There are 325 vintage comic auction listings in the latest Phil-Comics eBay auction including plenty of British comics with their often rare free gifts, some amazing comic art, plenty of Beano comics and sequential runs of Commando.

Above: Beano No. 452 cover dated 17th March 1951 – the first issue to include a “Dennis the Menace” half-page strip

This pre-Christmas auction really pushes the boat out as it includes a copy of Beano No. 452, cover dated 17th March 1951, featuring the first “Dennis the Menace” strip, Tiger No. 1, cover dated xx 1954) with its rarely seen free gift Space Gun and flying saucers; a high grade 1940 Dandy Monster Comic (a reluctant sale from Phil-Comics own collection); and a beautiful page of “Heros the Spartan” drawn by “Dan Dare” and “Garth” artist Frank Bellamy, from a 1963 issue of Eagle.

Run by Phil Shrimpton, the award-winning Phil-Comics specialises in vintage comics and related items such as annuals, holiday specials, free gifts and original artwork. 

All listings end on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th December 2025 from 5.00pm UK time so hopefully, you’ll find several items of interest. Here’s just some of them to savour…

Comic Art…

A Christmas issue of Radio Fun No. 324, paired with two preliminary trial artworks by celebrated comic artist Roy Wilson, executed prior to his final drawing for publication. Wilson was a perfectionist and would often draw half, or even a full, strip but decide it wasn’t quite good enough for his own high standards and consequently would re-draw it. Unique original pen and ink drawing by one of the most renowned and respected of British comic artists and as unique as the final finished artwork. Please note we are aware the contemporary caricatures are very much not the sort of representation comic artists would draw today.

• Check out the current full Phil-Comics catalogue here on eBay 

British Comics With Free Gifts…

View a slide gallery of some of the “Free Gift” issue – please note, comics are in alphabetical, not chronological order

• Check out the current full Phil-Comics catalogue here on eBay 

Commando and Other Items…

A Rare Original Script

The “Steel Claw” Comic Strip Script for the Valiant Annual 1965, written by “Dan Dare” and “Captain Condor” writer David Motton. From the personal collection of former editor and script writer David Motton himself, who enjoyed a thirty year career working in comics from 1954 to 1985.

It’s rare to find scripts for comics on the open market. This one is printed on green paper measuring 10 x 8 inches. There are 45 pages in total and the slideshow above includes images of the strip from the annual (featured purely for reference purposes – please note the annual is not present in this listing). This listing is just for the green pages containing the script.

Originally, when David was typing the scripts he placed a carbon copy beneath each page and kept these for his own reference. The top copy would have been posted off to the publisher – in this case, IPC – so it is the retained copy that is for sale here.

• Check out the current full Phil-Comics catalogue here on eBay 

All listings end on Monday 15th and Tuesday 16th December 2025 from 5.00pm UK time

• About the Author
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John Freeman

John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

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.

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Categories: Art and Illustration, Auctions, British Comics, Comic Art, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Events, Other Worlds

Tags: Albert Edgar Beard, Auction News, Beano, Brian Clarke, Commando, David Motton, downthetubes News, Eagle, Frank Bellamy, Free Gifts, Heros the Spartan, Humour Comics, James Clark, Kaptain Kween, Maple Town, Mike Higgs, Pansy Potter, Phil-Comics, Roy Wilson, Steel Claw, Valiant, War Comics