Boys Adventure Comics: April 2025

I'm always happy to feature unusual bits of Eagle merchandise on the blog.

There were...

Dan Dare roller skates here

Dan Dare hairbrush here

Dan Dare tie clip here

Eagle stationery here

Eagle club notebook here

With the compliments of the Eagle club here

Eagle / Girl table tennis medals here

Eagle club cycle pennant here

Dan Dare gyro jeep here

Dan Dare space shooting here

Dan Dare rocket ball here

Dan Dare beach ball here

Dan Dare bagatelle here

Eagle report to members (1951) here

Dan Dare field glasses here

Dan Dare interplanetary dominoes here

Dan Dare space-ship construction game here

Dan Dare draughts here

Dan Dare transfers (1) here

Dan Dare transfers (2) here

Riders of the Range painting book here

Dan Dare models here

Silver Eagler here

Space-cup here

And now some lovely Dan Dare themed stationery - in lovely, lovely condition for its age

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 ebay shop is here)...

These are his latest two books...

BOOK ONE features EAGLE, DAN DARE, LION, TIGER, SUN, COMET, GERALD G. SWAN, SCION, STREAMLINE, KING GANTEAUME, MARVELMAN, COWBOY COMICS, THRILLER PICTURE LIBRARY, SUPER-DETECTIVE, SEXTON BLAKE LIBRARY, SCHOOLGIRLS’ PICTURE LIBRARY, GIRS’ CRYSTAL, SCHOOLGIRLS’ PICTURE LIBRARY, SCHOOL FRIEND, T.V. BOARDMAN, DENIS McLOUGHLIN, KNOCKOUT, BILLY BUNTER…

BOOK TWO features THE BROONS, OOR WULLIE, BLACK BOB, DENNIS THE MENACE, LITTLE PLUM, LEO BAXENDALE, MINNIE THE MINX, BASH STREET, BEANO, KEN REID, JONAH, ALLAN MORLEY, DUDLEY D. WATKINS, DESPERATE DAN, PADDY BRENNAN, JAMES CRIGHTON, TOPPER, BEEZER, TOM BANNISTER, HOTSPUR, VICTOR, HORNET, THE WIZARD, SPARKY, WHAM!, JASPER THE GRASPER, FRANKIE STEIN, SMASH!, POW!, FANTASTIC, TERRIFIC, THE CLOAK, JUDY, MANDY, PRINCESS, TINA, JUNE, TAMMY, T:V. COMIC, MUFFIN THE MULE, T.V.FUN, SUPERCAR, DANGER MAN, TV TORNADO, THE AVENGERS, DR WHO, TV EXPRESS, VALIANT, HURRICANE, ROY OF THE ROVERS, CHAMPION, THE PHANTOM VIKING, ROBOT ARCHIE, TEXAS JACK, THE SPIDER, GADGETMAN & GIMMICK-KID, JEFF HAWKE, JOURNEY INTO SPACE, GALAXUS, ZIP, ROCKET, RANGER, TRIGAN EMPIRE, WRATH OF THE GODS, BATTLE PICTURE LIBRARY, WAR PICTURE LIBRARY, CLASSIC IN PICTURES, ALAN CLASS, THORPE & PORTER, BIGGLES, THE SAINT, ACE HART, SUPER THRILLER, WORLD DISTRIBUTORS, ATLAS, CAPTAIN ATOM, LONE STAR

I spotted this on sale recently (c/o ace ebay seller philcomics) who described it thus...

This approx A5 sized folder was given away with the Mar 8 1986 issue of Buster comic and the idea was pull-out sections in subsequent weeks should be cut out and folded to make a mini book, forming a 64 page book of the history of comics.

As you'll see this really is a history - it starts in Victorian times!

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!

So prolific is Alan that I realise I'd missed one of his publications (from April 2023) - more details here

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