire the art online, and try and wonder whether, if it was available for sale in the UK, if bids might just be a little higher than the €5 they currently are…

Graham Coton is best known as an artist of war comics, who started out drawing “Kit Carson” comics for Cowboy Comics Library, followed by a few strips for Thriller Comics Library. He was co-creator of the strip, “Space Family Rollinson”, published in Knockout, which was reprinted across Euope. He’s largely remembered, as far as comic art is concerned, for his car racing strips in Tiger, his war strips in Top Spot and, most of all, for his dynamic covers for Fleetway’s War Libraries.

• Check out the full catalogue for the current Catawiki Comic Artworks Auction curated by Filippo Piras, closing Monday 13th October 2025

• Lambiek Profile: Graham Coton

This article was updated to correct the auction closure date

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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.