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Update Archives For February 2008

24 February 2008

British Update - Marvel UK, Pow!, Eagle, Valiant 1962/63 and Topper from 1st year of publication!

Another stonking selection of British gems fresh in this week in the following categories:

*Marvel UK: Fresh stock for several popular titles, including Spider-Man Comics Weekly, Complete Fantastic Four, Star Wars, Captain America, Conan, Transformers, Dr. Who Magazine, many issues of Avengers from the first 100, including the entire first ten issues, and a special Free Gift Farrago bonus, the second issue of the Thing with the Free Gift 'Big Ben Banger'! As part of our ongoing ‘refurbishment’ of the website, this section has been completely upgraded, and every comic listed has been verified as physically present in the shop by our crack team of highly-trained observers – so buy ‘em now before someone else beats you to it!

*Power Comics: A fresh batch of Pow!, replenishing our depleted stocks after recent sales. This sequence runs from #3 to the final issue, #86, and in addition to reprinting Spider-Man, Nick Fury (in both his 'Sgt' & 'S.H.I.E.L.D.' incarnations) and (after it was joined by Wham!) the Fantastic Four, this weekly also featured a wealth of UK-originated material including 'The Man Called Janus', 'Experiment X', 'The Cloak', and, after a run of Marvel fantasy reprints proved popular, a succession of new 'Pow Short Stories', twist-ending tales often with a sporting theme. A strange hybrid, but one that was popular for a number of years. This run averages VG/FN in grade, appealing copies with minimal wear and nice bright pages.

*Boys’ Adventure and War Comics: Two long-running mainstays updated this time; Eagle, Volumes 11, 12 and 14, with Dan Dare’s art at its height, as illustrated by Frank Hampson, Frank Bellamy and Keith Watson. Vol 14, from 1963, has previously been under-represented in our stock, and features among the final new DD adventures to grace the front cover in full colour, with the underestimated Watson proving himself a worthy successor to his predecessors on the strip. This update also includes the first combination issue with ‘Swift’, where Eagle’s junior spin-off was reabsorbed into its parent title. In addition, we have new stock of early Valiant from 1962 (the first year of publication), and 1963, where the Steel Claw, Captain Hurricane & Co were gaining ground, helped along by Kelly’s Eye and Billy Bunter when the venerable Knockout merged into the fledgling weekly in ’63. Good reading copies at budget-conscious prices abound.

*Humour Comics & Picture Libraries: A choice selection of Topper from the first year of publication, 1953, beginning with #11 and running consecutively through #29, then a handful culminating with the Christmas issue, #47. This range is in exceptional condition for the vintage, averaging VG+ or better, and featuring the early appearances of Beryl the Peril, Mickey the Monkey, Foxy, and other long-running Topper headliners. The cover of #47 may be examined in our Cover Gallery – click on the link in the main catalogue section.

Posted by Rob | 10:24 a.m. GMT | 24 February 2008

American Update - A quartet of Golden Age DC keys/gems and loads'a Phantom

*DC: A quartet of Golden Age issues this week, beginning with Adventure Comics #70 in GD+, with Jack Burnley’s Starman (and a striking Starman cover) leading off the issue, admirably backstopped by Hourman, the Shining Knight, Sandman, Manhunter, and other features; Batman #38, also GD+, features a classic Penguin cover and story (in which the Bumbershoot Bandit attempts to become the new Walt Disney!); and a brace of Superman - #76, with the very first Superman & Batman team-up, a ‘pilot’ for their long-running series in World’s Finest; and #100, with a striking montage of previous milestone covers. Cover scans of all four of these vintage showpieces can be seen in our Cover Gallery – click on the links in the main listing.

*Phantom: A new lease of life for the Ghost Who Walks, as we have many incarnations of Lee Falk’s classic adventure character to offer. We have issues from the Gold Key, King, and Charlton series that ran for 74 issues, with the talents of (among others), Jim Aparo, Frank Bolle, Pat Boyette, and some remarkable early work by Don Newton, just then commencing his tragically brief career. We also have the DC version, first the mini-series by Peter David and Joe Orlando, offered as part of our Complete Set Initiative, and then the ongoing (which only ‘onwent’ as far as issue #13, but hey, they tried…) and we finish up with the current series from Moonstone, which is still attracting new readers today. More than 70 issues of jungle thrills with an urban twist, new for you!

