What comics did you buy today?

[Kashgar]

Is it true that's it's 5 inches longer then Topper?

That sounds more like The Big One itself which was a lot bigger than Buster or Topper!

- Phil Rushton

Yes sorry that's what I ment, in the family section it said that 'The Big one' was 5" bigger then Topper, so it really is a big one,might have to buy some.[/quote][/quote]

But even then 'The Big One' reduced in size during its 19 issue run. I'll check but I think it is only the first 12 or so that are genuinely broadsheet size. After that it reduces to something akin to ordinary tabloid dimensions. The early editions are fabulously quirky though and damned difficult to find, because of obvious storage problems, in anything like decent condition.

[stevezodiac]

coolcool I have a few issues of Warlord here they are numbers 57-60 and 65-71. Do you need any of those numbers? A friend gave them to me as they were doubles. You can have any issues you want for free.

I have the first issue in storage as well, haven't come across it yet though.

[Peter Gray]

Got this morning the Big one
a new Eric Roberts one for me to see Sinbad Simms and his shark pal Jasper..he looks like Dirty..Winker Dick Watson...
Also Maxwell Hawkes and The Sparrows go to war..Toys of doom...Charlie P
also Consternation street...


update..

Though it is a big Buster size with colour more I prefer the more pages Buster later in 1966 onwards...the adventure stories were also longer by 3 pages to 1 1/2..

[colcool007]

coolcool I have a few issues of Warlord here they are numbers 57-60 and 65-71. Do you need any of those numbers? A friend gave them to me as they were doubles. You can have any issues you want for free.

I have the first issue in storage as well, haven't come across it yet though.

Steve, thanks for the offer, but I got lucky on Ebay as someone was selling and I quote 70's Warlord and Battle in good condition for their age. At the time, I had few Warlords (like 4!) and I didn't recognise the covers in the rather blurred picture, so I had a punt and I got lucky and ended up with the first 6 months of both comics for a fiver! But I also picked up most of the run very cheaply in other lots (like 82 to 400 for £20!). The only ones that I am after now are the 76 to 81 run as I have copies, but all are missing the back cover. Grr! Also missing about 20 or so from 1985 and then the run is complete. And yes Phoenix, I will be going to 30th and using them to complete most of the gaps! Also missing a few of the Summer Specials. Which reminds me, I must scan in the last Warlord Summer Special from 1991 and send it to Al as I noticed he hasn't got that one in the Specials Library. IMHO, it's probably one of the worst Warlord Summer Special covers, but not as bad as those photo ones that were used for the Victor.

But anyhoo, I was happy to get many of the comics that I had bought from Ebay this week, including those 32 Warlords, 2 Warlord Summer Specials, 1 Victor Summer Special, 2 1962 Victors (including the first appearance of Alf), the Wizard from when I was born and a few others that I have overlooked mentioning!

For those of you that follow my burblings on this site, I will be back in the UK from September and only 1 motorway junction down from Al! So anyone in that area, you can now considered yourself to be warned!

[Phoenix]

This afternoon I won an eBay auction for seven issues of Bunty from 1995 for £2.20 (only two other bidders, and they clearly didn't have the stomach for a fight) plus £2.75 p&p (reasonable I suppose, as those photogravure issues are quite heavy). I only needed two of them to complete the year, so I should get some of my money back when I put the other five up on eBay again. To judge from the large photo, they look pretty tidy, no curly edges, no tears, no rat nibblings. So long as they are intact, I'll be pleased with them.

[ROY ROGERS]

I have had my eye on the book which has been advertised for a few issues now in crikey, the book is GREAT BRITISH FANTASY COMIC BOOK HEROES priced at £75.As anyone got this or seen it i would like to know how good it is before thinking about raiding the wifes purse , i do like the old sci fi comics but £75 is a lot if its only so so

[Steve Henderson]

Got round to picking yp my ebay purchase of over 200 beano annuals comics and the like inc librarys and stuff only set me back £50! The woman rang me asking me if I was interested in a similar collection of dandy and beezers as well as wizards but declined! Keep your eyes open on ebay for them. Nice seller!

[Kashgar]

Just bought a complete collection of DC's 'Capt Storm' (18 comics) for £70. This title, which featured the exploits of a PT boat skipper during WWII, was published between 1964 and 1967 and issues rarely turned up in newsagents, certainly in the North East, and as a result I ended up drooling over the covers pics of those issues advertised in other DC titles at the time knowing that my chances of getting hold of actual copies were practically nil. Childhood dream fulfilled.

