Treasure Island - Dudley D Watkins

I've looked before at a series of 'Told in pictures' books that Dudley D Watkins illustrated (here). One of the books was The story of treasure island

The story of treasure island

2 editions

First edition priced at 4/- and a red lion on the Famous books in pictures title page.

Second edition priced at 5/- and a grey lion on the Famous books in pictures title page.

And I just wanted to highlight lot 69 from the August 2024 Compal auction for this item...

it was described thus...

Treasure Island original artwork drawn and signed by Dudley Watkins for The Topper No 7 (1953) where Jim Hawkins uncovers Flint's treasure map - the pivotal part of R. L. Stephenson's story. First drawn by Watkins in black and white, Treasure Island was initially published in D.C. Thomson's The People's Journal in 1949. The illustrated story was then produced in book form for Thomson's Told in Pictures Book series in 1950. The artwork was then redrawn with extended panels by Watkins and coloured by him to fit the Topper format in 1958. It first appeared on the back cover of issue No 7 and was reprinted in Topper 476 in 1962. Dudley Watkins' fine draughtsmanship and eye for detail are fully displayed in this classic artwork page. Gouache and Indian ink on board, 24 x 18 ins. With Treasure Island Told in Pictures Book (2)

It was unsold (the estimate was £1,500 - £2,000)

Sláine & Spector signing at Gosh! comics announced

This is today! Have fun if you're going!

Gosh! comics have announced a double 2000AD themed signing for Saturday 26th April. Let's see what they have to say about this signing...

BORAG THUNGG, EARTHLETS, we have quite the thrill packed signing for you. Three titanic creator droids Dan Cornwall, Mick McMahon and John Wagner will grace us with their presence for a 2000AD signing on Saturday 26th April 2025, from 1-2pm. We'll be celebrating two brand new 2000AD releases, Sláine: The Definitive Edition and Spector: Incorruptible. Here's what publishers Rebellion say about the comics:

Sláine: The Definitive Edition

Sláine Mac Roth of the Sessair tribe is known as the Warped Warrior – a mighty barbarian who can master the ‘warp-spasm’, harnessing the power of the Earth to transform into a monstrous creature. Accompanied by his dwarf sidekick, Ukko, and wielding his legendary axe Brain-biter, he travels Tir-Nan-Og, a land marred by warring tribes and ruled by merciless gods.

Created by Pat Mills and Angie Kincaid, with art by Mick McMahon and Massimo Belardinelli, Sláine: The Definitive Edition collects the complete series in order, and includes original covers from the full run.

Spector: Incorruptible

Just a few years into our future, faced with unsustainable levels of corruption within the branches of city government, and a police force that is equally rotten, Spector is created. A robot detective, untainted by corruption and beyond bribery, Spector is charged with cleaning up the city. But it is an uphill battle, as many people currently in positions of power want the robot to fail.

Written by John Wagner (A History of Violence), this standalone graphic novel represents the final work of Carlos Ezquerra (Judge Dredd), with Dan Cornwell (Rok of the Reds) completing the story.

You can meet Mick, John and Dan on Saturday 26th April, from 1pm. If you'd like to pre-order a signed copy of Spector: Incorruptible for mail-order or collection then head over to our website. We'll also have an exclusive Sláine mini-print signed by Mick McMahon to accompany all copies of the definitive edition!

Paranoid Gardens signing with Chris Weston

This is tonight! Have fun if you're going!

Gosh! comics have announced a signing with artist Chris Weston in April...

Let's see what they have to say about this event...

We are thrilled to announce we have a signing with superstar artist Chris Weston for our Gosh! exclusive bookplate edition of Paranoid Gardens, the latest comics opus from Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, Chris Weston and Dave Stewart. Join artist Chris on Friday 25th April 2025, from 6-7pm to get your copies signed!

Writers Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy) and Shaun Simon (The Fabulous Killjoys), join forces with Illustrator Chris Weston (The Filth), colorist Dave Stewart (Hellboy), and letterer Nate Piekos (Black Hammer) to present an all-new surreal comic book experience that's ER meets Dr. Who... on acid.

Loo is a nurse at the most bizarre care-center around. The staff are not entirely human, and the cases downright unearthly. Aliens, ghosts, superheroes, and more creatures plague its hallways as both doctors and patients and the hospital itself seems to be somewhat self-aware. Loo believes that despite a recent failure at her job she’s been given some sort of higher calling in this mysterious place, and decides to rise to the challenge. Along the way she must fight her way through corrupt staff members, powerful theme park cults, and her own personal demons and trauma to meet this challenge and discover what secrets the gardens hold.

Collects issue #1–#6 of Paranoid Gardens.

Chris will be signing copies of the book here in the shop on Friday 25th April, from 6pm. You can pre-order a signed bookplate edition of Paranoid Gardens from our website for mail-order or collection by clicking the link here.

Beyblade comic, 2003

Here's another I'm prepared to file under "I know nothing about this". All I know is that Kev Sutherland (here) had this up for sale on ebay recently. 

