There’s some smashing “Dan Dare” and “Trigan Empire” art on offer in this week’s Catawiki International Original Comics Art Auction – and much more.
The British comic art lots this week are as follows…
More “Modesty Blaise” by Neville Colvin is up for grabs, a set of three consecutive episodes for the story “Garvin’s Travels” which was first published in 1981.
A smashing “Knight Rider” page signed by the artist, the late, wonderful Phil Gascoine, first published in Look-In in 1986, featuring Michael Knight driving his amazing futuristic car ‘K.I.T.T.’ past the famous Parisian landmark, L’Arc de Triomphe.
A “Dan Dare” page for Eagle, from the story “The Red Moon Mystery”, credited to Frank Hampson, is attracting fierce bidding, details of the lot referring to its reprint in the 1974 Dan Dare Annual.
(When this story was selected for reprint in the annual, at least one page was redrawn, the work credited to John Michael Burns, nephew of John Burns, which collector Rajeesh Shah has posted on ComicArtFans).
This auction wouldn’t be the same without a “Robot Archie” page, and his week’s offering is another page by Ted Kearon from the story “Bodyguard to the Menaced Rajah”, this page first published in Lion back in November 1959. Unusually, we’re treated to a frame displaying Archie’s clockwork “innards”, which I don’t recall being shown that often in the weekly comic.
An Andy Capp strip for the Daily Mirror, drawn by his creator, Reg Smythe, published in 1991.
Finally, two impressive pages of “The Trigan Empire”, these the work of artist Gerry Wood, for the story, “Trigan’s Deadly Peril”, an alien invasion story, first published in Look and Learn in 1980.
There’s plenty of European comic art on offer, too, strip pages and covers, and many “homage” pieces.
Dan Dare Web Links
• Read our list of currently available Dan Dare collections
• Dan Dare collections and related books on AmazonUK (downthetubes Affiliate Link)
• Read our checklist of Dan Dare comic stories published to date, compiled by John Freeman, Jeremy Briggs, Richard Sheaf and Steve Winders (Google Doc, further information always welcome)
Potential Additional International Auction Costs
This advice box was last updated on Friday 6th May 2022
The UK’s departure from the European Union means there may be additional import duties on sales.
Prior to Brexit, the effective rate of UK tax on imports of art was 5%, which is lower than most other European countries. An owner could previously import an artwork to the UK from outside the EU and was then free to transport it to other EU countries, where the import tax rates may be higher, without incurring any further import-related tax charges. If the owner then wished to bring the artwork back to the UK, there would also have been no further tax charge.
The Guardian previously reported that online orders up to £135 are now supposed to have the UK’s prevailing VAT rate added at the point of sale by the EU retailer, which has to have registered with HM Revenue & Customs.
While buying from European sellers carries the sting of larger costs, the auction house Catawiki does now endeavour to provide an estimate of those in its lot descriptions.
Unfortunately, many smaller EU-based retailers have decided that the paperwork of collecting UK VAT is not worth the hassle and as a result will no longer supply UK consumers. It has also meant that some British sellers will no longer export to Europe.
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.
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