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| Crowds before it got REALLY busy. |
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| One of the sketches I did over the weekend. |
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| Comic creator's slap-up feed, Italian restaurant, Friday night. |
Thứ Hai, 20 tháng 7, 2015
Back from LFCC
Thứ Năm, 16 tháng 7, 2015
Brickman in London
I'll also be selling sketches on request, so drop by for a sketch, buy a book, or just have a chat.
I understand I'm on a humour comics panel on Saturday morning around 10.20am, so I hope some of you will be there for that.
The guest list this year is more impressive than ever, with comics guests including John Wagner, Dan Slott, Mike Collins and David Lloyd, and stars from film and TV including Sigourney Weaver, Michael J. Fox, Catherine Tate and Hayley Atwell. For full info see the website here:
http://www.londonfilmandcomiccon.com/
Thứ Ba, 14 tháng 7, 2015
Something really (summer) special
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| Copyright D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. |
Over on the Phil-Comics Facebook page there's an item I'd never seen before. Presumably this is the original mock up of the cover to The Dandy Summer Special 1968 with art by Charlie Grigg. As you can see, it depicts a rather more unpleasant looking Korky the Cat than we're accustomed to! I'm surprised it even reached the completed stage.
Perhaps considered inappropriate for the cover, it was never used and Charlie was asked to redraw it. Here's the published version. A definite improvement I think!
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| Copyright D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. |
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| Copyright D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. |
https://www.facebook.com/pages/phil-comics-auctions/156116677784593
You can also visit the Phil-Comics website to follow the latest comics auctions:
http://www.phil-comics.com/
Phil Shrimpton has written an article about his collecting over at the Rareburg site here:
https://www.rareburg.com/article/collecting-dandy-and-beano-comics
My thanks to Peter Gray for giving me the heads up on this rare Dandy artifact. You can visit Peter's blog on British comics here:
http://petergraycartoonsandcomics.blogspot.co.uk/
Commando Nos.4827 to 4830
Latest Commando news just received from D.C. Thomson....
Commando Issues 4827-4830 – On Sale 16th July 2015
Commando No 4827 - Know Your Enemy
In the Summer of 1940, rumours abounded that German forces were poised to invade Great Britain…
Brigadier Harry Thomas of the Intelligence Corps believed in hard facts and those came from proper intelligence, reported by seasoned professionals.
Aerial reconnaissance photos, for example, were valuable, of course, but they were no match for a couple of his finest operatives who were in the thick of the action. But would Captain Frank Draper and Sergeant Ollie Wentworth live long enough to deliver their vital reports?
Introduction
Intelligence. The word conjures up a mental picture of fast cars, snappy dressing and the latest gadgets. The reality is somewhat different and military intelligence, far from being a contradiction in terms, can trace its roots to biblical times when Moses was told “go spy the land” (Numbers 13:17).
Prior to the Boer War the British Army tended to form ad hoc intelligence organisations during campaigns in order to provide the commander with the necessary information and intelligence to defeat our enemies. After each campaign the military intelligence organisations were disbanded.
Steps were taken to raise an Intelligence Corps on the outbreak of the First World War. Following the expiry of the British ultimatum to the Germans on 5th August 1914 some fifty or so individuals received a telegram inviting them to join the newly formed Intelligence Corps.
Former metropolitan Police Officers operated, as field security police, to great effort behind our own lines identifying enemy agents, capturing mutineers and protecting the Royal Family. Despite the good work by members of the Corps, by 1929 the whole of the Intelligence Corps was disbanded.
On the outbreak of war on 04 September 1939 the British Expeditionary Force deployed to France with 31 Field Security Police Sections and upon this small foundation the Corps eventually grew to 3040 officers and 5930 other ranks. The Corps was formally constituted with the consent of King George VI on 15 July 1940, with the formation being notified on 19 July 1940 in Army Order 112.
Post war the threat was from Communism and the Corps has played a major role in the games of counterespionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence that characterised the Cold War in Europe and Asia in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Since the Second World War, the Corps has deployed with the British Amy all over the world and in recognition of its meritorious service the Corps was declared an ‘Arm’ on 01 February 1985. An ‘Arm’ is defined as those Corps whose role is to be close in combat with the enemy.
The Intelligence Corps, to fans and detractors alike is known as the Green Slime due to the distinctive colour of its beret. It has always attracted unique soldiers in terms of temperament, character and demeanour; in the Intelligence Corps today you are likely to meet soldiers with advanced degrees.
Manui dat cognitio vires
Story: Alan Hebden
Art: Vila
Cover: Stephen White
Commando No 4828 - One False Move…
“Unexploded bomb!” That dreaded cry would send shivers down the spine of the bravest man. Yet, for Lieutenant Bill Seddon of the Bomb Disposal Company, it was all in the line of duty. Every day he faced the task of defusing these devilish devices with the same outward coolness.
