Biker Mice From Mars - well, from Marvel UK actually

Biker Mice from Mars was a short-lived title from Marvel UK - only 7 issues were produced and it's proving a hard title to collect! When I was looking for cover scans there seemed to be more from the German version of the comic than the British!

More details when I get them - the Wikipedia page about the cartoon TV show that the comics were based on is here

Issue 1 - cover dated 17th Feb 1995

Issue 2 - cover dated 3rd March 1995

Issue 3
no cover image to hand 

Issue 4

Issue 5 - cover dated 14th April 1995

Issue 6

Issue 7

From the 3 issue I have (1, 2 and 5) Dan Abnett appears to have been the main writer, David Leach has mainly done the colouring, some pencils by Lee Sullivan.  

UPDATED: Swift comic merchandise guide

For those who aren't aware Swift was a companion title to the original Eagle - it was a 'feeder' title if you will - and in fact it eventually merged with Eagle. Launched on 20th March 1954 it ran until 2nd March 1963

UPDATED IMAGES HERE...

Swift paintbox! It's for sale here

Previously seen images...

Swift club membership card...

...and here are the club details...

...and details of a particular exhibition

All images taken from this eBay listing. I'd heard of these but not seen them before - unfortunately, I can't even tell you how many 'issues' of the Swift birthday book there were. So I swiped these from the seller and if I ever find out any more I'll add it in...

Compalcomics (part illustrated lot 107 in their Summer 2013 sale (British comics section)) with birthday book 3 & 4 (plus other items) for £181 (incl. buyers premium)

and then (lot 101, part illustrated) in their Autumn 2012 auction (British section) this lot went for £150

And then I thought I'd stay on the Compal website and look at what other interesting Swift items they might ever have sold...From the auction in Summer 2012 (British section, lot 88) there were Girl / Swift / Robin Birthday and Membership Cards & Badges (early 1950s) Girl; 2 Birthday Cards Club Membership Card Badge and Compliments slip Swift; 6 Birthday Cards Club Membership Card Club Badge and six envelopes Robin: 4 Birthday Cards Birthday Club card Club Badge and Happy Birthday postcard Birthday cards and Club cards [vfn] (26) Winning bid incl. 10 Buyer's Premium: £143

Over on 'Dan Dare info' (here) I've spotted an extra Swift birthday card

Lot 101 in the Spring 2010 (British section) is described thus...Swift (1954-56) Vol 1: 1-41 Full year missing issues 11 15 22 and 26; Vol 2: 1-53 complete year and Vol 3: 1-18. With 28pg Swift Quester's Books 1 2 and 3. Vol 1 issues 1-29 front/back cover split [fr/gd] balance 79 issues [vg/fn-] (111) Winning bid incl. 10% Buyer's Premium: £121. The lot is unillustrated so I can't tell you what the Swift Quester books are, but they sound intriguing.

And a Tarna the jungle boy birthday card

There are some Swift comic free gifts shown here

Swift jigsaws

There were a LOT of Dan Dare / Eagle pieces of merchandise, especially jigsaws so I figured there must be some Swift jigsaws out there - here's the only one I've found so far...

The Broons calendars part 3

Final selection of The Broons calendars - today featuring the years  2016 onwards...

Don't forget that part 1 (19997-2010) is here and part 2 (2011-15) is here. Beano calendars are here, Commando calendars are here and Judge Dredd calendars are here.

Beano calendars 1986 onwards

Following on from yesterday's post (here) about Oor Wullie calendars I realised that there must be other DC Thomson calendars out there so I set off to google Beano calendars - so here's my guide to collecting 

Don't forget you can review Commando calendars here and Judge Dredd calendars here

Interestingly the 1992 edition has a reference that says "Number 7" in the top right cover - indicating that this is the 7th edition of the calendar...

...hmmm, and the 1993 calendar says "Number 8"...

...hmmm, and the 1994 calendar says "Number 9"...

no sign of 1996 or 1997 

Then a gap again to 2004...

No 2005 calendar (I think!) so here's the 2006 edition... 

...And then a long gap until 2018

The Broons calendars part 2

Well part 1 of my guide to the calendars of The Broons family (here) is hopefully going to be updated soon with some improved images from DC Thomson (yay!) but in the meantime here's the next phase of calendars for you to collect, 2011-2015...

Masters of comics signing today

This is today, don't forget! See some of you there?

Gosh comics have announced (here) that they'll be having a signing to celebrate the publication of Joel Meadows book 'Masters of comics'...

As it says on the website...

To celebrate the release of Joel Meadows’ new book Masters of Comics, we’ll be hosting a signing with three of the incredible artists profiled in the book: Laurence Campbell, Posy Simmonds and Sean Phillips will be here (along with Joel) on Saturday June 15th, 1-2pm!

Similar to his 2008 book Studio Space, Joel has spent time in the studios of some of the most celebrated talents in the comics business, taking photos and conducting interviews.

“Readers are invited into the studio spaces of some of the most popular and prolific comic artists in the world. Through dynamic photography and exclusive interviews, Masters of Comics offers a rare, personal look at these artists' unique creative environments-spaces in which some of the greatest comics and graphic novels of the last fifty years took shape. Curated by Joel Meadows, editor of Tripwire Magazine, the book includes chapters on such legends as Milo Manara, Mike Kaluta, Walter Simonson, and more. The first in a series focusing on artists at work in a variety of mediums and industries, Masters of Comics offers a glimpse "behind the veil,"  shining new light on the artistic process, as well as providing a wonderful learning tool for aspiring artists wishing to learn from the greats.”

Laurence Campbell, a former 2000AD contributor, is a long-time artist on the Mignolaverse titles, notably now bringing the long-running BPRD saga to its close.

Sean Phillips has carved out a place as one of the preeminent crime storytellers in comics, particularly in his collaborations with writer Ed Brubaker. The new series of Criminal has just recently launched.

Posy Simmonds is the pioneering British graphic novelist behind classics such as Gemma Bovery, Tamara Drewe and her newest title Cassandra Darke.

Laurence, Sean and Posy are all featured in the book and will be appearing with Joel to sign here on Saturday June 15th, 1-2pm!

If you can’t make it but would like something signed, drop us an email to info@goshlondon.com to arrange a reservation or mail order. Copies of Masters of Comics can be pre-ordered via our webstore.

Keep up with any news on the Facebook event page.