downthetubes is delighted to present both a video and text interview with comics collector Peter Hansen, whose extraordinary archive of British comic art, comics and comics ephemera is an incredible “Aladdin’s Cave”
Adventure Comics
Phil Comics offers TV21, Tornado and “Curly Wee” rarities in latest eBay auction
There’s another astonishing array of comics and comic-related items on offer in the latest eBay auction from Phil Comics this month: hundreds of vintage comics, annuals, free gifts, holiday specials and more, in 550 odd listings, including some very rare and often much sought after Curly Wee annuals
Marvel UK Mysteries: Who Remembers “Blood-Cede” and “Graviton”?
Discussion of comics copyright and trademarks of classic British comics spurred by Rebellion’s established ownership of the TV21 brand led me to investigate which titles Marvel Comics registered in Britain. Or, largely, Marvel UK – who were keen to put their very firm property stamp on various projects down the decades. My investigations turned up some interesting “Might Have Been” titles from the 1990s.
Rebellion confirms ownership of the “TV21” brand
2000AD publisher Rebellion has confirmed to downthetubes that they own the TV21 brand, which suggests they also own TV Tornado and Solo – and, possibly, rights to some non-TV strips published by City Editions in the 1960s. The information comes as a result of Rebellion’s extensive work establishing the fine detail of property rights following its purchase of the Fleetway titles from both Egmont and TI Media in recent years.
Awesome Reads launches at San Diego Comic-Con, Richard Dinnick announced as Director of Publishing
Awesome Media & Entertainment, the IP and production company founded by writer-producer Jeff Norton, is launching a new graphic novel studio after the successful launch of its fiction publishing imprint Awesome Reads last year – and prolific comics writer Richard… Read More ›
Spirit of the Pharaoh graphic novel lays ground for new feature film
Not content with developing To the Death with Geoff Senior and reinventing a host of British classic comic heroes with artist Simon Coleby for Rebellion’s The Vigilant saga, writer Simon Furman has also been busy turning Egyptian mythology on its… Read More ›
Indigo Prime returns to 2000AD, Death Wish collection out in book shops today!
2000AD Prog 2139 crashed into your newsagents yesterday, with an all-new “Indigo Prime” tale debuting this issue – and officially on sale today in all good book shops is Death Wish, a collection from Rebellion of the strip created by… Read More ›
Albion: Looking back at Wildstorm’s “British Invasion”
As Rebellion rolls out more classic comic collections and gears up for the second Vigilant special from Simon Furman and Simon Coleby, Luke Williams looks back at earlier revivals of some British comic characters… Rebellion are receiving plaudits for reviving… Read More ›
“Third World War” collection due in 2020
The definitive collection of Third World War, a powerful tale of of global capitalism, rebellion and exploitation created by Pat Mills and the late Carlos Ezquerra. A ground-breaking story, “Third World War” first appeared in the anthology title Crisis, the… Read More ›
Crowdfunding Spotlight: Advent Comics’ Tenth Anniversary anthology, Facets
Celebrating its tenth anniversary, US indie publisher Advent Comics has launched a Kickstarter to publish a 100-page anthology, Facets to mark the occasion – and, like many smaller comics companies across the globe, makes no bones about how it sees… Read More ›
The Future Belongs to Cats! Ahoy Comics “Captain Ginger” collection released
US publisher Ahoy Comics have just released Captain Ginger – Survival Instinct, collection of their Captain Ginger title, an SF series set in the future where cats have inherited the Earth, brought to you by Deadpool the Duck writer Stuart… Read More ›
Pluck and Courage: Marvelman publisher L. Miller’s very short-lived story papers
Here’s something of a rarity for you to enjoy – some of the covers for Pluck and Courage, two monthly story papers launched in the 1950s by Marvelman publisher L. Miller & Son Ltd. Collector Peter Hansen, who kindly provided… Read More ›
Holiday Specials galore, and more, in latest Phil-Comics eBay auction
There’s a host of British comic goodies on offer in the latest Phil-Comics eBay auction, including a terrific number of Holiday Specials from the 1970s, Beano, Dandy, TV21 comics, annuals – and rarities such as promotional flyers and more
Tintin in the Land of the Soviets cover art sells for $1.12 million
The very first original cover art featuring the beloved comic character Tintin, Hergé’s The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1: Tintin in the Land of the Soviets, sold for more than $1.12 million by Heritage Auctions on Saturday, 8th June, in… Read More ›
Amazing Fantasy #15 sells for £9600 in UK Compal Auction, Dandy 2 for £4550
There was clearly some fierce bidding in the latest ComPal comic and comic art auction, with some high prices paid for the top lots, among them a copy of Amazing Fantasy #15, the first appearance of Marvel’s The Amazing Spider-Man,… Read More ›
Director’s Commentary and Sneak Peek: Black North by Mark McCann and Steven Austin
Black North is a new, 96-page gritty SF action adventure graphic novel from Mark McCann and Steven Austin which will soon be seeking crowdfunding. We asked Mark, an author and writer from Belfast, to give us the lowdown on how… Read More ›
Network DVD includes “Man in a Suitcase” Comic as part of new Blu-Ray release
Award-winning specialist Blu-Ray and DVD distribution company Network have included another fantastic comic strip addition to one of their latest limited deluxe edition Blu-Ray box sets – Man in a Suitcase: Volume 6. A cracking ITC adventure series first broadcast… Read More ›
Phil-Comics trails rare “Wham-O Giant” US tabloid comic in next month’s eBay auction
A copy of the rare giant-sized US comic Wham-O Giant Comics #1, produced by a toy company in the 1960s will go under the hammer at Phil-Comics on eBay next month – and with a line-up that includes artist Wally… Read More ›
First ever Tintin cover looks set for one million dollar plus sale in June
The first cover appearance of Hergé‘s Tintin, arguably the most popular comic character worldwide, as well as a pair of lots by Osama Tezuka, the artist who has been called “the Japanese equivalent of Walt Disney” and a group of… Read More ›
Pat Mills and Oliviér Ledroit’s “Requiem Vampire Knight” tops sales charts in France
Requiem: Resurrection by Pat Mills and Oliviér Ledroit is sitting in the Number One sales spot in the fantasy graphic novel chart on Amazon France – an amazing accomplishment, considering it was re-published over three years ago, and it’s apparently… Read More ›