Posted by Rob | 10:16 a.m. GMT | 24 February 2008

17 February 2008

American Update - Strange Adventures from 1950's & 1960's, X-Men #94 and more Modern Complete Sets

More highly collectible stuff this week from across the pond in the following categories:

*DC: Back to the future with Strange Adventures! DC’s premier sci-fi title is restocked, with issues ranging from #5 to #142, featuring series stars Chris KL-99, Captain Comet, the Atomic Knights, Space Museum and Star Hawkins, with the gifted contributions of Murphy Anderson, Gil Kane, Carmine Infantino, Sid Greene, and Mike Sekowsky. Face the 'Attack of the Oil-Demon'! Shudder at 'The Turtle-Men of Space!' (Okay, don’t shudder – laugh if you must…), and gasp at 'The Return of the Neanderthal Man' and 'The Return of the Faceless Creature'! Gorgeously-illustrated pulp fiction finery, in grades ranging from Poor to Very Good/Fine, suiting every budget.

*Marvel: A very special Bronze Age event, as we bring you X-Men #94, the first non-reprint issue since #66, and the first appearance of the New X-Men, (Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Banshee and Thunderbird) in the regular book following their debut in Giant-Size X-Men #1. (“So, that’s a long-winded way of saying it’s their second appearance, then?” – Rob. “Nobody likes a smartarse.” – Will.) This attractive VG+ copy retails for £115, with clean pages, good cover colour and gloss, and a high degree of eye appeal, with only small amounts of wear and creases around the edges precluding a higher grade. Never distributed in the UK, this is a rare opportunity to obtain a key issue at an affordable price. A scan of this issue can be seen in our Cover Gallery; click on the link from the catalogue page. Plus, further Bronze Age top-ups on Doc Savage, Nova, and the 1970’s ‘Savage’ Sub-Mariner, all new this week!

*Modern Comics Complete Sets; More ready-made reading packages from the 1980’s up to the 21st Century! Astro City: The Dark Age, Green Arrow: Year One, Hulk Smash!, Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority, Justice League: Another Nail, JLA/Avengers, JLA/Titans, JLA: Year One, Justice Society of America, Lobo, Spider-Man: The Lost Years, Superman & Batman: Generations 2, with the multiple talents of Kurt Busiek, Garth Ennis, John McCrea, Alan Davis, John Romita Jr., Keith Giffen and a host of others..

Posted by Rob | 10:48 a.m. GMT | 17 February 2008

British Update - Complete Years 1950's Hotspur & Wizard, 1970's Tiger, Bunty 1994, Alan Class update & almost 700 new Commando Picture Libraries!

A lollopalooza of a British update for you this week, with over a thousand new comics as follows:

*Alan Class Reprints: More from the popular series of reprint comics which ran from the 1950’s to the 1980’s, with an eclectic medley of Marvel, Charlton, ACG, Atlas, and several other publishers’ works. This update features all the key AC titles – Astounding Stories, Creepy Worlds, Secrets of the Unknown, Sinister Tales, Suspense and Uncanny Tales – as well as short-run titles such as Tales of the Underworld and Out Of This World, including further releases material from the publishers’ own private collection, with certificates of authenticity. This section has also been completely revised, and is current at this date. The Alan Class feature which gives details of the content of each issue has also been updated and can be found in the Features and Articles section of the website. Coming soon: more of the spectacular Collectors' Edition Plate Set exclusives!

*Boys’ Adventure & War Comics: Continuing our Complete Year Set Initiative, we proudly bring you two complete years of Hotspur, from 1953 and 1954, a period when the staid old story paper was flirting with science-fiction in the forms of 'The Iron Teacher' (well, he’s a robot, so that’s a bit sci-fi…), 'SOS From Planet X' and 'The Face In The Box', as well as historical dramas '10,000 Years Ago', and 'Dirk, The King’s Dog-Boy' (which sounds more like something you’d read about in the personals column these days, but let it lie…). From the 1970's, two more complete years of Tiger, 1977 and 1978 – though note that the latter is three issues short of a complete conventional year, owing to a printer’s strike. Never fear, Johnny Cougar, Billy’s Boots, Martin’s Marvellous Minis (that’s the cars, not the skirts, in case you were wondering) and company all continued directly over the gap, so no episodes were cut. This is also the time Roy of the Rovers abandoned Tiger after 25 years to helm his own title, so catch his final Tiger appearances in 1978. Finally, two complete years of Wizard, from 1951 and 1954, with wonder athlete Wilson, plucky crippled footballer Limp-Along-Leslie, and the disturbing race relations on Spadger Island. You have been warned…

*Boys’ Adventure & War Picture Libraries: Remember we promised you a mammoth Commando update a couple of weeks ago? Well, here it is! This week, we’ve added almost 700 new numbers to our listings, predominantly from the 2000’s and 3000’s. What more need be said? Get ‘em before peace breaks out!

