Comics update

There seems to be a ton of comics stuff going on at the moment so I thought I'd try and round-up the new developments..


1). Frontline UK will be officially out of print tomorrow - really, really last chance to buy

http://bearalleybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/frontline-uk-special-offer.html

I've just bought this and am enjoying it so far




2). Arena will be officially out of print tomorrow - really, really last chance to buy

http://bearalleybooks.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/arena-special-offer.html

3). Titan books will be reprinting Hookjaw in mid-September 2017

I go the Spitfire comics reprint when that cam out a few years ago and even met Ramon Sola at the ICA in London, about 10 years ago, must see if I can fish his autograph out..


4). HookJaw issue 4 (of 5) is now out

as ever there are 3 different covers to collect...


5). I knew that 'The Leopard from Lime Street" was coming soon...

what I didn't know until I read (https://bearalley.blogspot.co.uk/) this morning was that "...Rebellion will be publishing The Leopard from Lime Street Volume 1 in July in a regular softcover edition with a limited hardcover from Rebellion Publishing".


6). Steve Holland also notes that this is the second book in the Treasury of British Comics line following on from the release of One-Eyed Jack in June.

7). And don't forget that Rok of the Reds #5 is now available (and issue 6 is not that far away)

8). BHP publishing are also publishing this...

this is a companion to Frank's exhibition - and this is due out 1st April

What happened to the banned issue of Action that was for sale recently?

Action - the banned issue - for sale (yet) again

Previously (http://boysadventurecomics.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/action-comic-23rd-october-1976-issue.html) I reported on the sale in October 2016 of the final issue of Action comic (dated 23rd October 1976). That was sold for £4110.75 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACTION-BANNED-ISSUE-23rd-October-1976-/361776241756?hash=item543b8b5c5c:g:3MYAAOSw8gVYBln8)


This beat the hammer price of the previous copy (sold in May 2016) for £2555
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Action-comic-23rd-Oct-1976-ULTRA-RARE-ISSUE-30-copies-printed-FN-phil-comics-/271876254428

Then another copy turned up, it was originally listed at £2,500...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Action-comic-issue-37-Banned-and-Ultra-rare-Excellent-copy-/112265986978?hash=item1a239303a2:g:iSoAAOSwnHZYVx6F
but failed to sell - on 21st January 2017 for (bids from) £2,500;

It was then listed again ending 27th Feb 2017 for the reduced price of (bids from) £2,250

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Action-comic-issue-37-034-Banned-034-and-Ultra-rare-Excellent-copy-/112305996694?

But again failed to sell.

It's been listed yet again, for bids starting from "just" £2,250
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Action-comic-issue-37-23rd-October-1976-Banned-and-Ultra-rare-/112339136595?hash=item1a27ef3053:g:iSoAAOSwnHZYVx6F

And this time it...failed to sell again, surely we're getting closer to a price reduction or a 'bids starting at 99p scenario'...

Future shock - 40 years of 2000ad - pictures part 3 (of 3)

Last 3 picture from my quick race around the Cartoon Museum the other day...enjoy!

Serial Killer - now with free script signed by Pat Mills!

Breaking news from Pat Mills...

Happy Monday! Our paperback sales of Serial Killer are going really well, which is brilliant, but also a bit of a surprise to us, because we thought paperback sales would be negligible, with most of our sales being ebooks. We also shifted a Mek-tonne of paperbacks at the two signings Pat and Kevin did back in February for 2000AD's 40th. So that got us thinking: demand for a physical copy of the book is high, and lots of you couldn't make it to the 2000AD event or to the signing at Gosh! so ... Why not sell signed editions of the paperback direct to fans?  So that's what we've done. We've set up a secure storefront on www.millsverse.com so that when you buy a copy of the book, at point of sale you get to add the text of the dedication that you want Pat to write. But we didn't just stop there. Pat also realised that many of you are interested in his comic scripts: you like to see the original script that the artist then brings to life. How the original compares with what makes it into the Prog. Hence, the 2000 AD Script Book. So in light of it being the 40th anniversary year of 2000AD, we are:   giving away a signed and dedicated, one-off script with every signed paperback of Serial Killer.  Awesome! But which script? I hear you cry. Ah, we've got to hold something back, haven't we! All I'll say is: there is a choice of three scripts! Pat's going to do a Facebook Live session on Thursday 30th March, at 6pm GMT, where he'll tell you more about the script giveaway, and also answer any questions you have about literally ... anything! Serial Killer. 2000AD. Marshal Law. Crisis. Whether he likes pizza (Yes, but without the cheese. He hates hot cheese). So if you're on Facebook, tune in to our Millsverse page at 6pm on Thursday, to chat live with Pat. But don't worry if you miss it, because once it's over, we'll upload the saved video to our website. That's all for now, thanks for reading, and I'll send out a quick reminder on Thursday before the broadcast. Adios! Lisa

Future shock - 40 years of 2000ad - pictures part 2 (of 3)

And here's some more downstairs art at the Cartoon Museum. Big thanks to Wakefield Morys-Carter who has lent so much to this exhibition.

