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 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

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

Ian Gibson - Annie

This upcoming (on Monday 7th April 2025) auction lot here features 2 pages of Ian Gibson original comic artwork. The (DC branded) board is marked as "Annie book 4" and "Annie Droid #5, Shaddy's tale, Dispososbale hero 2" but I can't seem to find these comics listed anywhere online. Can any more knowledgeable Ian Gibson fans out there help me out??

Bidding starts at £60, good luck if you bid.

Overkill - covers gallery, part 7

I've long been curious about Marvel UK's Overkill title - how long did it run for? Cover artists? Contents? All that sort of stuff. As ever, the only way to satisfy my curiosity was to start with a covers gallery. 

Part 1 (issues 1-7) was here

Part 2 (issues 8-14) was here

Part 3 (issues 15-21) was here

Part 4 (issues 22-28) was here

Part 5 (issues 29-35) was here

Part 6 (issues 36-42) was here

Part 7 is below

Issue 44 marks the transition from being published every 14 days to being published every 28 days

Overkill, Marvel UK, issue #43, 15th December 1993, 99p, cover art by Carl Critchlow

Overkill, Marvel UK, issue #44, 12th January 1993, 99p, cover art by Edmund Perryman

Overkill, Marvel UK, issue #45, 9th February 1994, 99p, cover art by Edmund Perryman

Overkill, Marvel UK, issue #46, 9th March 1994, 99p, cover art by Cam Smith & Ian Brindle

Overkill, Marvel UK, issue #47, 6th April 1994, 99p, cover art by Pete Doherty

Eric Parker - life drawings (part 4 of 10) - NSFW!

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
Pubs (part 1) here
Pubs (part 2) here

Overseas (part 1) here

Overseas (part 2) here

Overseas (part 3) here

Overseas (part 4) here

Overseas (part 5) here

Overseas (part 6) here

Overseas (part 7) here

Overseas (part 8) here

Overseas (part 9) here

Overseas (part 10) here

UK scenes (part 1) here

UK scenes (part 2) here

UK scenes (part 3) here

UK scenes (part 4) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 1) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 2) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 3) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 4) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 5) here

Character studies & groups, drafts (part 6) here

Life drawings (part 1) here

Life drawings (part 2) here

Life drawings (part 3) here

And now we turn our attention to some of his life drawings...

The next 3 images all look like the same model to me

UPDATED: Leo Baxendale's 'Supercomic'

Update...Ewbank's have ANOTHER page of Supercomic art coming up for sale soon. Lot 256 (here) of their sale on 9th April 2025 features this piece....

bidding opens at £120 and there's been one bid so far. A similar piece (see below) fetched £240 previously.

Leo Baxendale's proposed Supercomic is surely one of the great lost British comics. As he says (on page 86 of his autobiography A very funny business)... 

I conceived the idea of a monthly comic - Supercomic. Monthly comics are common enough in America, but not in Britain. My intention was that four week's work poured into one issue would produce a truly super-comic. I circulated publishers with the idea, and Odhams took it as an affront.  

It looks like (to me anyway, please tell me if I'm wrong!) that auctioneers Ewbank's have another 2 pages of Supercomic coming up for sale later this month in their comics auction on Wednesday 29th May at noon.

The very first lot (lot 4001) is here with an estimate of £200 - £400 and starting bids at £100. This is the first page of the Fort Fumble strip.

sold for £260 (plus commission etc)

The 2nd lot of the auction (lot 4002) is here with an estimate of £200 - £400 and starting bids at £100.  This is the second page of the Fort Fumble strip.

sold for £260 (plus commission etc)

All previous pages (and hammer prices) sold by Ewbank's are recorded below...

I've never come across any of the art from Supercomic and was not aware that any even existed until I spotted the art below at a recent auction (24th August 2023, Ewbank's Entertainment & memorabilia auction).

Lot 1043 (hammer price £950+fees) - the introduction by Spotty mentions Supercomic and the (c) note says Leo Baxendale 1967 - which is exactly the right year for this to have been produced

Lot 1044 (hammer price £200+fees) - this follows on directly from the previous image - more mention of Supercomic and the characters who'd appear in it.

Lot 1045 (hammer price £500+fees) - again, another mention of Supercomic and what's going to be in the comic next week.

If you won the auction congratulations to you and if anyone else out there can shed any more light on the art of Supercomic I'd be delighted to hear about it.

More pages from Supercomic were recently (14th December 2023) sold by Ewbank's at their Entertainment & Memorabilia Premier Live Auction sale. Here are the lots and the hammer price...

Lot 7141, £170

Lot 7142, £180

Lot 7143, £240

Lot 7144, £360