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30 April 2021

UPDATED: Swift comic merchandise

For those who aren't aware Swift was a companion title to the original Eagle - it was a 'feeder' title if you will - and in fact it eventually merged with Eagle. Launched on 20th March 1954 it ran until 2nd March 1963

UPDATED IMAGES ARE IN RED...

This was a recent spot on eBay - from 1959 according to the seller, 16 pages (all blank) to be filled with images cut (!) from weekly issues of Swift



and here's a lovely cardboard boomerang featuring the character Smiley!



I look at Swift spin-off annuals here

These are from friend of the blog Doug Brain...



Swift comic 25 February 1961 (volume 8, issue 8) - I like the look of this scrapbook and would love to get hold of a copy)

I looked at the Quester's book here

Swift paintbox! 


Previously seen images...

Swift club membership card...

...and here are the club details...

...and details of a particular exhibition

All images taken from this eBay listing. I'd heard of these but not seen them before - unfortunately, I can't even tell you how many 'issues' of the Swift birthday book there were. So I swiped these from the seller and if I ever find out any more I'll add it in...




The second Swift Birthday Book

the seller noted...
This is A RARE VINTAGE 1957 RELATED TO SWIFT YOUNG CHILDREN'S COMIC - THE SECOND SWIFT BIRTHDAY BOOK OF PUZZLES COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL ENVELOPE SENT TO RECIPIENT FROM BINN'S ROAD LIVERPOOL.

Apart from rusty staples in fabulous clean and unused condition for a 63 year old booklet as it has been kept in a drawer in it's original envelope since receiving on 09.07.1957.






Compalcomics (part illustrated lot 107 in their Summer 2013 sale (British comics section)) with birthday book 3 & 4 (plus other items) for £181 (incl. buyers premium)

and then (lot 101, part illustrated) in their Autumn 2012 auction (British section) this lot went for £150
And then I thought I'd stay on the Compal website and look at what other interesting Swift items they might ever have sold...From the auction in Summer 2012 (British section, lot 88) there were Girl / Swift / Robin Birthday and Membership Cards & Badges (early 1950s) Girl; 2 Birthday Cards Club Membership Card Badge and Compliments slip Swift; 6 Birthday Cards Club Membership Card Club Badge and six envelopes Robin: 4 Birthday Cards Birthday Club card Club Badge and Happy Birthday postcard Birthday cards and Club cards [vfn] (26) Winning bid incl. 10 Buyer's Premium: £143

Over on 'Dan Dare info' (here) I've spotted an extra Swift birthday card



Lot 101 in the Spring 2010 (British section) is described thus...Swift (1954-56) Vol 1: 1-41 Full year missing issues 11 15 22 and 26; Vol 2: 1-53 complete year and Vol 3: 1-18. With 28pg Swift Quester's Books 1 2 and 3. Vol 1 issues 1-29 front/back cover split [fr/gd] balance 79 issues [vg/fn-] (111) Winning bid incl. 10% Buyer's Premium: £121. The lot is unillustrated so I can't tell you what the Swift Quester books are, but they sound intriguing.

And a Tarna the jungle boy birthday card

There are some Swift comic free gifts shown here

Swift jigsaws
There were a LOT of Dan Dare / Eagle pieces of merchandise, especially jigsaws so I figured there must be some Swift jigsaws out there - here's the only one I've found so far...


29 April 2021

UPDATE: Sylvanian Families

As part of my seemingly unending look at the young kids comics of Marvel UK...I've looked before at Sylvanian Families comic, but I just wanted to add a little bit to my earlier work...

Part 1 (issues 1-5) is here
Part 2 (issues 6-10) is here
Part 3 (issues 11-15) is here
Part 4 (issues 16-20) is here
Part 5 (issues 21-25) is here
Part 6 (issues 26-30) is here

I think there are only 30 issues and I'm just missing cover images for issue 26, 29 & 30

It turns out there were also some Collected comics - here's issue 1 (with its Mario Capaldi illustrated cover)

Sylvanian Families (Marvel UK) collected comics #1

Sylvanian Families (Marvel UK) collected comics #2

You can look at all other Marvel UK links on the blog here

28 April 2021

UPDATED: Pocket chiller library

Following on from my post yesterday about Dave Gibbons contribution to the Pocket Chiller Library series (here) - his first paid work no less - I thought I'd have a go at building on the work that John Freeman has done (here) and see what issues of PCL I could find.

Right then, a quick search has revealed these nasties / beauties (delete as applicable)...there's plenty more out there so I'll add to this post as I go along.

