One of the world’s biggest online auction sites, eBay, often proves a great place to discover some great British comic art, and it you’re a fan of the work of artists such as Tom Paterson and Lew Stringer, among others, you might want to check out these lots currently on offer.

One longtime eBay seller has two items of comic art for sale by Tom Paterson, a Whizzer and Chips cover and a “The Bash Street Kids” page from The Beano, both by Tom, spotted by downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf, and a “Subby” humour strip from Football Picture Story Monthly, too. The artist on the latter is unidentified by the seller, but we believe it’s by Jerry Swaffield.

The Whizzer and Chips cover, for the issue cover dated 7th November 1987, is described as “a super rare one off piece of comic art by the one and only Tom Paterson”, whose name is also on the art featuring the brilliant comic character, Sweeny Toddler. (More tea, Vicar?) It was purchased directly from the artist and has never been available on the open market before, so the £450 price tag was rather to be expected.

“The Bash Street Kids” art by Tom featured in The Beano cover dated 28th August 2010, and the Dundee-based seller has included a reference photo of its appearance in the comic (it’s not part of the sale). A great piece of watercolour art by Tom.

Also on offer from the same seller (who you may want to save for future reference) is an example of the three-panel “Subby” strip that ran in Football Picture Story Monthly, this art for a strip that featured in No. 18 of the long-running title, back in 1987, on the “A Ha-Ha Hat Trick” page.

The artist is unidentified, but downthetubes Andy Boal tells it’s by Jerry Swaffield, who also drew the “Smiffy” strip for The Beano and He also drew “Sam’s Secret Diary” and some “Spotted Dick” strips for Hoot.

Lew Stringer himself, whose credits span a huge number of British comics, is offering some of his VIZ art for sale at the moment, and the “Felix and his Amazing Underpants”, featured in the title’s 200th issue back in 2010, is hilarious. The incidental gags about politician George Galloway and a desperate comic collector trying to find somewhere to store his comics are great fun!

Lew himself rightly rated this as one of his favourite strips featuring the character, so it’s no surprise he’s set the starting price at £90 – and has already attracted interest. Perhaps it’s from Mr Galloway himself, anxious for all traces of his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother to be buried forever?

Lew is also offering the art for a three-panel strip for Oink! published back in 1986, the one and only appearance of “Know All Norman and Queasy Quentin”, the setting Blackpool Pleasure Beach, on the famous ‘Revolution’ roller coaster. One that might well appeal to roller coaster fans, not just fans of Lew’s work!

Of course, it’s not just comic art you might want to go searching for. There are some lots of comics with veritable bargain starting prices on the site, too, such as this one, for 13 great-looking Cor! annuals.

With starting bidding at just over £14. In times of trouble, that pile of books, spanning 1973 through to 1986, looks pretty cheering right now!

With thanks to Richard Sheaf and Lew Stringer

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, Other Worlds

Tags: Auction News, Bash Street Kids, DC Thomson, downthetubes News, Felix and his Amazing Underpants, Football Picture Story Monthly, Humour Comics, Jerry Swaffield, Lew Stringer, Oink, Subby, Sweeny Toddler, The Beano, Tom Paterson, Viz, Whizzer and Chips