But now the strain was beginning to show. Bill’s hands were trembling as he lifted the fuse mechanism from the dull-grey 250kg bomb which lay before him. His nerves had been stretched to their limit, and death now stared him in the face. All it would take was…
Introduction
Colonel Mike Brooke OBE, former Commanding Officer 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal)
2015 is a special year for Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal as it is exactly 75 years since the original Bomb Disposal Teams were formed in 1940 in response to a terrible threat facing the United Kingdom from Nazi Germany. There are commemorations in the Bomb Disposal Regiments culminating in a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in October. St Paul’s Cathedral has a special place in our hearts since it could well have been destroyed by a German aerial delivered bomb which penetrated 30 feet into the road just outside the Cathedral but failed to detonate. Lieutenant Robert Davies RE and his team were immediately deployed to tackle it. At huge risk to themselves, the bomb was made safe and removed by Lance Corporal George Wylie. Their incredible bravery in the face of certain death earned them each the George Cross, Britain’s highest award for gallantry not in the face of the enemy! It’s hard to imagine that the average life expectancy of Bomb Disposal Officers and their Number 2s was just 7-9 weeks in Central London at the height of the Blitz! The Nation owes them a lot…and you can read about their heroism inside this graphic Commando comic.
But the story of Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal doesn’t stop at World War II. Each year since 1945, Explosive Ordnance Teams have been busy dealing with every type of bomb, shell or missile wherever the threat to military and/or civilian personnel occurred. In the aftermath of the 1st Gulf War in 1991, some 5 million items were safely dealt with once Sadam Hussein had been booted out of Kuwait…equally, ex-members of the 33/101 Engineer Regiments (EOD) have been employed in lots of civilian explosive ordnance disposal companies helping to make safe civilian populations all over the world, particularly in Africa and the Far East in places like Vietnam.
So, as you dip into this comic, which I thoroughly recommend, please remember the ‘unsung heroes’ of Royal Engineer Bomb/Explosive Ordnance Disposal Units, some of whom paid the ultimate price to make our world a safer place.
Story: Bernard Gregg
Art: Carrion
Cover: Ian Kennedy
Commando 4829 - Operation Double Bluff
After seeing his fellow Paratroop squad soldiers brutally killed by Germans in enemy-occupied Holland – and being shot himself and left to die – Lieutenant Ralph Loach was a man determined to settle the score.
Newly transferred to war-battered Berlin with the Intelligence Corps, could Ralph put aside his quest for revenge long enough to let him help his new colleagues find the sadistic S.S. officer responsible?
Introduction
Intelligence. The word conjures up a mental picture of fast cars, snappy dressing and the latest gadgets. The reality is somewhat different and military intelligence, far from being a contradiction in terms, can trace its roots to biblical times when Moses was told “go spy the land” (Numbers 13:17).
Prior to the Boer War the British Army tended to form ad hoc intelligence organisations during campaigns in order to provide the commander with the necessary information and intelligence to defeat our enemies. After each campaign the military intelligence organisations were disbanded.
Steps were taken to raise an Intelligence Corps on the outbreak of the First World War. Following the expiry of the British ultimatum to the Germans on 5th August 1914 some fifty or so individuals received a telegram inviting them to join the newly formed Intelligence Corps.
Former metropolitan Police Officers operated, as field security police, to great effort behind our own lines identifying enemy agents, capturing mutineers and protecting the Royal Family. Despite the good work by members of the Corps, by 1929 the whole of the Intelligence Corps was disbanded.
On the outbreak of war on 04 September 1939 the British Expeditionary Force deployed to France with 31 Field Security Police Sections and upon this small foundation the Corps eventually grew to 3040 officers and 5930 other ranks. The Corps was formally constituted with the consent of King George VI on 15 July 1940, with the formation being notified on 19 July 1940 in Army Order 112.
Post war the threat was from Communism and the Corps has played a major role in the games of counterespionage, intelligence and counter-intelligence that characterised the Cold War in Europe and Asia in the latter half of the twentieth century.
Since the Second World War, the Corps has deployed with the British Amy all over the world and in recognition of its meritorious service the Corps was declared an ‘Arm’ on 01 February 1985. An ‘Arm’ is defined as those Corps whose role is to be close in combat with the enemy.
The Intelligence Corps, to fans and detractors alike is known as the Green Slime due to the distinctive colour of its beret. It has always attracted unique soldiers in terms of temperament, character and demeanour; in the Intelligence Corps today you are likely to meet soldiers with advanced degrees.
Manui dat cognitio vires
Story: George Low
Art: Vicente Alcazar
Cover: Janek Matysiak
Commando No 4830 - Appointment In Cairo
Cairo — Egypt’s capital city and British General Headquarters in the Middle East, nerve centre of the Allied campaign in North Africa. A city filled with soldiers, sailors, airmen…but also a city teeming with spies and agents, men who would stop at nothing to get the information they needed…then send back to their own headquarters — Berlin!