It's from 2003 and is from publisher Toontastic. It styles itself a comic but there only seems to be one comic strip in it. Published every 4 weeks and this issue was £1.99 - if you know anything more about this do get in touch, thanks!

Ganjaman presents

Not really my cup of tea but a recent ebay listing gave me a chance to easily grab some cover images. Some high profile contributors and even a Judge Dredd cover for issue #4.

Ganjaman presents #1

contributors include Gilbert Shelton, Alan Grant & Bryan Talbot

Ganjaman presents #2

contributors include Gilbert Shelton, Alan Grant, Bryan Talbot & Hunt Emerson

Ganjaman presents #3

Ganjaman presents #4

Ganjaman presents #5

The Windsor tapestry - part 2

Some more images from the recently closed 'The Windsor tapestry' exhibition held at the Cartoon Museum in London (here)

Part 1 was here

UPDATED: Etherington brothers comics - the early years

I've been interested in looking at the early comics works of the Etherington brothers for some time now and I've finally scooped up enough images to get me started. There's a lot of gaps here though so I'd be delighted for any help that anyone can give me.

THIS UPDATE: some MORE new comics I've discovered

I've shown The drawing board before but this is a better image

ok, to be fair I'm not sure if this next one exists, this is an advert in the back of Malcolm Magic #2 and....

...in the back of Malcolm Magic #3 there's this advert [below]...with an accompanying blurb that says...

exclusive previews of Trouble Shooter, Dust to Dust and Malcolm Magic can be found only in the 24 page Blink Twice extravaganza The Drawing Board [see image above] available from June, featuring character profiles, brand new artwork, unseen pages and more!

so, in conclusion I don't think Trouble Shooter or Dust to Dust exist as standalone comics. If I'm wrong that's fine, just let me know!

This is from an advert on the back of Malcolm Magic #11 which features all sorts of published work but this is clearly the image from above re-used and it says 'comic book board' at the top. What is this? Well there's an advert in Malcolm Magic #7 that has a category called 'art products' which uses the image below [albeit without the Blink twice logo in the top right corner] and says 'Blink Twice comic book board'. Anyway, in conclusion, I don't think there's a comic out there called Comic Book Board. If I'm wrong that's fine, just let me know!

Another sketchbook here, this is titled 'some kind of a sketchbook by Lorenzo'. One night in the city book 1 does appear to have been published - it features in the advert on the back of Malcolm Magic #11 - so there must be copies out there somewhere folks!

Here we go then, The Malcolm Magic sketchbook and The 2nd Malcolm Magic sketchbook

Then there's this...this is a book which YOU could do sketches. What I do know from here is that only 10 were ever made. This might be 10 in total or 10 pink ones and 10 blue ones I'm not sure - anyway, my point is these are rarer than hen's teeth

This on the other hand does look like an actual Blibk Twice comic so I'm hoping that more than 10 of these were produced

And a couple of adverts too...

The Moon! sketchbook 1, 2 & 3

The Moon! sketchbook 4 - as you can see this was limited to just 50 (!) copies and was available at the Bristol comic expo in May 2006

The Moon! sketchbook 5 - this was available at the London MCM Expo in October 2006

sketchbooks 6-9 (no images to hand) were produced after the London MCM Expo in October 2006 but before the London MCM Expo 26-27 May 2007. Were there 4 events that they could have attended in just 7 months?!?!

The Moon! sketchbook 10 - this was limited to just 75 (!) copies and was available at the London MCM Expo 26-27 May 2007

The Moon! sketchbook 11 - is the red comic in the centre of the bottom of this image. Image taken from here where they say 

 A copy of the 11th MOON! mini sketchbook, only available at the Birmingham comic con in 2007. The final MOON! sketchbook we made.

I've got one sketchbook (#10) and it's about half the size of a US comic book. I assume the others are a similar size. Good luck collecting any of these.

Moon! series companion

here's a better look at what the above image really looks like (below is an advert for the comic, above)

Yore! 

This was (according to this link) was free with issue 6 of Dennis and Gnasher megazine #6. This was a collection of material that had previously appeared in The Dandy.

There's also Malcolm Magic. This appeared as single issues and then as collected editions. I don't have any images (yet!) of the single issues but I'm slightly better off with the collected editions. Here's volume 1...this has issues 1-3 collected

Malcolm Magic, trade paperback #2 (collects issues 4-6)

Malcolm Magic, trade paperback #3 (collects issues 7-9)

Malcolm Magic, trade paperback #4 (collects issues 10-12)

There was also a "consolidated" collected edition with all 12 issues & extra stuff.

When I tweeted about this search previously I was delighted to have some feedback from them with the following images...thanks again guys!

Tusk comic, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Moon! comic, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #1, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #2, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #3, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #4, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #5, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #6, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #7, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #8, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #9, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #10, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #11, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

Malcolm Magic comic #12, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

The Drawing board, Blink Twice publications, the Etherington Brothers

And here are the backs to some of those comics - top row is (I believe) issue 1, 2 and 3. I believe the bottom row is issues 4, 5 and 6