29 February 2024

Eric Parker pubs (part 1 of 2)

I've recently begun a lengthy series of blog posts all about renowned illustrator Eric Parker (check out his Wikipedia entry here) who had a 50 year (!) career as a comic illustrator.

I've looked at Roughs (part 1) here
Roughs (part 2) here
Roughs (part 3) here
Roughs (part 4) here
Female heads (part 1) here
Female heads (part 2) here
Female heads (part 3) here
Female heads (part 4) here

and now we turn our attention to the start of a series of illustrations of pubs...I'd love to think that some of these are for pubs that would appear in Sexton Blake stories but I can't be certain

Surely this is Sexton Blake (and Pedro the bloodhound) at a pub?






28 February 2024

UPDATED: Alan Clark reference books

I've looked at comic reference books a couple of times before...

i). Dennis Gifford books here (with all Gifford posts here
ii). Lofts & Adley books are here
iii). Dennis Gifford is here 
iv). David Ashford is here
v). Ray Moore is here
vi). Martin Hamer is here
vii). Colin Morgan is here

And now it's the turn of Alan Clark...

His very newest book (February 2024) is this one - priced at £36 (including postage) and available from Alan himself (ebay trading name of 'orsonwelles99' right here) - and looks at the crossover between, well, comic papers, music hall & early cinema. 316 pages long!

His very newest book (October 2023) is this one - priced at £30 (including postage) and available from Alan himself - ebay trading name of 'orsonwelles99' right here


His very newest book (December 2022) is entitled BRITISH GOLDEN AGE COMICS. COMIC PAPERS BETWEEN THE WARS 1919-1939 is in fact 2 books, priced at £33 for both and available here

The Laughs of a nation - the publications of Gerald G Swann is available here for £23



Just published (January 2022) is Alan's look at Comic papers of the platinum age, creators & their work: 1874-1914 - available for £25 (inc. postage from Italy)

The books is described as follows...

What is the British Platinum Age? Within these pages it’s defined as 1874-1914. It started with James Henderson’s Funny Folks and ended forty years on with the start of the 1914-1918 war. The Platinum Age was the ‘Big Bang’ of the comic universe. It was when the British comic was invented. It was followed by the ‘war years’, then the ‘nursery years’ After which the publishers created a raft of new titles for older readers. Which in turn paved the way to the Golden Age of the 1930s. That Golden Age crashed spectacularly after war was declared on Germany in September 1939 when once again paper shortages returned and staff and freelancers were again called up to join the forces. It was not until over a decade later that the industry recovered enough to start a Silver Age. That began with Eagle on April 14 1950. The war years, nursery years, the Golden Age and Silver Age are other stories. This book is an homage to the Platinum Age and its amazing publishers, editors, creators, writers and artists who were responsible for it. And which led to everything that followed.

COMIC PAPERS OF THE PLATINUM AGE is a 284 page, small size (A5), non-profit, limited edition publication the purpose of which is to promote and provide information about the editors. artists, writers and publishers of Platinum Age comics and story papers.

Well illustrated with rare titles. Informative text. 284 pages.


Just published (Autumn 2021) - and available here - are this pair of books on the 'golden age' of British comics.


Alan's other books that he's published since Autumn 2020 now all seem to be out of print (apart from 'The fun factory' volume) - so I'd order these books soon if you want them.

Just published (Summer 2021) is this book available from Alan himself at this ebay seller ID (orsonwelles99)

The fun factory of Farringdon Street by Alan Clark
subtitled - a history of Amalgamated Press 1890-1960


Recently published is this book (reviewed here)

From early 2021

From Autumn 2020...


