Super sports autumn special (1979)

I looked here at the 6 issue run of Super sports comic and I promised to come back and look at the interior art. Maybe you'll recognise the (European) artists involved.

Update: David Roach has been kind enough to do some artists spotting for me - see notes in red (below). All artists are Spanish and syndicated by SI

I've also looked at the Super Sports summer special 1979 here

Story 1 - The debt!

art by Vilanova

Story 2 - The debt!

art by Amador Garcia

this page is signed...

Story 3 - The bond!

art by Juan Giralt

Story 4 - He had to win!

art by Villanova

The 13th floor volume 3

The Treasury of British comics imprint have announced the publication of the 3rd and final volume of The Thirteenth floor. As it says on their site it says...

The epic horror comic concludes with this third terrifying tome!
The Thirteenth Floor is one of the best remembered series of the 1980s, a cornucopia of chilling comics from the pages of Scream! and Eagle by writers John Wagner (Judge Dredd) and Alan Grant (Batman), and artist Jose Ortiz (Creepy).

In this third and final volume, Max the maniacal computer is back in Maxwell Tower, dishing out his twisted form of retribution on anyone who dares to cross his beloved residents! From a conniving milkman to thuggish street urchins, anyone who enters Max’s territory looking for trouble is going for a one-way trip to the thirteenth floor!

However, Max's past exploits have not gone unnoticed. The K.G.B. have sent their own super-powered computer called Boris to make Max an offer – help them conquer the world or face obliteration!
Don't miss the thrilling conclusion to this classic strip, beautifully rendered by Ortiz in his atmospheric black and white art.

You can order the regular edition paperback here for £14.99

and the webshop exclusive hardcover here for £19.99

The book is scheduled for release on Wednesday 15th September 2021

Brian Bolland - Forbidden Planet 2 art

Bids close today for this - don't forget!

I looked before (here) at the sale of a piece of Brian Bolland's art that he'd done for the Forbidden Planet shop in New York. If you missed out on that piece then, good news, another opportunity to buy a very similar piece has arisen...

You can go here and see this piece for sale...

The sale details are as follows...

Pen & ink advert by Brian Bolland for the Forbidden Planet 2 branch of Forbidden Planet which opened in 1982 with a focus on movies & music. The original advert for Forbidden Planet London also by Brian Bolland was hugely popular and he reprised the "People like us..'' line from the 1st London advert, this one featuring the likes of Blondie, Mick Jagger & Robbie the Robot.

Artwork measures - 10 x 16 inches

The artwork comes from Brian's personal collection. We are taking offers until 27 June.

Best offer over £15,000 Pounds.

Offers are being taken until 8pm UK time (3pm EST) Sunday 27 June 2021.

If a new offer is received within 10 minutes prior to the auction end time we will extend the auction end time by 20 minutes. And again if another offer is received within the final 10 minutes. This will continue until no new offers have been received within 10 minutes of the auction end.

Please contact us if you have any queries.

You can check out all my other mention of Brian's work on the blog here - there have been lots of mentions :)

Gosh comics signing today

This is today, don't forget!

Here we go then, the first post-lockdown (hopefully!) signing announced...it's at Gosh comics and features Shaky Kane and Krent Able

Here's a link to all previous mention of Shaky's work on the blog so far

and there's also this too - same place, same time!

Commando calendar 2022

You can now order the Commando calendar for 2022 here 

Details are as follows...

Pre-order now for delivery in August!

Buy one calendar for £7.99, two for £13.50, four for £23.50 or six for £30.00 - saving over 35%!

Since its first issue in 1961, Commando Comics has brought its readers thrilling tales of heroism, valour, and comradery. Still printing today, and with over 5,400 amazing issues, Commando remains the longest-running British war comic ever! From its debut, Commando has been well regarded for its stunning artwork with subjects spanning land, sea, and air!

This collection of covers features a mixture of pieces curated by Commando’s Designer Grant Wood, that range from the Classic Golden Era of the comic to modern day masterpieces. Included are 17 covers by some of the world’s greatest ever comic artists as well as a special double page-spread pull-out poster! Get ready to jump into action each month with this calendar, collecting some of the best covers from Commando’s archives, featuring artwork by Ian Kennedy, Neil Roberts, Keith Burns, and many more!

If you use the code SAVE15 you'll get 15% off (until 11th July)

The rest of the Commando calendars are here

All my Ian Kennedy references on the blog are here

All my Ken Barr references on the blog are here

All my Keith Burns references on the blog are here

All my Neil Roberts references on the blog are here

All my DC Thomson references on the blog are here

Catawiki auction - ending June 24th 2021

Bidding on these lots ends tonight - good luck if you bid!

The current Catawiki auction of original comic art is now open for bidding and, as ever, I've been through it looking for British comic art highlights. So, without further ado, let's see what's up for sale this week...

Here's a Carol Day strip by David Wright

Here's a Paddy Payne page by Peter Sarson (from Lion, 1965)

Here's a Leslie Otway illustrated page from Princess (1965)

Here's an Edward Kearon Robot Archie page from Lion (1963)

Here's a Don Lawrence page from 1969's "The lost city" Trigan Empire story

Here's another Don Lawrence page - this time from 'Olac the Gladiator' from Lion (1966)

Belinda and the bomb alley boys!

A while ago (here) I looked at vintage Daily Mirror newspaper strip reprints. Most of these are rare volumes that are hard to acquire these days. I was therefore delighted to snag these images from ebay the other day.

The book is in poor condition but it's a rare chance to see inside this book...

