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.
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!
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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