Chaos City comics - Mystery Inc, 1963

I've looked before (here to be precise) about some rare Martha Washington goes to war variants that were produced by Chaos City comics (in St Albans). Turns out these weren't the only comics they produced...

There was their AIDS awareness comic - here

They also produced some of their own variants of the Mystery Inc, 1963 comic

According to an article on page 15 of the November 1993 issue of Comics International was limited to a print run of...

a). 500 Gold editions (priced at £7.95)

b). 150 Platinum editions (priced at a staggering £29.95)

c). from the test run 20 incredibly rare Bronze editions

You can find copies of the gold edition quite easily on ebay (here for instance) 

You can see the platinum copy here

but no sign of the Bronze editions yet.

Chaos City comics - AIDS awareness

I've looked before (here to be precise) about some rare Martha Washington goes to war variants that were produced by Chaos City comics (in St Albans). Turns out these weren't the only comics they produced...

Next up is an AIDS awareness comic that was produced at the end of 1993. It looks like this...

(just search "chaos city comics" on ebay and you'll find a few examples for sale - this issue is for sale here). This, according to an article on page 15 of the November 1993 issue of Comics International was limited to a print run of 10,000 copies and retailed for £4.95 - cover is by Simon Bisley.

There was also a limited edition version available - limited to just 1,000 copies that retailed for £24.95 - the cover artist is uncredited.

There was also a 'gold' variant. Original price and print run are unknown to me. This seems easier to get hold of than the above issue. This copy for sale here 

The list of contributors includes Dave Gibbons, Simon Bisley, David Leach, Bryam Hitch, Henry Flint, Liam Sharp, Charlie Adlard, Dave Taylor, John Ridgway, Elitta Fell and plenty more!

  

Heroes! The British invasion of American comics - part 7

Recently (ish!) finished at the Cartoon Museum (here) was their exhibition 'Heroes! The British invasion of American comics'. 

For anyone who couldn't make it here's part 7 of my look at what you missed...

Part 1 was here

Part 2 was here

Part 3 was here

Part 4 was here

Part 5 was here

Part 6 was here

Martha Washington rare variants

From a recent acquisition...

...are the details of some rare Martha Washington goes to war variants.

You can use this reel if you want to see the comic I'm talking about

Basically Chaos City comics produced...

a). a sky blue edition of 500 copies (different cover, signed by Dave Gibbons plus a trading card) - this cost £7.95 in Summer 1994

b). a sunset red edition of 100 copies (different cover, signed by Dave Gibbons and 50% signed by Frank Miller) - this cost £14.95 in Summer 1994

I'm not clear if the sunset red version comes with a trading card. The trading card isn't mentioned in the ad for the comics so I didn't even know it came with the sky blue edition until I saw the (above) reel.

If you purchased either of the editions then you'd have been entered into a draw to win one of the ultra rare white editions. This was limited to just 10 copies! 

Good luck tracking any of these down!

The Cartoon Art Trust auctions

I've looked at the various publications associated with the Cartoon Art Trust / Cartoon Museum before. 

Newsletters can be found here;

An incomplete look at exhibition catalogues is here

And now for something different - the sales catalogues for two fundraising auctions that Bonhams held back in the 1990s. They may have been other auctions but, for now, these are the only two I'm aware of.

First up is this sale on Tuesday 26th September 1995

The second, "The Cartoon Art Trust Fin de Siecle Charity Auction", was held on Thursday 20th May 1999

This was a much smaller auction, just 40 lots this time. None of the lots have a estimate and I don't know the 'hammer' price on any of the lots. I'd have bid on...

lot 6 - three detailed Brian Bolland sketches for covers to Batman and The Invisibles

lot 21 - 2 pages of V for Vendetta art by David Lloyd

lot 30 - 2000AD cover by John Higgins - featuring Dredd blasting a robot 
lot 31 - Martha Washington title page ('Attack of the flesh-eating monsters') by Dave Gibbons

Rogue Trooper signing at Gosh! comics

This is today! Have fun if you're going

Gosh! comics have announced a signing with Dave Gibbons and Gerry Finley-Day, let's see what they have to say about it...

Get ready for another zarjaz signing earthlets!

Rebellion continue their programme of creating the definitive collected editions of their finest characters. This 368 page paperback is the first volume in the final word on our blue skinned GI, just in time for the new animated movie in 2025! We'll be joined by the incredible Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons for a signing on Saturday 12th April 2025, from 1-2pm to celebrate.

Pre-order a signed copy of the comic for mail-order or collection by clicking the link here:

https://buff.ly/4hKnSD9

Rogue Trooper signing at Gosh! comics

Gosh! comics have announced a signing with Dave Gibbons and Gerry Finley-Day, let's see what they have to say about it...

