Alongside some terrific prints by Barry Windsor-Smith, and a large selection of US comics, and British Wizard comics, to boot, two more original Leo Baxendale strip pages go under the hammer at Ewbank’s later this month.
Both pages appear to be from his “Super Comic” landscape format project, this time sample pages for his “Fort Fumble” strip. The auction takes place on 29th May, starting 12 noon, and the full catalogue is here.
![“Fort Fumble” by Leo Baxendale, possibly a strip for his Supercomic project, auctioned by Ewbanks in May 2024](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_2098-1024x777.jpeg)
![“Fort Fumble” by Leo Baxendale, possibly a strip for his Supercomic project, auctioned by Ewbanks in May 2024](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_2099-1024x772.jpeg)
Ewbank’s has previously sold seven pages in the same format, over different auctions. We’ve documented what we know about Super Comic here.
Writing in his autobiography, A Very Funny Business, Leo Baxendale, who died in 2017, revealed how he conceived the idea of a monthly comic – the Super Comic.
“Monthly comics are common enough in America, but not in Britain,” he explained. “My intention was that four week’s work poured into one issue would produce a truly super-comic. I circulated publishers with the idea, and Odhams took it as an affront.”
Comics archivist Steve Holland noted in his 2017 tribute to Baxendale that, as the artist’s two-year contract was coming to an end at Odhams in 1965, he began circulating the idea of a monthly ‘super-comic’ to publishers and his relationship with Odhams soured.
So far, nine pages are known to have come to auction, three sold for a tidy sum in August and the other four in December 2023, two in May 2024, all by Ewbank’s, some carrying a copyright date of 1967.
Also in the auction, among many lots of largely US comics…
![A beautifully illustrated original artwork, “The Head of Perseus”, 1983 by Barry Windsor-Smith](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2103-1-793x1024.jpg)
![](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_9352-1-539x1024.jpg)
![“Wonder Woman: Defender of Truth”, limited-edition print by Alex Ross, on canvas](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2108-1-1024x683.jpg)
![Eagle Comics (Volume 2) Nos. 1-52, bound volume - issues complete without cut coupons, missing value stamps or missing pages](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2107-1-1024x711.jpg)
![Copies of The Wizard featuring now-notorious issues containing “Sam and Spadger” (1947), featuring outdated Victorian attitudes to indigenous peoples and races. The first iteration of The Wizard was published by DC Thomson & Co, between 1922 and to 1963, prior to being merged with The Rover. “Spadger Isle” ran from 1931, moving to the front page in 1939, finishing with issue No. 1278 in August 1950. One of two lots, the group is accompanied by a copy of the book, Degradation of the Black People in the 20th Century](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2106-1-1024x735.png)
![The Art of Moebius, first print, Epic Books publishing, 1989. A superb presentation of Jean Giraud’s (aka Moebius) influential science fiction and fantasy work with notes and citations by the artist appraising his historical works](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2100-1-796x1024.jpg)
![Batman No. 200 featuring the first work on Batman by Neal Adams (1968). Story by Mike Friedrich. Cover art by Neal Adams. Interior art by Chic Stone (ghosting for Bob Kane), inks by Joe Giella](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2104-1-728x1024.jpg)
![Detective Comics No. 400 featuring the first appearance of Man Bat (1970 onwards). Story by Frank Robbins, interior art and cover by Neal Adams, inks by Dick Giordano](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2101-1-742x1024.jpg)
![Star Trek #1 (1984) signed with nine main cast member signatures, Deforest Kelley, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, George Takai, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, Gene Roddenberry, Majel Barret Roddenberry](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2105-1-726x1024.jpg)
![The Uncanny X-Men No. 101 featuring the first appearance of the Phoenix (Jean Gray) (Marvel Comics, 1976 onwards)](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/img_2102-1-753x1024.jpg)
• Ewbank’s Comics Auction 29th May 2024, 12 noon | View the full catalogue here
• Comics That Never Were: Leo Baxendale’s Super Comic
![](https://downthetubes.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/John-Freeman-150x150.jpg)
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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