From 1998 the Dictionary of British comic artists, writers and editors


From 1991 - "Comics an illustrated history" by Alan and Laurel Clark

From 1989 "The best of British comic art" by Alan Clark


From 1988 "The children's annual - a history and collector's guide" by Alan Clark

From 1983 - "The comic art of Reg Parlett - 60 years of comics!" by Alan Clark

From 1983 - "The comic art of Roy Wilson" by Alan Clark & David Ashford

as ever...if you spot anything I've missed just let me know

27 February 2024

UPDATED: Tiny Toon Adventures comic - 1994

 Here's one I'm filing under "I don't know much about this comic - so I'm recording it here in the hope that I'll be able to update this post in due course when more information comes to light".

This is not to be confused with the Marvel UK comic of the same name from 1992/3.

For this update I've added cover images for issues 7, 8, 9 and 10

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #1, 65p, 1994
the ebay seller has this listed as being from 1994. The cover art is by Dave King

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #2, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #3, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #4, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #5, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #6, 65p
David M Windett (or Dave Windett as I think of him) has signed his cover art here

Credits for this strip are as follows:
Writer = John Walker
Penciller = Horacio Saavedra
Inker = Ruben Torreiro
Letterer = Nick Napoitano
Colourist = Tom Ziuko

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #7, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #8, 65p


Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #9, 65p

Tiny Toon Adventures, issue #10, 80p


26 February 2024

UPDATED: The complete (?) guide to Warhammer (40k) comic reprints

Warhammer monthly (renamed for the last 2 issues of its run as Warhammer comic) ran from February 1998 until December 2004; Inferno! magazine ran from 1997-2005. Both have the Warhammer (40k) universe at their heart and both featured comic strips (although more in the monthly than in Inferno!) - these strips have been reprinted in many different formats subsequently. What follows then is my attempt to list all of these reprints.

Know about a book I've missed? Then just let me know....for this post I've added in a (2004) Hellbrandt Grimm - some swift and brutal hand paperback reprint omnibus. 

This gives a running total of 7 comics & 59 reprint volumes - of which I have 7 comics & 54 of the books. 

The 5 book titles highlighted in red are on my 'wants' list and are as as follows...
Bloodquest volume 2, 2021, hardback
Daemonifuge, 20th anniversary special edition
Inquisitor Ascendant, 2012, paperback
Titan, 2013, hardback
Ulli & Marquand


Bloodquest - the eye of terror trilogy, 2005, 'classic' paperback size, ISBN 184416-1463



Bloodquest, 1999, ISBN 1-84154-108-7, US comic size trade paperback, £7.50



Bloodquest 2 - into the eye of terror, 2000, US comic size trade paperback ISBN 1-84154-126-5, £7.50


Bloodquest 3 - the daemon's mark, 2003, ISBN 1-84416-057-2, US comic size trade paperback


Bloodquest, 2020

Bloodquest - volume 2 (2021)

Daemonifuge - Heretic Saint, 2005, 'classic' paperback size, ISBN 1-84414-251-6, £7.99

Daemonifuge, paperback 1999, ISBN 1-84154-117-6, £4.99

Daemonifuge book 2, paperback 2002, ISBN 1-84154-240-7, £7.50

Daemonifuge, oversized hardback 2002, ISBN 1-84154-261-X, £15

Daemonifuge, large hardback 2016, £25, ISBN 978-1-84970-802-9
Daemonifuge - standalone comic #1


Daemonifuge - standalone comic #2
 

Daemonifuge - standalone comic #3

Daemonifuge, 2011, paperback omnibus of volumes 1-3, ISBN 978-1-84970-162-4
unusual size - bigger than A5 but not as big as A4 - the size wasn;t used on any other volumes

back cover...