Pocket Chiller library #2 - The jewels

Pocket Chiller library #3 - The monster of Rillington place

Pocket Chiller library #6 - The evil eye


Pocket Chiller library #9 - The ghost

Pocket Chiller library #11 - To kill for kicks

Pocket Chiller library #15 - The potholer

Pocket Chiller library #17 - The mummy

Pocket Chiller library #19 - Billy the kid


Pocket Chiller library #20 - The statue

Pocket Chiller library #22 - The body snatcher

Pocket Chiller library #23 - followers of Satan

Pocket Chiller library #24 - Hands of evil

Pocket Chiller library #25 - The bloody flowers

Pocket Chiller library #27 - The secret in the cellar

Pocket Chiller library #29 - Obsession

Pocket Chiller library #32 - The monster maker

Pocket Chiller library #35 - The mutant

Pocket Chiller library #37 - The cry of the wolfman

Pocket Chiller library #38 - The children of the damned


Pocket Chiller library #40 - Fear has a thousand eyes

Pocket Chiller library #41 - Nightmare curse

Pocket Chiller library #42 - The dark fiend

Pocket Chiller library #43 - The dead are awake and walking
interior art by Dave Gibbons

Pocket Chiller library #44 - The unquiet grave

Pocket Chiller library #45 - Fury

Pocket Chiller library #46 - The mummies

Pocket Chiller library #47 - The cupboard

Pocket Chiller library #49 - The finger


Pocket Chiller library #50 - The snake woman

Pocket Chiller library #51 - Epitaph to a madman

Pocket Chiller library #53 - The Devil-Worshippers

Pocket Chiller library #54 - Shadow on the mind

Pocket Chiller library #56 - The rope


Pocket Chiller library #60 - The bat

Pocket Chiller library #61 - The skull

Pocket Chiller library #62 - Face in the fog
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #63 - The hangman
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #64 - The night of the cactus
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me


Pocket Chiller library #65 - Unseen master
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #66 - Dark vengeance
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #67 - Trip fantastic
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #68 - The spider
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #69 - Born to be evil

Pocket Chiller library #70 - The hands of death
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #71 - Return from the dead
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #72 - The Kolby curse
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

Pocket Chiller library #73 - The evil comes from out there
cover art looks like Mick Austin to me

Pocket Chiller library #74 - Fear of night
cover art looks like Mick Austin to me

Pocket Chiller library #75 - Exterminate

Pocket Chiller library #76 - Tomb of the vampire

Pocket Chiller library #77 - Dead man's eyes

Pocket Chiller library #78 - Immortal armour

Pocket Chiller library #80 - The curse of suicide

Pocket Chiller library #81 - Execution of sinners


Pocket Chiller library #83 - Terror in wax

Pocket Chiller library #84 - Brutes of Hell

Pocket Chiller library #86 - Harridan of doom

previously presented as issue #27 - the secret in the cellar

Pocket Chiller library #87 - Gibbet of the Damned

Pocket Chiller library #89 - Creature of the night

Pocket Chiller library #94 - Half human

previously issued as issue 35 - the mutant

Pocket Chiller library #97 - Insane with terror

previously issued as issue 38 - the children of the damned

Pocket Chiller library #96 - Man-Beast

Pocket Chiller library #99 - Curse of Zilhaus

Pocket Chiller library #102 - Unholy friends
interior art by Dave Gibbons

previously issued as issue 43 - the dead are awake and walking

Pocket Chiller library #103 - Pit of hell

previously issued as issue 44 - the unquiet grave



Pocket Chiller library #106 - Left to die

previously issued as issue 47 - the cupboard


Pocket Chiller library #110 - The fiend

Pocket Chiller library #112 - Everlasting night

Pocket Chiller library #118 - Shadows of the night

Pocket Chiller library #120 - The skull

Pocket Chiller library #121 - Face in the fog
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

previously issued as 62 - 'Face in the fog'

Pocket Chiller library #122 - The hangman
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

previously issued as 63 - the hangman

Pocket Chiller library #123 - The night of the cactus
cover art looks like Rex 'Crowe Street Comp' Archer to me

previously issued as 64


Pocket Chiller library #125 - Dark vengeance

Pocket Chiller library #129 - The hands of death

Pocket Chiller library #132 - The evil comes from out there

Pocket Chiller library #135 - Tomb of the vampire

Previously issued as #76 

Pocket Chiller library #136 - To kill for kicks

Previously issues as issue 11 - to kill for kicks

Pocket Chiller library #137 - Doctor Satan