*Girls’ Comics and Picture Libraries: Another Complete Year of Bunty, from 1994, and averaging FN condition, with our heroine, though no longer cover-featured, reigning supreme together with the eternal Four Marys, Nikki-import 'The Comp', and long-running photo-story 'Luv, Lisa', as well as photo features on pop stars of the distant past such as Take That and the Spice Girls. So, no change there then…

Posted by Rob | 10:41 a.m. GMT | 17 February 2008

10 February 2008

American Update - DC humour inc. Sugar & Spike, a fresh cauldron of Pre-Code Horror, Modern Reprints, Magazine-Sized stuff and Mags/Books About etc

A huge wodge of stuff new in to tempt you with this week as follows:

*DC: A comedy-themed update for DC this week, with new listings for Angel & the Ape, Inferior Five, Showcase #77 (the Angel & the Ape debut!), and, most importantly, fifteen new issues of Sheldon Meyer’s Sugar & Spike, replenishing our previous stock, which was entirely sold out! On both sides of the Atlantic, Ms. Plumm & Mr. Wilson are becoming harder to obtain, and we’ve been lucky in getting this new selection, which includes special Valentine, Christmas and Halloween–themed editions, as well as one of the latter-day Giant issues, in grades ranging from Fair to Fine+. But how long can our combo of dumb luck and low animal cunning last? Who knows? So grab ‘em while they’re here!

*Horror 1940-1959: A wide range of various 1950’s horror titles in affordable grades, ragged but complete, varying from poor to occasionally VG. Companies represented include Standard (Adventure Into Darkness and Out of the Shadows), St. John (Amazing Ghost Stories, Strange Terrors, Weird Horrors), Ace (Beyond, Challenge of the Unknown [scan featured in our Cover Gallery], Hand of Fate), Superior (Journey into Fear, Mysteries Weird and Strange), Ajax/Farrell (Midnight, Voodoo), Premier (Mysterious Stories), Quality (Web of Evil), and Atlas (Journey Into Unknown Worlds, Uncanny Tales, Strange Tales of the Unusual), for a cornucopia of Pre-Code and early Code-Approved shudders and chills!

*Modern Reprints: More from DC’s Showcase and Archives series, Marvel’s Essential and Masterworks sequential reprints (including new additions to their Atlas and Golden-Age ranges), the handsome Marvel Omnibus Editions (large-format full-colour hardcovers reprinting up to 35 issues in a book), the classic Archie/MLJ full-colour paperbacks of Shield and Mighty Crusaders, available once more, and the Witchcraft compendium of Pre-Code Horror goodness, as well as backstock of DC’s Millennium Editions and Marvel’s Milestones – nostalgia is what it used to be, and it’s right here at 30th Century! Stars of this update are the fourth volume of the Superman Chronicles, complete sequential reprints of the Man of Steel’s Golden Age adventures, and Diana Prince: Wonder Woman, a gathering of the acclaimed O’Neil/Sekowsky ‘powerless’ WW in full-colour softcover. This section has been completely revised and updated, and is totally accurate at this date.

*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: New entries for Marvel’s Bizarre Adventures & Epic Illustrated, plus several of the magazine-shaped squarebound Marvel Graphic Novels, which introduced new characters and creators to the field. Top of the list, however, is an expansion of our Complete Set Initiative with the three issue run of Web Of Horror from 1969/70. This experimental mag, intended to be a rival to the Warren line, featured veteran creators (Otto Binder, Syd Shores|) teamed with then rookies (Marv Wolfman, Bernie Wrightson, Bruce Jones, Ralph Reece) and had great promise (more than the later Skywald line for instance), but floundered owing to poor distribution, thus being extremely rare these days. This set averages FN/VF with the #1 being VF-. This category has also been entirely revised and is completely up to date.

