Wartime Beanos, rare Mickey Mouse art and more in latest Compalcomics auction

By John Freeman on February 23, 2016

Beano 77

Rare wartime Beanos dominate many of the lots in the latest Compalcomics auction, which also includes lots of early TV Century 21s, art by Dudley Watkins, early Eagles and more, along with a healthy selection of US comics.

The company’s successful team up with the saleroom.com continues to provide potential comic buyers with real time bidding, viewable online, as bids are placed by our customers who have registered their details.

Compalcomics November 2015 catalogue saw the sale of a Dandy Comic No 1 for £4200, a Beano No 5 at £1920 and two fresh Beano Books from 1941 and 1943 at £2550 apiece. Early individual Beanos between 52 and 73 averaged £200 each and there are more high grade examples in this auction.

Under the hammer: Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday No. 501 (1893) with New Series No 1 (1949) and Ally Sloper No 1 (1948).

This new auction starts off with some rare Ally Sloper artwork from the 1880s and some Seaside comics from the 1930s – titles that were only printed once a year in the summer so the children could have something to read on the beach and keep out of trouble!

Biffo The Bear original Christmas artwork drawn and signed by Dudley Watkins (1954) from The Beano Book 1954. Biffo dresses up for the Beano Christmas party with Jack Flash, Maxi’s Taxi, Snitchy and Snatchy, Big Eggo, Magic Lollipops, Tricky Dicky Ant and Little Dead-Eye Dick.

Bright copies of Dandy comic 17 and 18 are also on offer along with the scarce Magic Fun Book from 1942 which has been professionally restored. An early run of Beanos continues up to No 101 and there are many propaganda war issues here. Following on is the Beano 26 issue run for 1945, the highest graded complete year ever offered at auction, and Magic-Beano Books from 1945 and 1946 in fine grades.

Corker Comics 1-12 (1944-45). Original artwork and page setting drawn and signed by Denis Gifford, including original artwork by ‘RAM’, Bob Monkhouse. (Larry, Horace, Pop and Percy Pig). With Alan Simpson (Musso The Twirp, Ace Marston and Basher Bustem). A unique piece of British comics history.

At lot 82 is a wonderful Denis Gifford production of his Corker comics 1-12 original artwork enclosed in a bound volume – 100 pages including art by himself, Bob Monkhouse and Alan Simpson in 1944. They were never published but what an important piece of British comics history. Gifford even drew the multi-character dust jacket.

Mickey Mouse Weekly Harold Whitaker archive (1953) - 90 plus original roughs of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan stories drawn by Harold Whitaker for the 1953 Mickey Mouse Weekly Coronation issue and further issues. Along with 41 pages of original typed scripts comprising 21 episodes of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan adventure stories. Harold Whitaker (1920-2013) drew Farmer John for the Animal Farm animated movie in 1954 whilst also working on the Mickey Mouse Weekly front cover which he drew for over three years.

90 plus original roughs of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan stories drawn by Harold Whitaker for the 1953 Mickey Mouse Weekly Coronation issue and further issues are in this auction. Along with 41 pages of original typed scripts comprising 21 episodes of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan adventure stories. Harold Whitaker (1920-2013) drew Farmer John for the Animal Farm animated movie in 1954 whilst also working on the Mickey Mouse Weekly front cover which he drew for over three years.

Other key artwork pieces feature a Biffo the Bear Christmas page from the 1954 Beano Book and Oor Wullie from 1965, both drawn and signed by Dudley Watkins. There are also 90 original sketches of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan by Mickey Mouse Weekly artist Harold Whitaker, with original typed story scripts (lot 108).

Beezer No 1 (1956), starring Ginger, Mick On The Moon, Pop, Dick and Harry.

Also on offer are Number Ones of titles such as Hotspur, Skipper, Beezer, Girl, Judy, School Friend, Jag and Valiant.

Our US section includes high grade runs of Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers, Hulk, Strange Tales, and X-Men and theres a vg copy of Journey Into Mystery #83. There are two lots of Robert Crumbs Underground Comix and a Judge Dredd DC comics original artwork cover.

• The auction closes on Sunday 6th March at 2.00pm UK time and all the lots can be viewed here. There are 45 seconds between each lot closing but lots will extend for a further 45 seconds in the event of last second or sniping bids.

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.