Daemonifuge (20th anniversary edition), 2020, US comic sized, £25, ISBN 9781789990874

Daemonifuge (20th anniversary edition), 2020, US comic sized, £??, ISBN ??
...this is part of a larger "set" - which looks as follows...limited to 1,500 copies this includes a copy of the novel Ephrael Stern: The heretic saint




Darkblade book 1, 2000, £4.99, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84154-124-9)

Darkblade book 2, 2001, £7.50, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84154-147-8)

Darkblade book 3, 2003, £7.50, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84154-241-5)

Darkblade - Reign of blood (2005, paperback, ISBN 184416-2060)

Deathwatch, 2004, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84416-100-5, £5.99

Deathwatch, 2016, ISBN 978-1-78496-403-0, £15, large hardback

Deff Skwadron, 2004, US comic size trade paperback, £5.99, ISBN 1-84416-057-2

Deff Skwadron, 2004, A4 sized, paperback ISBN 978-1-84970-231-7

Deff Skwadron, 2016, large hardback, £15, ISBN 978-1-78496-432-0

Eternal War, 2001, US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-210-5

Eternal Damnation, 2003, US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84416-029-7

Flames of damnation (2005, classic paperback, ISBN 184416-2532)


Hellbrandt Grimm, £7.99(2005, classic paperback size, ISBN 184416-2079)

The legend of Hellbrandt Grimm, 2005, £4.99, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84154-239-3)

Hellbrandt Grimm - some swift and brutal hand, 2004, £5.99, US comic size trade paperback, ISBN 1-84416-079-3)

Imperial Gothic (Dan Abnett, classic paperback, 2006, ISBN 184416-330X)


Inquisitor Ascendant, 2001 US comic size trade paperback, paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-143-5)

Inquisitor Ascendant, 2002 US comic size trade paperback, paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-238-5)

Inquisitor Ascendant, 2012, large paperback

Inquisitor Ascendant, 2016, large hardback, £20, ISBN 978-0-78496-408-5

Kal Jerico - underhive bounty hunter (2006, classic paperback, ISBN 184416-2540)

Kal Jerico, 2000, US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-041-2)

Kal Jerico, 2001, US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-209-1)

The complete Kal Jerico (November 2011)
according to this link this came out in November 2011 and contained all the Kal Jerico strips as well as the 3 novels. This is not to be confused with the (2017) Kal Jerico omnibus (which is just an omnibus of the three novels).

Lone Wolves, hardback 2003, £15, ISBN 1-84414-056-4



Lone Wolves, softback 2004, £7.50, ISBN 1-84416-101-3

Lone Wolves, softback 2012, ISBN 978-1-84970-166-2

Lone Wolves, hardback 2014, £20, ISBN 978-1-84970-801-2

Lone Wolves, 2020, £20, ISBN 978-1-789-993158
new book! Wonder if the strips have been re-coloured

Obvious tactics, 2000 
US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-128-7)


The Redeemer, 2002 US comic size trade paperback, £12.95, ISBN 1-84154-274-1

The Redeemer, 2000 US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-120-6


The Redeemer, 2017 US comic size trade paperback, £9.99, ISBN 978-1-78496-744-4

The Redeemer - standalone comic #1

The Redeemer - standalone comic #2

The Redeemer - standalone comic #3

The Redeemer - standalone comic #4

Tales from the ten-tailed cat (volume 1)US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-237-3)

Tales from the ten-tailed cat (volume 2), US comic size trade paperback, £5.99, ISBN 1-84416-055-6)

The complete Tales from the ten-tailed cat, £7.99 (2005, classic paperback size, ISBN 188416-1454)

The call of chaos, £7.99 (2005, classic paperback size ISBN 184416-1447)

Titan (2004, classic paperback, ISBN 1-84416-123-4)

Titan, 1999, US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-109-5) - 1st edition

Titan, 2002, US comic size trade paperback, £4.99, ISBN 1-84154-109-5) - 2nd edition

Titan 2, 2001, US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-144-3)

Titan 3, 2003, US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-242-3)

Titan, ????, large hardback, £25, ISBN ????

Titan, 2013, oversized large softback, £25, ISBN 978-84970-233-1

Ulli & Marquand, ????US comic size trade paperback, £7.50, ISBN 1-84154-211-3)