Rare promotional Eagle offered on eBay

By Richard Sheaf on October 3, 2020

There’s a rare opportunity to acquire a copy of the preview issue of the original Eagle currently being offered on eBay.

Eagle Issue One - Promotion Issue — *The framed copy of the promotional* Eagle offered on eBay

The preview copy, originally distributed across the UK to publicise the imminent arrival of the Eagle in newsagents, an event that remains captured in the memory of many older British comic fans to this day, is distinct in three distinct ways from the “finished product”, for those looking out for such a copy.

Firstly, the preview runs to just eight pages, offering a taste of just a few of tge strips that would feature in the first full issue. (I acquired my copy many years ago,when it was wrongly sold to me as an incomplete copy of Eagle Issue One).

Spot the Difference: left, the promotional issue, with a different cover date and sans “Pilot of the Future” caption; right, Eagle Issue One, as published — *Spot the Difference: left, the promotional issue, with a different cover date and sans “Pilot of the Future” caption; right,* Eagle Issue One, as published

Secondly, the cover date, 21st April 1950, is “wrong”, as the published first issue of Eagle would eventually be published with a cover date of 14th April 1950.

More obviously, there’s no “Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future” caption in Frame One of the strip on the cover.

Eagle Issue One - Promotion Issue - Sample Pages — *The interior pages of the promotional* Eagle, including the distinctive cutaway that dominated the centre pages of the published edition by L Ashwell Wood

The launch price of this rarity has been set at £700 (or you can make an offer) and runs until about 1.00pm (GMT) on Saturday 3rd October.

The seller notes this is a “rare opportunity to acquire the very, very rare comic… the only available copy I have seen in many years.”

They describe it as in “remarkable condition for a comic 70 years old, all pages present and fully legible. The comic is complete and intact throughout, including the colour centre pages. Some very minor wear and a bit of foxing to the bottom margin. A excellent good collector’s copy. It is framed and protected, but easily removed for viewing.”

Good luck if you bid – this is a bit of a “grail” item for Eagle fans so interest is likely to be high. Whether that interest translates to that high opening bid price.

Richard Sheaf

• Check out this promotional copy of Eagle here on eBay – which has been re-listed

• Read comic artist David Slinn’s memories of buying the first copy of Eagle – an event that would shape his life in more ways than he perhaps imagined – here

This article first appeared on my Boys Adventure Comics blog