Boys Adventure Comics

7 May 2023

UPDATED: Denis Gifford books

Having recently failed to acquire this book below it made me wonder of there are any other Denis Gifford books I don't know about out there.

So I thought I'd better see what books I think exist and then see if anyone can spot any gaps, right then, in date order we have as follows...

New addition this time is a collection of comics reprints.

A). Comic reference books

Discovering comics (1971)

Stap me! The British newspaper strip (1971)

The British comic catalogue 1874-1974 (1975)

Happy days - one hundred years of comics (1975)

(published by Jupiter books)

Victorian comics (1976)

British comics and storypaper guide! 1982

The international book of comics (1984)

This book is available with a variety of covers and comes in softback and hardback...

First up a WH Smith exclusive (softback)

Next up a WH Smith exclusive (hardback)

Next, normal edition (hardback)

Next, normal edition (softback)

and then there's this edition too...(softback, 1990)

The complete catalogue of British comics (1985)

Encyclopedia of comic characters (1987)

Happy days - one hundred years of comics (1988)

(published by Bloomsbury books)

Comics at war (1988)

The Eagle book of cutaways (1988)

The best of Eagle annual, 1951-1959 (1989)

The story paper price guide (1989)

The comic art of Charlie Chaplin (1989)

The international book of comics (1990)

The best of Girl annual, 1952-1959 (1990)

Christmas comic posters (1991)

Discovering comics (1991)

Super Duper Supermen! (1992)

(also available as a book of postcards)

Space aces! (1992)

(also available as a book of postcards)

B). Other Denis Gifford books with comic content

Run, Adolf, run: the world war two fun book (1975)

Stewpot's fun book (1977)

The Morecambe and Wise comic book! (1977)

Quick on the draw (1978)

Eric and Ernie's TV fun book (1978)

The two Ronnies comic book! (1978)

C). Catalogues of Denis Gifford's collection

Here are some more images relating to the book that made me write this post initially...

And now a book in Italian...

and now we can add in another Denis Gifford production from 1975...a one-off this, yes, it's "Penny comics of the thirties". A 2nd volume was planned but never produced.

6 May 2023

Eagle & Picture Post gramophone records

With the coronation happening today it seems like an appropriate moment to look at comic collectibles associated with the last coronation...

I've seen lots of those lists of record / CD covers / bands produced (or inspired) by comic artists or characters and I've seen a lot of the Dan Dare / Eagle merchandise that exists over the years, but one item I've never seen until very recently is the gramophone record (!) that was produced to tie-in with the coronation (in 1953).

Here's the blurb (taken from a cassette recording that the Eagle Society produced some years back), itself from the advert in Eagle...

And here's what the centre of the record 'looked' like

Here's evidence that the record exists (from a recent eBay listing) - the seller noted that the record is sold in a period Oriole sleeve. This isn't a copy autographed by the editor (see the advert). I don't know if the record came in an 'official' sleeve (like the Picture Post version below) or not.

Knowing that this existed I was rather surprised to spot these images on ebay the other day of a gramophone record that sounds identical, except that it's published in association with Picture Post (Hulton Press published both Picture Post and Eagle). Both records are produced by Oriole but have different reference numbers (the Picture Post reference is MG20003, whereas the Eagle advert references gramophone record CB1140). Both reference numbers are clearly visible on the records.

So there you have it - a glimpse into some obscure 1950s comics merchandise, plus the only chance you'll get to hear legendary editor Marcus Morris speak.

5 May 2023

Bog Standard Komix

Over on that eBay ace cartoonist Lew Stringer (right here in fact) has put up an underground comic for sale featuring early Bryan Talbot artwork. Bids open at £40 and close on Wednesday (10th) just after 9pm.

As Lew says...
BOG STANDARD KOMIX. A fanzine/underground comic from 1978 that reprinted some of BRYAN TALBOT's earliest work from the early 1970s. Adults Only!

Contains SUPERHARRIS which Bryan did in 1972 for his college paper in Preston.

Centrespread poster features CHESTER HACKENBRUSH, another of Bryan's early characters.

VERY SCARCE 'UNDERGROUND' COMIC and essential for collectors of Bryan Talbot's work! Not many would have been printed. A5 size.

The FREE GIFT is still attached to the inside back cover, which is a sheet of toilet paper stamped 'Lancashire County Council'!

4 May 2023

Postcards by Norman 'Jane' Pett

I've looked before at the work or cartoonist Norman Pett (here) and I'm always interested in unusual piece of work by him (of Jane) so here are some postcards by the great man...something a bit different.

3 May 2023

Norman Thelwell saves the planet - part 1

In honour of it being the centenary of birth today (3rd May 2023) I thought it only proper to share some Norman Thelwell images on the blog today.

These are from the new exhibition at Cartoon Museum - 'Norman Thelwell saves the planet'.

First up is the merch!

2 May 2023

The Ren & Stimpy show - Marvel UK

Michael Carroll's timeline of Marvel UK comics (here) has an array of interestingly short-lived comics on that I thought I should create cover galleries for them. Sometimes this is easier said than done but let's start off with the 16 issue Ren & Stimpy comic from 1994/5

The Ren & Stimpy show, Marvel UK, issue #1, 19th October 1994, 99p