Brian Bolland signing announced

Forbidden Planet have announced (here) a signing...

if you want to you can pre-order signed copies of the Apex edition here - which sounds like great news because the last I'd heard from 2000AD this book had been delayed until October

UPDATED: Colin Maxwell for Commando

To celebrate the announcement from publisher DC Thomson that Colin Maxwell will be writing another issue of Commando I thought it was about time I got a guide together for what he's written for Commando so far...

Commando 5371, published by DC Thomson 29th September 2020

Five soldiers seek refuge from a storm, looking for a place safe and warm.

Four lay down to rest that night, none are ready for the fight.

Three wake to find another gone. Will any of them survive till dawn?

Commando 5413, published by DC Thomson 16th February 2021

Polish Sergeant Jakub Leszczuk is one of the last men defending Lwow in 1939, but as the Russian tanks roll in, his unit rescues a small puppy called Rebus from a collapsed building.

It isn’t long before Rebus becomes far more than a lucky mascot for the escaping soldiers! As they retrain for the parachute regiments in Britain, Rebus’s desire to please and talent for tricks finds him with Leszczuk behind enemy lines in Italy before prepping the ground for D-Day, as this pair of underdogs help turn the tide on the Nazi war machine!

Commando 5433, published by DC Thomson 27th April 2021

Five men found The Dead Man’s Chest,
Hidden in a cave on an island in the sea,
One saw the riches and turned against the rest,
And decided the treasure was only for he.

But away they went to war in the sands,
And the treasure laid forgotten by the five,
As one by one they died by someone’s hands,
Till there was nought but one man left alive.

Commando 5475, published by DC Thomson September 28th 2021

The ORP Tygrys, or Tiger, was a Polish submarine outclassed by Poland’s modern subs, but its Commander, Leopold Swirski, was proud of the ship and his crew. Then September 1st, 1939 came, the Tiger bared its teeth and growled at the invading Nazi hordes. The sub fought tooth and nail to protect its homeland but took too much damage. Licking its wounds, the Tiger and its crew were forced to dock at a neutral port where the vessel was seized and declawed by the authorities. Well that wasn’t going to stop them —as you can’t change a tiger’s stripes!

Commando 5501, published by DC Thomson December 16th 2021 

Three high‑ranking SS officers meet in a remote mansion house near the Swiss border. With them is a cache of looted jewellery, paintings and antiques, forged papers and plans to flee the falling Reich to South America. But, as they talk in secret, they are disturbed by a knock at the door. A member of the infamous Gestapo has come to interrogate them. Does he know about their plans to flee? And what does this all have to do with Resistance fighter Christina Koch?

Commando 5517, published by DC Thomson December 16th 2021 

In the frozen town of Verdalsora, Norway, Georg Fischer is part of the Nazi occupation. However, after witnessing first-hand the brutality of his superiors, Fischer is sickened by the regime he knows he is a part of. His only option is to desert, fleeing into the merciless landscape of the fjords. But with enemies everywhere and death at every corner, Fischer will need more than his wits if he is to survive.

Commando 5533, published by DC Thomson April 12 16th 2022

April 1982 saw Britain enter a new conflict half the world away. But before the war would officially begin, tensions rose as three Royal Marines were sent on a recce mission far from their base at Port Stanley when Argentinian forces invaded the Falklands.

Left with an impossible mission that could change the tide of the conflict, the three marines must battle both the climate and the Argentinians if they are to save the day.

You can find all other mentions of Colin on the blog right here

You can find all other mentions of Commando on the blog right here

Latest Catawiki auction opens - bid by 28th April

The latest Catawiki auction of original (British) comic art is now open for bids. As ever I've selected my highlights, good luck if you bid (bidding closes this Thursday - 28th April 2022).

This page by Andrew Howat (a new name to me) from the back cover of Look and Learn (8th January 1977) - The Flying Dutchman story

This Robot Archie page by Edward Kearon from a 1967 Lion strip entitled the crystal leopard

This Reg Smythe Andy Capp newspaper strip from 1990

This Modesty Blaise strip by Romero

This Don Lawrence Trigan Empire strip from 1967's 'The Lokan invasion'

The G-Bomb art by Ron Turner

Over here on that ebay there's a rare chance to acquire a piece of full colour Ron Turner art....

...as the seller explains...

rare recreation by Ron Turner of his original cover to The Vargo Statten paperback published in 1952. 

Size of art: 370 x255mm on thick card. Medium: Gouache

Overall size:485 x 255mm

...the auction closes tomorrow (23rd April at 9pm) - good luck if you're bidding

MarvelMan #25 sold!

News reaches me of a recent sale of one of the rarest of British comics...Marvelman volume 1, number 25

This is the the first appearance of Marvelman

Issues 1-24 had (previously) been titled Captain Marvel but the title had to be re-named due to DC suing Fawcett.

Very successfully it ran for 370 issues, with the character relaunched as Alan Moore's Marvelman in Warrior no.1 in 1982, then Miracleman no.1 in 1985 and is now with Marvel.

As you'll see this comic is not in great condition. The seller estimates that there are less than 10 known copies - and some of those are in worse condition than this.