*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics: The reprinting of Michael Fleischer’s Encyclopaedia of Comic Book Heroes continues, with the Wonder Woman and Superman volumes now available in new editions. Limited-run appreciations of Al Williamson and Wallace Wood are brand new releases. We also have further issues of the popular magazine Alter Ego, and several more items in this entirely revised and updated section.

Posted by Rob | 12:33 p.m. GMT | 10 February 2008

British Update - UK/Aus reprints inc horror titles, Beano 1968-1970, Bunty 1971-73, Diana 1966-1976

Another bumper bundle of goodies in our British update this week as follows:

*Vintage UK/Australian Reprints of US material: Scores of new entries in this category, with a plethora of Disney, Warner Bros, and other related funnies from publishers such as Gold Token, Top Sellers, Gordon & Gotch and more. The funnies are supported by super-heroic adventures with Flash & Superman comics, and horror from Spellbound and Adventures Into the Unknown. We also bring you the ultra-rare 160 page Black Magic Album #1, with a wealth of pre-code terror tales from numerous publishers. A scan of the Black Magic Album can be viewed for your delectation – go to the catalogue list and click on the link. This entire section has also been completely refurbished for your browsing pleasure.

*Humour Comics & Picture Libraries: From 1968 through to 1970, virtually (but not, unfortunately, total) complete runs of Beano from these years, with Dennis the Menace, the Bash Street Kids, Little Plum, Billy the Cat, and cover-star Biffo the Bear. Long sequential runs like these, in decent shape, (averaging VG) are increasingly rare as the years roll on, so grab them while you can!

*Girls’ Comics and Picture Libraries: A double-whammy this week as our Bonanza continues, with Bunty from 1971-1973, virtually complete years in decent shape, filling in a period woefully underrepresented in our previous stock. And on the other hand, a decade of Diana; casting her net wide, we have issues from 1966 through to the last year of publication, 1976, during which our gal transformed from a purveyor of innocent adventures such as ‘Starr of Wonderland’ and ‘The Girls From N.O.O.D.L.E.S.’, to an ersatz-Jackie with romance strips, pop trivia, and shirtless photos of the Bay City Rollers! (Or maybe they just stuck fake nipples on an ironing board – who’d be able to tell the difference?). A document of our changing times, all at very reasonable rates…

Posted by Rob | 12:27 p.m. GMT | 10 February 2008

6 February 2008

British Update - It's back! Our Free Gift Farrago!

As promised, we now have many, many more Free Gift issues of British comics to offer you as follows:

*Marvel UK: Our Free Gift Farrago continues, as we bring you Avengers #2 with the Wonder Weapon (but no Missile Disk, alas), Captain Britain #1 & #2 with the Mask and Boomerang respectively, the first two issues of Dr. Who Weekly with the original action transfers, Forces In Combat #1 with sticker, debut issues of Savage Sword of Conan, Dracula Lives, Planet of the Apes, Super-Heroes and Titans with the respective full-colour posters, and other issues of Star Wars, Spider-Man and other titles with stickers, transfers and other goodies still attached.

*Boys’ Adventure and War Comics: We maintain our Free Gift Farrago with prestigious debut issues of the 1980’s Eagle with Space Spinner, 2000 AD with Space Spinner, (no, it’s okay-they’re different colours!), Tornado #1 with Turbo Flyer (which is nothing like a Space Spinner. Honest.), Starlord #1, #2, & #3 with free gifts, a handful of 1980’s Tigers with free gifts (including the Silver Jubilee issue – that’s the comics’ Silver Jubilee, not Her Majesty’s, lest there be any confusion), and the second issue of Scream, with Spooky Spider! Go on, you know you want it….

If past experience is anything to go by, these Free Gift issues won't last long, so get in early to avoid disappointment!

Posted by Rob | 12:54 p.m. GMT | 6 February 2008

American Update - Silver/Bronze DCs inc. complete All-Star 1970's set, Undergrounds, loads more Modern Comics sets!

Here's a chunky mid-week update to our American stocks for you in the following categories:

*DC: Continuing our Complete Set Initiative, an unusual item: the entire 1970’s revival of the legendary All-Star Comics, with the Justice Society of America (fleetingly billed as the ‘All-Star Squad’, but fortunately that bit of modern nonsense soon passed). From #58, taking up where the Golden Age series left off, to the final issue, #74, this featured the talents of Paul Levitz, Wally Wood, Keith Giffen, and Joe Staton, and refurbished comics’ premier super-team for a new audience, and set the tone for future JSA revivals. More importantly, the revival introduced the stroppy but lovely Power Girl, who has enchanted and terrified the subsequent generation in about equal measure! Averaging FN/VF, (only one as low as VG, and the debut issue, #58, at VF) this extremely attractive set constitutes a highly sought-after series. We also have top-ups to Flash (from #120), Green Lantern (from #5), Metal Men (from #9), and Superman (from #149, including the death of Superman – no, the first one – and the daring 1970’s makeover, 'Kryptonite Nevermore!')

