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Update Archives For August 2005

29 August 2005

British update - Lion, Gerry Anderson stuff, a small #1 collection, Thriller & other Picture Libraries, Jackpot & Misty

A massive British update this week of popular titles in the following categories:

*Boys' Adventure & War Comics: A three-pronged attack this week: 1: A run of Lion from 1972/73, with Adam Eterno, Zip Nolan, the Steel Commando and many other adventure serials. 2: A selection of the 1990's Thunderbirds & Stingray revival, reprinting classic Anderson strips by Bellamy, Embleton, Noble and more! 3: A palpitating punnet of premier issues: IPC/Fleetway's 2000 AD, Action, Starlord & Thunder key #1 issues at affordable prices.

*Boys' Adventure & War Picture Libraries: Star of this week's selection is a small but significant range of Thriller Picture Library, the hugely popular series starring the Three Musketeers, Claude Duvall, Battler Britton and many others. Increasingly scarce, these books sell rapidly in any grade. Plus other additions to our stock in Action, Air Ace, Battleground, Combat, Lion, Top Secret, War, War At Sea and Pearson's Picture Stories of World War II.

*Humour Comics & Picture Libraries: From the 1980's, a nice selection of Jackpot, starring Laser Eraser, Angel's Charlies (no, it's not what you're thinking, you mucky urchins...), Kid King, the Incredible Sulk (I think I've worked with him...), Milly O-Naire & Penny Less, and a plethora of comedy stars!

*Girls' Comics & Picture Libraries: Another swathe of Misty, the ever-popular horror/mystery weekly with 'Wolf Girl', 'Nightmare Academy', 'Hush Hush Sweet Rachel', 'Nine Lives Of Nicola' and other suspenseful serials. Featuring work by Pat Mills, Alan Grant, Jesus Redondo and many other 2000 AD/Battle creators, these have a high crossover audience with male collectors. At least, that's their excuse...

Posted by Rob | 01:08 p.m. GMT | 29 August 2005

American update - Silver Age DCs, Latest Archives & Masterworks etc, Books & Mags on vintage comics

More retrospective delights in our American update this week in the following categories:

*DC Comics: Another thorough upgrade of the DC Universe, all major and many minor/esoteric titles updated, including (but not restricted to) Action, Adventure, Atom, Batman, Brave & Bold, Detective, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Inferior Five, Lois Lane, Metal Men, Mr. Miracle, New Gods, Mystery In Space, Showcase, Strange Adventures, Supergirl, Superman, Teen Titans, mad Kanigher & Andru Wonder Woman ('Great Hera! I've been turned into a fish-girl!'), and more World's Finest than you can shake the Wand Of Watoomb at!

*Modern Reprints: Further entries in DC's Archives (World's Finest Vol 3 and Robin Vol 1, detailing the Boy Wonder's solo stories from Star-Spangled), Marvel's Masterworks (Golden Age Sub-Mariner Vol 1, Silver Age Captain America Vol 2 and X-Men Vol 5), and Marvel's Essentials (Daredevil Vol 3, Killraven Vol 1), plus Captain America's Bicentennial Battles, a full-colour reprint of the scarce 1976 Treasury Edition. The history of comics - in your hands!

*Magazines/Books About Vintage US Comics: An unusual find this update: four volumes of 1977's Marvel Comics Index, the large format scholarly works that have formed the basis of many subsequent comics research projects. Also, the Jutice League Companion: a brand new retrospective appreciation of the Silver Age JLA with interviews, overviews, and much unpublished or seldom-seen artwork. Plus new issues of the ongoing magazines Alter Ego, Comic Book Artist, Comic Book Marketplace (the final issue, sadly), Charlton Spotlight and Back Issue, for a cascading cornucopia of cogent comments and critique.

Posted by Rob | 12:31 p.m. GMT | 29 August 2005

22 August 2005

British update - Captain Britain, Buster, Judy, Jackie & more!

Another plethora of delights in this week's update to our British stock shown in our online catalogue: Details follow:

*Marvel UK: Thought that racial stereotypes in comics were over? Think again, bloke! The first 20 issues of Captain Britain weekly from 1976 are up for grabs. Gasp in awe at Chris Claremont & Herb Trimpe's rendition of a world they never made! Luv a duck, guv'ner...

*Humour Comics & Picture Libraries: Another superb range of Buster from 1970 to 1972, mostly averaging FN condition, with not only all your comedy chums, but also a nice selection of adventure strips, with alien visitor Galaxus, arch-rogue Charlie Peace and Fishboy, Denizen of the Deep!

*Girls' Comics & Picture Libraries: Updates to two major titles: Judy from 1975 to 1980, home to Wee Slavey, Bobby Dazzler, Dangerous Days For Diana and others, and Jackie from 1979-1980, where romance comic strips share space with pin-ups of pop hunks and features telling us all we need to know about boys and periods! (Bet you can't wait...) Plus: updates on the 'Big 4' Girls' Picture Libraries: Bunty, Debbie, Judy and Mandy, all crammed full of digest-sized hi-jinx.

Posted by Rob | 03:23 p.m. GMT | 22 August 2005

American update - Golden & Silver Age DCs, 1970s Charlton Horror, Classics Illustrated

Some lovely stuff in this week's American update in the following categories:

*DC Comics: A select range from the 1940s to the early 1960s, including an Adventure #87 in FN with the Shining Knight, Starman and Simon & Kirby's Sandman, Green Lantern #6 from the Golden Age first series, early Sea Devils and Sea Devils Showcase issues by Russ Heath, additions to Mystery In Space and a lengthy variety of Strange Adventures, home of the Atomic Knights, Star Hawkins and other galactic wayfarers, commencing with #54.

