A photograph used to promote a book of street photography of a newsagent’s in Bethnal Green, London, offers a fascinating glimpse of how American comics once rubbed shoulders with their British counterparts on the high street.
Look closely in the top part of the window of “S. Lavner”, and you can see copies of comics such as DC Comics The Flash on display.
Older downthetubes readers will well remember how American comics were regularly sold in newsagents until late into the 20th century, erratically distributed and often displayed in “spinners”, separate to British comics and magazines in newsagents across the country.
In the 1950s US comics arrived in the UK partly because they were used as ballast for ships. Towns with an American airbase nearby were likely to see them turn up, too, brought in by GIs and airmen stationed in Britain.
The photo, of S. Lavner, newsagents and tobacconist, at 241 Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green E2, was taken in 1952, according to various sources. The photo, taken by British documentary photographer and artist Nigel Henderson (1917–1985), features in Open City: Street Photography since 1959, available from AmazonUK, published in 2001, and is one of several images used from the book to promote it.
The photo was also used to illustrate an essay, “British Photography: Some Pointers”, which appeared in Photoworks issue 8, in 2007.
After serving as a pilot during the Second World War, Henderson, whose photographs are now part of the Tate Archive, studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, where he formed a life-long friendship with the Scottish artist Eduardo Paolozzi. He photographed 1950s East London and its post-war community, while recovering from the trauma of the war.
UPDATE: Comic archivist Paul Gravett pored over this photograph and, with eternal thanks to the Grand Comics Database, thinks he’s spotted, in the second top window from the left: Jungle Comics #133 (Fiction House, Jan 1951), Dale Evans #14 (DC, Nov-Dec 1950), Crime Patrol #12 (EC, June-July 1949) and a copy of True Confessions magazine.
In the third top window from the left: Western True Crime #5 and #4 (dated Feb’ 49 & Dec ’48 – so not exactly hot off the press!). He’s puzzled by ‘FLASH 92‘ with a Canadian Mountie on horseback on the cover? Oversized, too?
In the fourth top window from the left (or the one on the right!), there’s The Saint #8 at the top (Avon, May 1950).
Finally, above the entrance, another copy of Crime Patrol #12, Superboy #7 (Mar-Apr 1950), Wambi Jungle Boy #9 (1950).
Underneath the ‘Players Please’ advertising sign, there’s Hopalong Cassidy #60, a British edition from L. Miller & Son (that tell-tale triangle logo!), Captain Marvel Jr. #61 (Fawcett, 1948), leaving one more to the right of the sign that’s eluded him. Can you identify it?
Photo © Nigel Henderson Estate
• Buy Open City: Street Photography since 1959 here from AmazonUK (Affiliate Link), by Kerry Brougher and Russell Ferguson, published by the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, 1999 (also available from sellers on Abe Books)
Open City traces the history and development of street photography, beginning with the striking images made in the 1950s by Robert Frank. Including both historical and contemporary artists, the survey presents significant images ranging from the realist, and sometimes disturbing, work of Garry Winogrand and William Klein, to the contemporary development of the street photograph as reflected in the work of Nikki S. Lee, Beat Streuli and Wolfgang Tillmans. For other artists, such as Jeff Wall and Philip-Lorca diCorcia, the street becomes a theatre for staged events, set up for the camera rather than snatched by the photographer on the run. This substantial book is extensively illustrated and includes texts examining the technical and conceptual development of post-war street photography. With information and biographies on the artists.
- About the Author
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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: British Comics, Comics, Features, Magazines, Other Worlds, US Comics
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