There's also this Belinda book to collect

Super Sports summer special 1979

I looked here at the 6 issue run of Super sports comic and I promised to come back and look at the interior art. Maybe you'll recognise the (European) artists involved.

Update: David Roach has been kind enough to do some artists spotting for me - see notes in red (below). All artists are Spanish and syndicated by SI

Super sports summer special 1979 (Byblos)

Story 1 - Danger at dawn

Story 2 - The comeback

I've made this image larger than the others so that you can see the (sideways on) signature on the right hand side of the first frame better - artist is Amador Garcia

Story 3 - the man who raced again!

this might be by Escandell

Story 4 - born to be champ!

art by Amador Garcia

Back cover

For all references to Byblos on the blog just click here 

Brian Bolland - Forbidden Planet 2 art

I looked before (here) at the sale of a piece of Brian Bolland's art that he'd done for the Forbidden Planet shop in New York. If you missed out on that piece then, good news, another opportunity to buy a very similar piece has arisen...

You can go here and see this piece for sale...

The sale details are as follows...

Pen & ink advert by Brian Bolland for the Forbidden Planet 2 branch of Forbidden Planet which opened in 1982 with a focus on movies & music. The original advert for Forbidden Planet London also by Brian Bolland was hugely popular and he reprised the "People like us..'' line from the 1st London advert, this one featuring the likes of Blondie, Mick Jagger & Robbie the Robot.

Artwork measures - 10 x 16 inches

The artwork comes from Brian's personal collection. We are taking offers until 27 June.

Best offer over £15,000 Pounds.

Offers are being taken until 8pm UK time (3pm EST) Sunday 27 June 2021.

If a new offer is received within 10 minutes prior to the auction end time we will extend the auction end time by 20 minutes. And again if another offer is received within the final 10 minutes. This will continue until no new offers have been received within 10 minutes of the auction end.

Please contact us if you have any queries.

You can check out all my other mention of Brian's work on the blog here - there have been lots of mentions :)

Cartoon Aid - the big book (part 6)

I've looked before at publications associated with the Cartoon Aid charity (like Band Aid but with more cartoons and less Bob Geldof) - if you missed them they are as follows...

a). the Olympic book is here
b). Bryan Hitch's work in the Kidz book is here
c). Mike Collin's work in the Kidz book is here
d). Terry & Sheila Bave's work in the Kidz book is here
e). Simon Donald's work in the Kidz book is here
f). Cartoon Aid auction at Sotheby's & a festival in Margate is here

g). Waddington's jigsaw (from the Margate festival is here)

h). Scare Bears monster party book is here 

i). a REALLY big tome called Cartoon Aid here 

j). the 'Loadsa Funnies' telethon book featuring Judge Dredd art by Jim Baikie is here

k). same book but a Dredd strip by John Wagner & Mike Collins is here

l). same book but art by Bryan Hitch and Reg Smythe is here

m). same book but art by Davy Francis is here

n). same book but contributions by humour artists is here

o). same book - contributions by John M Burns, Dave Gibbons and others is here

I've started looking at some of the contents of this big book, so far I've looked at Asterix (here and here) and then I've found that there is some DC Thomson material in there (here) and then I've found some Achille Talon material (here) and some Look-In (here). 

The final piece to look at is this Lucky Luke strip. I'm assuming it's a reprint but there's a lot of Lucky Luke material out there and I can't work out where it first appeared. It's only a 6 page strip but any pointers would be welcome, thanks!

He's also on the back cover...

Keep up to date with all 'Cartoon Aid' postings but searching here

Catawiki auction - ending June 24th 2021

The current Catawiki auction of original comic art is now open for bidding and, as ever, I've been through it looking for British comic art highlights. So, without further ado, let's see what's up for sale this week...

Here's a Carol Day strip by David Wright

Here's a Paddy Payne page by Peter Sarson (from Lion, 1965)

Here's a Leslie Otway illustrated page from Princess (1965)

Here's an Edward Kearon Robot Archie page from Lion (1963)

Here's a Don Lawrence page from 1969's "The lost city" Trigan Empire story

Here's another Don Lawrence page - this time from 'Olac the Gladiator' from Lion (1966)

UPDATED: Keith Burns covers for Commando

I first came across Keith Burns art when he illustrated the Titan comics Johnny Red series, since then he's just started illustrating Commando covers and the covers are fantastic. Here are the covers he's done so far...

Commando 5209 - American avenger

Commando 5215 - a matter of honour

Commando 5229 - shadow in the storm!

Commando 5241 - steel inferno

Commando 5251 - Radar raiders

Commando 5259 - Braddock

Commando 5267 - Braddock demons

Commando 5289 - the Wombat and the Tiger

Commando 5297 - fog of war

Commando 5299 - Sladen's promise

Commando 5307 - Stealing Stukas

Commando 5315 - Ironhide

Commando 5329 - Blitzkrieg west

Commando 5335 - Durand's Dunkirk

Commando 5337 - Dodger's Dunkirk

This issue is interconnected with issue 5337 Durand's Dunkirk but told from the perspective of the British fighting to stop their retreat.

Commando 5353 - Outgunned!

Commando 5355 - Bullseye Bruno

Commando 5377 - Third time lucky

Commando 5385 - The flying emu

Commando 5395 - HMAS Expendable

Commando 5411 - Ready for Anything!

Commando 5417 - The girls on the guns

Commando 5448 - Die-or walk!

Check out the third of our nine 60th Anniversary specials Issue 5448 Die — or Walk! Former editor Calum Laird's sequel to Commando Issue 1 Walk — or Die! has the table turned with the Brit carrying the Jerry!