*Undergrounds: Bulletins from the world of counter-culture, politics and general trippiness, with representations from the ‘traditional’ underground publishers such as Rip Off and Print Mint (isn’t it a head-trip to realise that the underground has been around long enough to have a ‘tradition’?), including the notorious Jesus Meets The Armed Services, and from the new wave of publishers, Eros and the revolutionary World War III collective, plus collected editions such as Charles Burns’ groundbreaking and disturbing Black Hole, now in trade paperback. This section has been entirely revised and updated, and is completely accurate at the time of writing.

*Modern Comics Complete Sets: A further cornucopia of modern comics in complete sets to facilitate your collecting pleasure; from the 1980’s to the turn of this century. We have, among forty or so entries, Adam Strange, Agents of Atlas, Alice Cooper: The Last Temptation, Amazons Attack, Authority: More Kev, Batman Vs. Predator, Beast Boy, Blade, Daredevil: Yellow, Elektra & Wolverine, Hulk: Gray, Justice, Omega Flight, 1602, Shazam: Monster Society of Evil, Silent War, Ultimates Series 2, Ultimate War, X-Men Deadly Genesis and others, all added in at reduced-from-retail prices. Featuring the talents of Adam & Andy Kubert, Neil Gaiman, Alan Davis, Colleen Doran, Mark Millar, Alex Ross, Greg Rucka, Jeff Smith, J. Michael Straczynski, and stellar newcomer Cliff Chiang (check out the unnerving Vertigo Beware the Creeper complete set for his straight-out-of-the-starting-trap hit debut!), these are handy ways of picking up some series you may have missed the first time round, or always meant to try ‘someday’. Guess what? Someday’s today!

Posted by Rob | 12:47 p.m. GMT | 6 February 2008

3 February 2008

British Update - Power Comics, Annuals & Crikey!

*Power Comics: Further listings from the 1960’s UK House Of Ideas, with the pseudonymous Alf, Bart and Cos (and what’s ‘Cos’ supposed to be short for?) valiantly repackaging the US Marvel Comics while, almost as an afterthought, overseeing some of the more gifted originals in the British Comics world, among them Ken Reid and Leo Baxendale. New stock for Fantastic, Smash and Terrific this time, but the entire section is now completely updated, so order with impunity – until someone else gets there before you!

*Annuals: Further additions to our stock of popular titles ranging from the 1950’s to the 1980’s; Action, classic Girl, Battle (including it’s Battle-Action & Battle-Action Force years), Lion, Bunty, Tenderfoot from 1961, Girl’s Crystal from 1959-1966, and a very nice VF run of Scorcher from 1973 up, all added to our inventory. On the lookout for a novelty birthday gift? Buy ‘em an annual from the year they were born – cheaper than those newspaper facsimiles (mostly), and with lots more reading!

*Magazines/Books About Vintage UK Comics: Complete revision of this section, and the addition of a new issue, #3, of Brian Clarke’s splendid Crikey!, an affectionate look back on the British Comics field, from both a nostalgic and collector’s viewpoint.

Posted by Rob | 03:28 p.m. GMT | 3 February 2008

American Update - Marvel Spider-Man, Avengers, Captain Marvel, What If and more

*Marvel: Our Amazing Spider-Man Half-Price Sale Event is now OVER – sorry, guys, but I'm sure the many of you who bagged a real bargain are very happy – but we still have many early issues in mid-high grades at very attractive prices, so do check our catalogue listings for a myriad of Ditko & Romita-filled goodness. In addition, we’ve added stock to the first series of Amazing Adventures, the transitional Marvel title which featured big-panty monsters like Manoo cheek-by-jowl with proto-superhero Dr. Droom; and top-ups to popular series Avengers, Captain Marvel, Fantasy Masterpieces, Sub-Mariner, Thor, and the wondrous worlds of What If?

Posted by Rob | 03:22 p.m. GMT | 3 February 2008