The phantom - unpublished??

I was recently alerted to the existence of these 3 pages of art by Vano (or Vanyo) that were sold by Heritage Auctions back in February 2025. I don't recognise the strips so wonder where they were published? Or were they never published? The pages look like they definitely should have been published in a late 1970s British comic! Any help gratefully received.

hammer price = $216

hammer price = $204

UPDATED: Original art by Vanyo

I must have read a lot of comic strips as a child that featured the art of (the brothers) Vanyo. I'm thinking of strips like Death Wish, The Hand, The Brothers, Bloodfang, Storm Force and more - and yet despite how prolific Vanyo was you never see their original art from these strips up for sale. Anyway, one page (from another strip) was up for sale recently and I'm just recording the fact here. 

There's just 5 pages of Vanyo art listed on ComicArtFans - all from 2000AD, specifically 'The mind of Wolfie Smith' story.

I'll add other (!) Vanyo pages as I find them to help folk see how much their original art goes for.

This piece (with its strong Doomlord vibes!) was from the COMPAL (http://compalcomics.com/index.htm) Spring 2023 sale and sold for £583 (plus 19% buyers premium)

Lot # 81:

2000 AD Prog 139
The Mind of Wolfie Smith original artwork by Eduardo Vano for Prog 139 page 22. 17 Nov 1979
Indian ink and black poster paint on card. 17 x 14 ins

I've now added in another lot from a recent COMPAL auction

Lot # 103:

The Mind of Wolfie Smith original artwork by Eduardo Vano (1979) for 2000 AD Prog 141 pg 22
Indian ink and black poster paint on card. 20 x 14 ins
£300-350

It was unsold

And then from the August 2023 COMPAL auction here's lot 77...

The Mind of Wolfie Smith: 2 consecutive original artworks (1979) by Eduardo Vano for 2000 AD Progs 141 & 142 (pg 22 each). 'Wolfie Smith - the boy with Mind Power, is about to drown in a sea of synthetic sludge as Julian Rowse rides the massive excavator like a crazy screaming cowboy - directing a horror film that was about to acquire a grim, terrifying reality!' Indian ink and poster paint on card. 20 x 14 ins (x 2 artworks)

Boom! Sold for £250 (incl. 19% buyer's premium)

Original art by Vanyo

I must have read a lot of comic strips as a child that featured the art of (the brothers) Vanyo. I'm thinking of strips like Death Wish, The Hand, The Brothers, Bloodfang, Storm Force and more - and yet despite how prolific Vanyo was you never see their original art from these strips up for sale. Anyway, one page (from another strip) was up for sale recently and I'm just recording the fact here. 

There's just 5 pages of Vanyo art listed on ComicArtFans - all from 2000AD, specifically 'The mind of Wolfie Smith' story.

I'll add other (!) Vanyo pages as I find them to help folk see how much their original art goes for.

This piece (with its strong Doomlord vibes!) was from the COMPAL (http://compalcomics.com/index.htm) Spring 2023 sale and sold for £583 (including 19% buyers premium)

Lot # 81:

2000 AD Prog 139
The Mind of Wolfie Smith original artwork by Eduardo Vano for Prog 139 page 22. 17 Nov 1979
Indian ink and black poster paint on card. 17 x 14 ins

Wildcat - Turbo Jones, now with even more Ian Kennedy

The Treasury of British Comics imprint have announced that they'll be offering (here) a special edition of the Turbo Jones reprint volume complete with a sign Ian Kennedy print (limited to 100 copies) - this is what the whole package will look like...

Also don't forget that...

Forbidden Planet have announced that (original editor) Barrie Tomlinson and British comics legend Ian Kennedy will be making a joint appearance to help launch the Turbo Jones reprint from Wildcat comic

As it says here...

In 2488 Earth history professor, Turbo Jones predicted that the planet would be destroyed in 2500 by a vast meteoroid storm. Ridiculed by the world’s leaders, Turbo spent the next twelve years constructing a huge spaceship and employing a group of volunteers to help him leave the Earth and find a new home in the stars…

After months in space, Turbo and his senior staff including former mercenary Loner, the mysterious Kitten Magee and the last survivor of Xgangbe-4, Joe Alien, have found a potential new home. Now they need to get down onto the planet and make sure that it is safe for the five hundred colonists and livestock aboard the Wildcat…

Ian Kennedy has illustrated a host of favourite titles, including M.A.C.H 1 and Judge Dredd for 2000AD, Timequake for Starboard, Dan Dare for the revived Eagle, Turbo Jones for Wildcat, Marvel’s Blake’s 7 and covers for Starblazer. He’s also painted covers for the annual RAF Leuchars Air Show programmes, and still produces covers for Commando.

Barrie Tomlinson’s writing credits include Death Wish, Survival, Dan Dare, Ghost Squad and S.O.S for Eagle, and Scorer for the Daily Mirror. He was the second editor of the long-running sports-themed comic Tiger, the first and longest serving editor of Roy of the Rovers, guiding Roy's career for several decades, and responsible for the creation of the short-lived but fondly remembered Scream!