Anyway, keep an eye out for this wherever you see comics because this sold (via a private sale) for $6,200 (£4,700) - a price topped only by the very rarest and earliest pre-war #1's of comic like the Beano.

Check out all other Alan Moore references here

Bojan Djukic draws Wonderboy

I've looked a few different conventions before....

Bristol comic expo (2004-2014) is here

London comic festival 2003 is here
Kev Sutherland festival original art is here
A 'Lawless 2019' miscellany is here
Boys and Girls exhibitions of the 1950s and '60s is here
Glasgow comic art convention is here
Edinburgh art convention is here
Hi-Ex convention is here

UKCAC - part 1 - is here
UKCAC - part 2 - is here

UKCAC - part 3 - is here

BICS convention is here

Glasgow comic con is here

Kapow! comic con is here

British comic conventions 1970-76 is here 

British comic conventions 1977-81 is here 

A miscellany is here

and now for the benefit of those fine chaps on the Sonic the Comic the podcast here's a few of pieces relating to Sonic the Comic...

First up from the 1993 brochure we have Bojan Djukic drawing Wonderboy

and then from the 1994 issue (cover by Glenn Fabry)

we again have Bojan Djukic drawing Wonderboy

and then from the 1996 issue (cover by Bryan Talbot)

some non-Sonic art by Bojan

and then from the 1997 issue (cover by Frank Quitely)

more Bojan art - those look like the Gargoyles chasing those ninjas - check out the Gargoyles comic here

As well as UKCAC there was, for a few years, a GCAC [Glasgow Comic Art Convention] - here's the (A5 sized) brochure for 1994 complete with Mark Buckingham cover

...and here's Bojan's Wonderboy contribution

Eagle, Girl & Swift diaries

I've looked at the diaries produced by Eagle, Girl & Swift before, but in separate posts, so I thought I might usefully pull that information together into a single post.

Eagle

Diaries were produced for at least 1951-63. No diary would have been produced for 1950 (Eagle launched in mid-April so that would have made no sense). I have copies of diaries for the following years...1951-4 & 1957-63, so I'm just missing 1955 & 1956 (and any produced from 1964 onwards). 

Diaries typically look like this...

Girl

Only example I've ever seen - no idea how many were produced. This is for 1956.

Swift

Only example I've ever seen - no idea how many were produced

Steve Dillon art at the Panel Gallery

Good news for anyone (like me) who wasn't able to get to the recent Steve Dillon exhibition at the Panel gallery in Northampton! The gallery have now updated their website with some new piece of Steve's art that are available to buy...

There are currently 14 pages on offer - mainly from Hellblazer issue 83

Link is here

Dan Dare stamps - Lifebuoy soap

Always happy to look at items of Dan Dare merchandise, here's the very collectable stamp set c/o Lifebuoy soap. The set usually sells for about £50 but it doesn't usually still have the letter from Digby or the original stamp envelope enclosed.

And a (postcard sized) promotional leaflet...

Illustrated Bible Tales #7 - Don Lawrence

From 1953 here's a quick look at issue #7 of Illustrated Bible tales from publisher Len Miller. This was an 8 issue series and you'll see that interior art is by a young Don Lawrence.

The frame in the top right of the right hand page here is a VERY Don Lawrence frame to me - all those fine lines on the beard, the clothes and the background

the Don Lawrence signature is on the right hand page here... 

artwork on the left hand page here doesn't look like it's by Lawrence

Love that frame on the middle right

Latest Catawiki auction opens for bidding

 The latest Catawiki auction of original (British) comic art has just opened. As ever I've picked out my highlights. Good luck if you bid.

This Don Lawrence Trigan Empire page from 1966

This Reg Smythe Andy Capp page

This Edward Kearon Robot Archie page from the 1966 story 'Menace of the golden men'

This Don Lawrence Trigan Empire page from 1969

UPDATED: Swift comic merchandise

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 TEXT IS IN RED...

I've included this image because it contains a picture of a Swift diary - I knew these existed but I've never seen one before

A close-up of the diary - no idea how many of these were produced, they're pretty hard to come by these days!

I've also looked at Swift picture books here

This was a recent spot on eBay - described by the seller as being a piece of promotional merchandise for a newsagent

This was a recent spot on eBay - from 1959 according to the seller, 16 pages (all blank) to be filled with images cut (!) from weekly issues of Swift

and here's a lovely cardboard boomerang featuring the character Smiley!

I look at Swift spin-off annuals here

These are from friend of the blog Doug Brain...

Swift comic 25 February 1961 (volume 8, issue 8) - I like the look of this scrapbook and would love to get hold of a copy)

I looked at the Quester's book here

...and more about the 3rd book here

and there were some pin badges to be acquired too by the looks of it...

Swift paintbox! 

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...

The second Swift Birthday Book

the seller noted...

This is A RARE VINTAGE 1957 RELATED TO SWIFT YOUNG CHILDREN'S COMIC - THE SECOND SWIFT BIRTHDAY BOOK OF PUZZLES COMPLETE WITH THE ORIGINAL ENVELOPE SENT TO RECIPIENT FROM BINN'S ROAD LIVERPOOL.

Apart from rusty staples in fabulous clean and unused condition for a 63 year old booklet as it has been kept in a drawer in it's original envelope since receiving on 09.07.1957.

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...