Phil-Comics have over 500 vintage comic listings in their latest eBay auction this week, all starting at the usual 99p with no reserve, including some DC Thomson girls comics that are offered with scripts for strips inside.
Run by Phil Shrimpton, Phil Comics specialises in vintage comics and related items such as annuals, holiday specials, free gifts and original artwork.
Among the lots are a run of early issues of 2000AD, including Prog One, and, very unusually, a number of rare scripts for strips featured in a variety of girls comics – Fabulous 208, Mates, Mirabello, OK Magazine, Romeo, True Romance and Valentine.
Romeo, cover dated 6th November 1965 , and original script
The scripts come from the estate of a script writer, Miss Valerie Harman of North Shields, Northumberland, who had saved the original scripts and, in some cases, accompanying letters from the publisher approving the script and offering a sum of money for the rights to use it.
Offering an interesting insight into the rates paid, with some lovely letter heads from the publisher the vendor told Phil Shrimpton that Miss Harman remained single for most / all of her life, which clearly didn’t hinder her imagination in writing many a romance story!
There are also a number of lots of comics including the free gifts they claimed with.
Holding monthly eBay auctions, often with 500+ listings, they aim to bring a diverse array of items – and are always on the lookout for vintage comic collections, either to buy or auction on commission.
2000AD Progs 71, 72, 77, 78 – the “Banned” issues, a title describing the Judge Dredd strip inside which faced copyright issues from leading fast food companies at the time of first publication
Adventure story paper No. 1782 – cover dated 14th March 1959 with free gift album for football cards
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.