Following on from John Freeman’s interview with comic collector extraordinaire Peter Hansen Richard Sheaf highlights some of the auction catalogues that were produced for the liquidation of comic creator, collector and author Denis Gifford’s collection, back in 2001.
Comics creator Nick Prolix was kind enough to take some time out from his busy schedule pimping the Kickstarter of his new issue of Slang Pictorial to talk to me about, well, everything…
David Slinn recalls a little-known and short-lived British newspaper project, SCOOPS, which featured strips by the likes of Sandy Clarke, Ron Smith and Brian Walker…
Over on his Boys Adventure Comics Blog, downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf has highlighted the inclusion of a strip from Le Lombard‘s Franco-Belgian Tintin comic magazine in a short-lived Marvel UK comic. It’s an example of European reprint by the company,… Read More ›
For anyone who’s not managed to make it to Southport’s The Atkinson gallery for their superb Frank Hampson – The Man Who Drew Dan Dare exhibition, then you might try and make it to Bourne Hall in Epsom, Surrey, instead. Their… Read More ›
downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf has written features on Eagle‘s Dan Dare excursions beyond the UK, which include appearances in an Australian version of Eagle, as “Daan Durf” in the Netherlands, an all-new take on the character in Spain, Diego Valor,… Read More ›
I was saddened the other day to read of the death of British humour comics stalwart Terry Bave. As a lad, I read his work in my brother’s copy of Whizzer & Chips, but I probably became most interested in… Read More ›
An exhibition of art by Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson at The Atkinson, in Southport, Lancashire – where both the character and Eagle comic were “born” in the 1950s – is on now until March, and it’s well worth a visit. The exhibition covers all aspects of… Read More ›
Comics writer Kieron Gillen is at Gosh Comics in London later today (Saturday 20th October) to sign copies of the seventh collection of The Wicked + The Divine stories – but do you know his first professionally-published work was in Warhammer Monthly?… Read More ›
Richard Sheaf and I recently investigated the way British war comics used to re-use cover art, and this article reveals how two British comic companies used the same art on different titles… For those of you familiar with my Nothing… Read More ›
As comic fans, it’s often easy to forget that publishing them is very much a business as far as companies such as DC Thomson, Rebellion and Titan Comics are concerned, and syndicating or re-using comics published is a major part… Read More ›
For anyone who couldn’t get to the “Kirby Consciousness” exhibition at Orbital Comics in London, here are a few hurried snaps Richard Sheaf took the other evening, offering plenty of examples of Jack Kirby comics and artists taking their own spin on his work. In… Read More ›
I’m delighted to report the release of FANSCENE, a very special celebration of over fifty years of comics fandom in Ireland and the UK. It’s a privilege to have been asked to be part of this free mammoth publication put… Read More ›
One of the things downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf likes collecting are comics and magazines that may have been rather forgotten about. A few months ago, he spotted a copy of Fleetwings on eBay, an unusual looking item that piqued his… Read More ›
Last month, Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières were in London, at the Institut Francais, for an event titled Valerian & Laureline Disclosed. Chaired by comics expert Paul Gravett, the Valerian creators were full of life and were happy to rib each other… Read More ›
Browsing the Book Palace website last night, downthetubes contributor Richard Sheaf came across this painting, attributed to Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson. “… This is gorgeous painting, probably used for a magazine illustration or advertisement in the late 1950s,” notes… Read More ›
Despite its longevity, DC Thomson’s last serving pocket library title, Commando, has never gained the kind of fan documentation that other British comics have. Achtung! Commando was a short-lived attempt to change that, published at the turn of the century… Read More ›
David Hockney, one of the most popular and influential British artists of the twentieth century has returned to Tate Britain in London for his most comprehensive exhibition so far, running until May 2017 – but it doesn’t include his entry for… Read More ›
When news that the last ever ABC cinema has closed reached the ears of downthetubes writer Richard Sheaf, he began a series of features on its inhouse magazine, ABC Film Review, over on the Boys Adventure Blog, spotlighting some of the… Read More ›
To co-incide with the 65th anniversary of seminal British picture strip weekly, Eagle, the British Interplanetary Society held a one day conference on Tuesday 14th April 2015 entitled ‘Yesterday’s Tomorrow’. Richard Sheaf reports… A packed programme introduced by the… Read More ›