Future shock - 40 years of 2000ad - pictures part 1 (of 3)

A quiet afternoon at the Cartoon Museum allowed me to take these pictures without too much bother. Great exhibition, get yourself down there!

Action - the banned issue - for sale (yet) again

Previously (http://boysadventurecomics.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/action-comic-23rd-october-1976-issue.html) I reported on the sale in October 2016 of the final issue of Action comic (dated 23rd October 1976). That was sold for £4110.75 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ACTION-BANNED-ISSUE-23rd-October-1976-/361776241756?hash=item543b8b5c5c:g:3MYAAOSw8gVYBln8)


This beat the hammer price of the previous copy (sold in May 2016) for £2555
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Action-comic-23rd-Oct-1976-ULTRA-RARE-ISSUE-30-copies-printed-FN-phil-comics-/271876254428

Then another copy turned up, it was originally listed at £2,500...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Action-comic-issue-37-Banned-and-Ultra-rare-Excellent-copy-/112265986978?hash=item1a239303a2:g:iSoAAOSwnHZYVx6F
but failed to sell (a couple of times)

But now it's been listed for bids starting from "just" £2,250
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Action-comic-issue-37-23rd-October-1976-Banned-and-Ultra-rare-/112339136595?hash=item1a27ef3053:g:iSoAAOSwnHZYVx6F


It's already failed to sell a couple of times - but are you tempted now? Bidding closes at 11:30 this morning...

Future Shock - 40 years of 2000ad - pictures

Some quick photos of the additional art that Steve Marchant has put upstairs at the Cartoon Museum (because he had too much stuff downstairs)

It's Red Nose day!

Maybe you hadn't heard?
So what can you do? You have to do as you illustrious leader says and Smile!

You can donate right here, even if the Mekon probably won't
http://www.rednoseday.com/

The quest for the big what?

(Sir) Lenny Henry is an acknowledged comics fan so, in honour of Comic Relief being on the TV tomorrow night, I thought I'd fish this oddity out from the back of the cupboard...yes it's Steve Parkhouse drawing a 72 page long Lenny Henry book, what's not to love?

Here's the introduction by Alan Moore...

and page 1...

More pages can be scanned in - once you tell me how much you've donated to Comic Relief :)

Striker news paper strip volume 2

This is coming soo - details are still waiting to be announced but over on the StrikerWorld forum Pete has confirmed that plans for volume 2 of the complete collection are nearly complete

http://strikerworld.co.uk/topic/30176860/1/

He says...
"What I can tell you is that Volume 2 of The Complete Collection will be ready to go on sale in the next couple of weeks. It's taken a little longer to compile than expected as some strips that were missing have had to be either sourced from the newspaper and restored or recoloured from the original strips."

Volume 1 had top notch production value - this is a heavy hardback book (300+ pages with 5 strips to a page) with high quality paper, a gloss laminated cover and it contains the first 21 stories plus an introduction to the genesis of the strip and a small introduction to each story as you go along.

Anyone used to the CGI images of Nick Jarvis is going to be disappointed by volume 1 (or 2) of the complete collection; on the other hand anyone who wants to see where it all began (and who can't afford or find the 2 Striker annuals that were released nearly 30 years ago) should be delighted with their purchase.

The price for this volume is yet to be confirmed, but as it will be in full colour (compared to black and white for volume 1) you should expect a price increase (or a page count reduction). More details as they are released.

The cover of volume 1

One of the original Striker annuals...

and it's still on sale here

http://strikerworld.co.uk/pages/shop/

for just £24 (or £29 if you want it signed)

I still can't wait for volume 2 - so why not support Pete and his efforts to preserve this bit of newspaper comic strip history?

Ring Raiders comics (others)

There were also 2 Ring Raiders annual - both were published by Grandreams. No sign of Ian Kennedy, Carlos Pino et al.

There was also a one-off 'mini comic' (3 pages of Ian Kennedy art) given away free with new Eagle 16/09/89) - and quite probably other Fleetway titles as well.

Ring Raiders comic, 1989 - part 3

Issues 5-6; same group of artists, Ian Kennedy covers

There was also a one-off special...Ian Kennedy cover

Ring Raiders comic, 1989 - part 2

Continuing the cover gallery from Ring Raiders, issues 2-4. Contents produced (again) by Ian Kennedy, Carlos Pino, John Gillatt, Sandy James and John Cooper.

Ring Raiders comic, 1989 - part 1

Ring Raiders comic then...ok, so its a toy range tie-in comic but by my reckoning it has the greatest concentration of Fleetway's comic talents of the 80s and 90s...let's check out that bold claim...

Cover is by Ian Kennedy

First strip is illustrated by Carlos Pino (who's just illustrated Commando issue 5000)...

Then you get John Cooper illustrating a strip...

A John Gillatt illustrated strip...

Then it's Don Wazejewski (ok, so he's the least well-known artist here)...but he worked a little bit on Battle and on new Eagle

And you end up with some Sandy James pages...

What a selection! Well worth tracking down.