*Horror/Mystrery 1960s-1980s: More ghastly goings-on with a new influx of Ghost Manor and Many Ghosts Of Dr. Graves! Owing to Charlton's uneven observance of the Comics Code, and their policy of giving talents such as Ditko, Pat Boyette and Tom Sutton greater creative leeway to compensate for low rates, a great deal of daring and experimental work can be found in the underrated 1970s Charlton mystery line.

*Classics Illustrated: A substantial update to this ever-popular category, with many early numbers in line-cover editions, and several first printings. Featured stories include the Three Musketeers, Robin Hood, Oliver Twist, Frankenstein, Kidnapped, Alice In Wonderland, Invisible Man, Food Of The Gods and many more.

Posted by Rob | 03:09 p.m. GMT | 22 August 2005

14 August 2005

British Update -- Picture Libraries, Sparky and tons more girls' comics!

Another wide variety of goodies added to the British section of our online catalogue this week in the following categories:

*Boys' Adventure & War Picture Libraries: Additional entries for old faves Battle, Combat, Commando, Cowboy, Thriller, War (commencing with #5) & Wild West and new (to us) titles Fleetway Super Front Line series and Nightmare Suspense Picture Library. It's a voyage of discovery here at 30th Century...

*Humour Comics & Picture Libraries: From 1973 to 1976, a swatch of Sparky in nice mid-grade, with 'Barney Bulldog', 'Some Mummies Do 'Ave 'Em', 'Dreamy Daniel' and other favourite features.

*Girls' Comics & Picture Libraries: Some familar favourites and some new titles in our girls' update this week: Blue Jeans ('photo-love unlimited'), Bunty, Debbie, Emma, Jinty, Misty (choice early issues inc. 1-3), My Guy, Patches, Penny, Spellbound and Tammy (inc. ultra-rare '& Misty' issues).

Posted by Rob | 02:19 p.m. GMT | 14 August 2005

Alan Class Rough Guide - Further Update

In continued co-operation with Alan Class himself, we've added large quantities of information to our Rough Guide feature this week, which can be found in the 'Features & Articles' section of the website. This time we've listed the content of dozens of issues of Secrets Of The Unknown and Sinister Tales which we didn't have already listed. Watch for hundreds more issues from the Alan Class Private Collection to be on sale very soon!

Posted by Rob | 02:08 p.m. GMT | 14 August 2005

American Update -- Golden Age DCs

This week, in DC Comics, a select range of hero titles from 1940s-1950s -- Jimmy Olsen, Superboy (from #23), Superman (from #31) and Wonder Woman (from #44). Choice items in a variety of medium-good grades and several very affordable prices.

Posted by Rob | 02:04 p.m. GMT | 14 August 2005

5 August 2005

Office closed for a few days until August 10th

Please note that our office is closed for a few days until August 10th, and any emails received between 5th and 9th August will be dealt with when the office reopens on 10th.

During this period our shop of course remains open 7 days a week as always, standard hours, and all enquiries should be directed there by phone 020 8788 2052.

Posted by Rob | 02:14 p.m. GMT | 5 August 2005

The Alan Class Private Collection -- Creepy Worlds

Following our previous announcements regrading the Alan Class Private Collection, we are now pleased to announce the fourth selection from this publisher's file copies are now on sale exclusively from 30th Century Comics. Each item comes with a Certificate of Authenticity hand-signed individually by Alan Class himself, and constitutes a very rare opportunity to own a piece of comics history.

This time we have added the full stock of Creepy Worlds, arguably the most famous of the long-running Alan Class titles, and, along with Secrets Of The Unknown (coming soon!), the oldest (both #1s published in the same week). A great range of well over 200 issues of Creepy Worlds, mostly in high grade, including #30 which reprints Fantastic Four #1 (plus several subsequent issues which reprint other early FF -- see our Rough Guide in the Features & Articles section of the site for further details).

Posted by Rob | 02:10 p.m. GMT | 5 August 2005

1 August 2005

American update - Special Charlton additions!

This week, something quite unique from the esoteric publisher Charlton in the following categories:

*Charlton: A select number of 1950s and 1960s issues, many of them rare outside the US, are now available from the private collection of the UK publisher Alan Class. These are copies he used in the compilation of his own UK publications. Each comic comes with a certificate of authenticity hand signed by Alan Class himself and also printers' over-sized photostat copies, usually of the front cover and/or occasionally interior pages, normally in black and white with a few in colour and occasionally annotated by the publisher. Thus these comic/stat sets form a remarkable piece of comics' history. Titles include Atomic Bunny, Atomic Mouse, Atom The Cat, Danger & Adventure, Fantastic Giants, Mysteries Of Unexplored Worlds, Public Defender In Action, Scotland Yard and Space Adventures.

*Western: As above entry for Charlton, we also have a few comic/stat sets of Charlton westerns as part of this unique opportunity: Billy The Kid, Kid Montana, Six Gun Heroes And Texas Rangers In Action.

Full details of these once in a lifetime items can be found in the appropriate sections of our online catalogue, but remember -- once they're gone, they're gone!

Posted by Rob | 07:57 p.m. GMT | 1 August 2005