Introduction
Have your holidays ever not quite turned out as planned? And I’m not talking about a missing suitcase or the Duty Free shop in the airport being closed…
Our hero, Lieutenant Dick Maltby of the Special Investigative Branch — the Army’s criminal investigative wing — is enjoying some hard-earned leave in the bustling Egyptian capital when he is thrust into a deadly fight for his life against a shadowy spy ring. Well, it happens.
This is a thrilling Commando tale packed with action, intrigue and espionage and…I reckon it makes for some great summer holiday reading!
Scott Montgomery, Deputy Editor
Story: R.A. Montague
Art: Ibanez
Cover: Ian Kennedy
Thứ Hai, 13 tháng 7, 2015
Titan's latest DC Comics
The comics are full colour throughout and contain 76 to 100 pages an issue. You'll find them in branches of WH Smith, comic shops, and selected newsagents. Alternatively, if you subscribe there's a free Top Trumps DC Universe pack with every subscription. See the Titan Magazines website for full details:
http://titanmagazines.com/
Chủ Nhật, 12 tháng 7, 2015
Dust in the Attic
I should have known better of course. The Mail had its agenda and it rigidly stuck to it. Today's issue of Event magazine, inside The Mail on Sunday, has a one page feature entitled Laughing All the Way to the Bank. The alarm bells went off as soon as I saw that title. Sure enough, it tells readers "you might be sitting on a small fortune". The lengthy interview I gave is condensed to one quote: "A tatty comic is practically worthless". At least they got that right.
Here are some other things I said which didn't make it into the article:
"Don't assume that every old comic is a collectors item. If you think a stack of 1990s Beanos are going to make you a fortune you'll be sorely disappointed. The most valuable comics are those that have historical significance."
"A first edition of The Dandy from 1937 might set you back £20,000 but an issue of any other comic from that same week will only be worth around ten quid."
"Paper reacts badly to certain conditions so don't store them in direct sunlight or in a damp shed. Store them neatly in closed boxes at room temperature and away from radiators. Some sellers try to fob collectors off by describing damaged old comics as 'good condition for their age'. It's misleading because age doesn't rip the cover off or colour in the pictures with crayon. Handle them with care."
"I think it's worth mentioning that if people only collect for investment they're sure to be disappointed. Most comics I have aren't worth much. The true value of comics comes from appreciating their artistic and cultural values."
See how that would have provided balance if they'd used some of it? Well, it was all ignored, with the focus on ten valuable comics (first issues of Dandy, TV21, Commando, etc). The emphasis of the feature is purely on greed. No mention of the artistic value of comics whatsoever.
Another, more personal, thing: As I knew the article would be used to promote the London Film and Comic Con I asked the journalist "I'd appreciate it if you could mention that I've been a cartoonist on numerous publications including The Beano, Viz, and Doctor Who Magazine. And that I'll be at the London Film and Comic Con in July."
"Absolutely!" was his reply.
How did that turn out? No mention at all of me being a cartoonist, or being a guest at the event. I'm just labelled as a "comics historian".
Now, I don't entirely blame the journalist. I'm sure his editor had the agenda to peddle the 'cash in your attic' angle for whatever daft reason and perhaps the submitted article was cut to ribbons before publication. However, I've learnt a lesson from this. From now on, if any journalist wants to talk to me about my work, great. If you just want soundbites for fairy tales of how people are sitting on a mythical fortune in old comics, don't ever waste my time again. Find some comics dealer eager to sell his wares instead. I'm sure they'll be only too happy to help with this kind of spin.
Thứ Bảy, 11 tháng 7, 2015
Famous Film Scenes (1935)
I recently re-discovered these cards whilst sorting through my late mother's belongings. I hadn't seen them for years and I remember her telling me that my grandad used to collect them for her. (I notice she pencilled her initials on the back of every card.) My mum would have been 10 years old in 1935, and like most people at the time she loved the cinema and film stars of the day.
As you can see, the cards are coloured from black and white photographs, with details enhanced and painted; a technique that might seem crude today but was state of the art back then. I think it still looks very effective, and although the eyes and lips are a bit harshly coloured on some cards the skin tones are quite subtle.
As you can see, the reverse of each card carried information on the film in question. An ideal and compact way to enrich a fan's knowledge. It looks like my grandad managed to collect 46 of the set of 48 (No.6 and 41 are missing) and there are no duplicates so I assume my mum must have swapped them with her friends. Here are a few of the cards, front and backs. (As always, click on images to see them larger.)
My grandad stopped smoking in the 1940s so I don't know how long cigarette cards (or 'fag cards' as they were known) continued for. I imagine companies dropped them when the dangers of smoking became more evident. (Cards in packets of Brooke Bond tea were common when I was a kid, and I collected those in the 1960s.)
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this brief look at these 80 year old collectibles!
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