[colcool007]

Today was a good comic day for me as I got my 1986 Warlords, the full run, issue 350 of the Victor and my Megazine. Just love John Cooper's art in Armitage and really, really enjoyed the interview with the great man himself.

[Phoenix]

Just bought a complete collection of DC's 'Capt Storm' (18 comics) for £70. This title, which featured the exploits of a PT boat skipper during WWII, was published between 1964 and 1967 and issues rarely turned up in newsagents, certainly in the North East, and as a result I ended up drooling over the covers pics of those issues advertised in other DC titles at the time knowing that my chances of getting hold of actual copies were practically nil. Childhood dream fulfilled.

Well done, Ray, I'm delighted for you. No Fog on the Tyne tonight, then.

Today was a good comic day for me as I got my 1986 Warlords, the full run

Wow, can I relax now?

[philcom55]

It's interesting that DC's only Navy-themed comic proved to be something of a commercial failure, just like Fleetway's short-lived (but now highly sought after) War at Sea Picture Library. For some reason action on the rolling main didn't seem to have quite as much appeal with their readership as stories about the Army and Air Force.

I'm not sure if I have the set but I've certainly got most issues of Captain Storm. In my opinion the outstanding point of the whole series is the very first issue with its wonderful cover depicting the Captain (presumably based in part on the recently-deceased John F. Kennedy) on the deck of his PT Boat being strafed by a crash-diving Zero: "Skipper -- your leg's being blasted!" screams a crewman, to which his commanding officer nonchalantly replies "It's only wood -- I'll get another!" Great stuff! (I also loved the cover logo with its rope border and inset anchor) To my mind Irv Novick was the US equivalent of British artists like Eric Bradbury who specialized in no-nonsense storytelling at the expense of those illustrative frills that gained others the label of 'fan favourite'.

But IMHO the best naval series to appear on either side of the Atlantic was Sam Glanzman's brilliant, autobiographical 'USS Stevens', which not only ran in all DC's war titles on an occasional basis from the late 1960s, but also went on to feature in two subsequent Graphic Novels. (Of course, as American war stories go even this pales into insignificance when compared to Kanigher and Kubert's seminal 'Enemy Ace' - the only First World War strip ever to rival 'Charley's War' in its ability to move me to tears. ) I stress this is all 'IMHO' however; I'd be very interested to hear of comparable British Naval strips that people have a special fondness for.

Incidentally, it's worth noting that after the cancellation of his own title Captain Storm (sans PT Boat) went on to enjoy a very successful run at DC as part of a Special Ops team called 'the Losers'. What's more their first regular appearance in Our Fighting Forces no.123 just happened to be drawn by Ken Barr who'd painted the cover of DC Thomson's first issue of Commando a decade before. Strange how these threads have a habit of coming back on topic in the end.

- Phil Rushton

[colcool007]

Today was a good comic day for me as I got my 1986 Warlords, the full run, issue 350 of the Victor and my Megazine. Just love John Cooper's art in Armitage and really, really enjoyed the interview with the great man himself.

It gets even better! Just worked my way from 589 through to 600 and there's a brand new story about Falken in issue 601! (Well, it's new for me) How good is that??? And it looks like it is Mike Dorey on the artwork. 19 episodes of Heinz to look forward to. Now, this will be a monster origin story! Excuse me, while I do the dance of comic happiness!

[steelclaw]

Col ever buy a 'Warlord' ice cream?
An ad from the back of 'Look-In' 1978.

Col I really think you should get a wrapper to make your collection complete.

[colcool007]

I vaguely remember that lolly, but I always think the tie-in was with US comics and not the DCT Warlord.

Going back on topic, I have just filled in another gap of my Red Dagger collection with buying No 11 The Smasher at a very cheap price of less than £5 and that includes P&P. I am now chasing No 29 Braddock of Bomber Command and it is getting to a price that even I hesitate to go for.

[steelclaw]

Some Red Dagger's seem to be going for astronomical prices these days, although my No.1 Twisty I sold on ebay a few months back only sold for £3.50p.
After picking up 8 of them fairly cheaply I thought I would try and get the rest but they all seem to be out of my price range now.