Get ready for another zarjaz signing earthlets!

Rebellion continue their programme of creating the definitive collected editions of their finest characters. This 368 page paperback is the first volume in the final word on our blue skinned GI, just in time for the new animated movie in 2025! We'll be joined by the incredible Gerry Finley-Day and Dave Gibbons for a signing on Saturday 12th April 2025, from 1-2pm to celebrate.

Pre-order a signed copy of the comic for mail-order or collection by clicking the link here:

https://buff.ly/4hKnSD9

Dan Dare at SDCC 2008

Just to prove that there's always something new to discover out there here's a new edition of a comic that came out 17 years ago but which, to now, I'd been unaware...

I knew about this...Garry Leach cover for issue #7 of the Virgin comics Dan Dare series

I knew about this...Dave Gibbons cover for issue #7 of the Virgin comics Dan Dare series

I knew about this...Dave Gibbons SDCC variant cover (inks)  for issue #7 of the Virgin comics Dan Dare series. Limited to 500 copies and available at San Diego Comic Con 2008.

I didn't know about this...Dave Gibbons SDCC variant cover (pencils)  for issue #7 of the Virgin comics Dan Dare series. Limited to 250 copies and available at San Diego Comic Con 2008.

If you have a copy let me know as I'd love to get one!

Late Night with Dave Gibbons & Shane Melisse

This is tonight! Have fun if you're going!

Tickets are now on sale (here) for a evening of late night entertainment at the Cartoon Museum in mid-October

As it says on the ticket website...

Join us for a 'super' late night opening to celebrate our Heroes exhibition.

Watch! A panel discussion with Claire Mead, Shane Melisse and Dave Gibbons.

Drink! At the bar.

Tour! The exhibition with Captain Civilian.

Dress Up! As your favourite superhero or in your go-to Cosplay.

Enjoy! Have a great evening.

Late Night with Dave Gibbons & Shane Melisse

Tickets are now on sale (here) for a evening of late night entertainment at the Cartoon Museum in mid-October

As it says on the ticket website...

Join us for a 'super' late night opening to celebrate our Heroes exhibition.

Watch! A panel discussion with Shane Melisse and Dave Gibbons.

Drink! At the bar.

Tour! The exhibition with Captain Civilian.

Dress Up! As your favourite superhero or in your go-to Cosplay.

Enjoy! Have a great evening.

Dave Gibbons & Gerry Finley-Day sign Rogue Trooper

This is today! Have fun if you're going!

To celebrate the release of 'Essential Rogue Trooper - Genetic Infantryman' Forbidden Planet have announced a signing with Dave Gibbons & Gerry Finley-Day on Saturday 17th August (2024), 1-2pm

Can't make it? Then why not pre-order a signed copy of the book right here for £14.99 (plus postage)?

Dave Gibbons & Gerry Finley-Day sign Rogue Trooper

To celebrate the release of 'Essential Rogue Trooper - Genetic Infantryman' Forbidden Planet have announced a signing with Dave Gibbons & Gerry Finley-Day on Saturday 17th August (2024), 1-2pm

Can't make it? Then why not pre-order a signed copy of the book right here for £14.99 (plus postage)?

UPDATED: Dundee college of art anthologies

I'm late to the party in highlighting these examples of the work of (future) comic art stars that the University of Dundee have been producing for a number of years. 

Anyway, let's start with volumes 8 & 10 that I found on ebay recently. If you can supply any further images that'd be great!

Now with the covers to issue 5 added 

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 1, cover by Colin MacNeil

There's a review here

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 2, cover by Phillip Vaughan

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 3, cover by Dave Gibbons

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 4, cover by Kate Brown

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 5, cover by Dan McDaid

For more details check out this contemporary link (from friend of the blog Jeremy Briggs) here

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 6, cover by Letty Wilson

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 7, cover by Claire Roe

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 8, cover by Kathryn Briggs

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 9, cover by Anna Morozova

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 10, cover by Anna Morozova

UPDATED: Dundee college of art anthologies

I'm late to the party in highlighting these examples of the work of (future) comic art stars that the University of Dundee have been producing for a number of years. 

Anyway, let's start with volumes 8 & 10 that I found on ebay recently. If you can supply any further images that'd be great!

Now with lots more covers added - issue 5 still sought though

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 1, cover by Colin MacNeil

There's a review here

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 2, cover by Phillip Vaughan

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 3, cover by Dave Gibbons

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 4, cover by Kate Brown

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 5, cover by Dan McDaid

cover not to hand - can you help?

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 6, cover by Letty Wilson

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 7, cover by Claire Roe

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 8, cover by Kathryn Briggs

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 9, cover by Anna Morozova

Dundee College of Art Comics & Graphic Novel Anthology, volume 10, cover by Anna Morozova