The signing is being held at Forbidden Planet megastore in Newcastle on Saturday 5th January 2019 1-2pm - if you can't make it then not to worry as you can pre-order a signed copy here for £14.99 plus £3 postage. 

cover revealed for 2 new reprints of classic British comics

The covers have now been revealed (thanks Amazon!) for 2 new books from the Treasury of British Comics line...

Interesting to see that the Wildcat logo has been played around with a bit and that John Sanders has been credited as the writer.

Wildcat - issue 12 - last issue!

The final issue of Wildcat (issue 12) arrived cover-dated March 25th-April 7th 1989, cover by Vanyo

Here's that 'great news for all readers' advert

An advert for the rare 'Spinechillers' summer special

Carlos Pino finally arrives in Wildcat, just in time for it close

Complete contents is as follows

Cover by Vanyo

Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown

Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown

Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown

Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown

Wildcat complete [one-off strip] by Carlos Pino, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 11

It's another  Jose Ortiz cover for issue 11 of Wildcat

Vanyo is still going strong on Turbo Jones

Hmm, the "very special news" is a modern variant of the "great news for all readers" tag-line of yeteryear

Pin up by Vanyo

Complete line-up is as follows
Cover by Jose Artiz
Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown
Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown
Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown
Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown
Wildcat complete [one-off strip] illustrated by Redondo, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 10

Wildcat issue 10, cover by Ian Kennedy

Ron Smith continues to stamp his artistic authority on Joe Alien

Joan Boix contributes the one-off strip

David Pugh provides the art teaser for the next issue

Complete contents is as follows
cover by Ian Kennedy
Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown
Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown
Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown
Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown
Earth 2 [one off strip] illustrated by Joan Boix, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 9

Vanyo provides the cover for issue 9

Jose Ortiz is the pin-up artist this week...

Ron Smith continues his work on Joe Alien

Josep Gaul proving that it's just not Jose Ortiz who can raunch his way through a boys comic strip...

Complete strip listing is as follows:
Cover by Vanyo
Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown
Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown
Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown
Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown
Chirpers [one-off strip] by Josep Gaul, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 8

Finally! Ron Smith's art gest to grace the cover of Wildcat, here's the cover to issue 8

Vanyo provides the delightful pin-up art for the leader of the Arglon Council of Elders

First appearance of the art of Joan Boix

And David Pugh is proving the art teaser poster for the next issue

Complete listing is as follows
Cover art is by Ron Smith
Turbo Jones is illustrated by Vanyo, writer is unknown
Joe Alien is illustrated by Ron Smith, writer is unknown
Kitten Magee is illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer is unknown
Loner is illustrated by David Pugh, writer is unknown
Death on Wildcat [one off story] by Joan Boix, writer is unknown

Wildcat - issue 7

Wildcat issue 7 has a fantastic David Pugh cover - there's big guns in there, too, there's some monsters for you - it's got everything, a delight!

Sycophantic robot Crud gets the full colour treatment from Jose Ortiz...

...who then also provides a b+w inside back page

Full credits list is as follows:
Cover by David Pugh
Kitten Magee by Jose Ortiz, writer is unknown
Joe Alien by Ron Smith, writer is unknown
Loner by David Pugh, writer is unknown
Turbo Jones by Vanyo, writer is unknown
A perfect crime? [one off story] illustrated by Redondo, writer is unknown

Wildcat - issue 6

Wildcat issue 6 kicks off with a Kitten Magee cover by Ian Kenendy

Jesus Redondo makes his second appearance in Wildcat c/o this one-off strip

And Vanyo is the artist chosen for the pin-up picture of the week

Full contents listing is as follows:
Kitten Magee cover by Ian Kennedy
Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown
Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown
Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown
Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown
Moon of Terror [one off strip] by Jesus Redondo, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 5

Cover is by Carmona. Correction, the bonkers cover is by Carmona.

Did I mention Jose Ortiz raunching it up over on Kitten Magee, I think I did...

And if the fantastic gun art of yesterday wasn't enough from Mr Pugh we now move into another of his specialist areas - absolutely crazy monsters, well worth a page all to itself this one, fantastic

Issue details

Cover is by Carmona

Turbo Jones illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown

Joe Alien illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown

Kitten Magee illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown

Loner illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown

A Christmas story [one off] illustrated by Carmona, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 4

Wildcat issue 4 is graced by an Ian Kennedy cover that is so far removed from the whackiness of the issue 5 cover...

David Pugh provides the art for a Loner pin-up poster

as well as some of his big, BIG guns...

And Jose Ortiz is still raunching it up on the Kitten Magee stuff - it wasn't like this when he was drawing Tower King y'know...

Strip listing
Turbo Jones - illustrated by Vanyo, writer unknown
Joe Alien - illustrated by Ron Smith, writer unknown
Kitten Magee - illustrated by Jose Ortiz, writer unknown
Loner - illustrated by David Pugh, writer unknown
Death on Wildcat [one-off story] - illustrated by Lalia, writer unknown

Wildcat - issue 3

Wildcat issue 3 - cover by Vanyo

Ron Smith makes his debut on a strip

Full line-up of artists is as follows:
Turbo Jones - Vanyo
Joe Alien - Ron Smith
Kitten Magee - Jose Ortiz
Loner - David Pugh
The Invaders - Joan Boix [one -off strip, the rest of the strips were continuing]