What comics DIDN'T you buy today?

[stevezodiac]

Phoenix. I forwarded your reply to my football mad ex colleague, Dave, and this is his reply. Apologies to forum cohorts and will desist from this off topic stuff ASAP.

Well Steve Zodiac , you know I like Wishbone Ash?? Did you know that they have a great track called Phoenix? Therefore could Phoenix actually be me????

I suspect that someone at the FA will have noticed the youngsters and pointed out that to be fair to the other potential relegatees (Is that a word?) Bolton should play their full strength side. More than likely they will do that anyway , under pressure from Lee Clark and Paul Dickov!! By the way against Sheffield Wednesday they blooded a kid Oskar Threlkeld for the whole game and brought another two kids on late in the second half Kelletts and Youngs. Not a different team a la Mourinho

Kind regards

?Phoenix?

[Phoenix]

By the way against Sheffield Wednesday they blooded a kid Oskar Threlkeld for the whole game and brought another two kids on late in the second half Kelletts and Youngs.

Andy Kellett and Tom Youngs came on too late to have much of an impact but Oscar Threlkeld did play the whole game at right back, doing half a Francis Lee in the process. Sixteen-year-old Franny Lee scored and got booked on his debut, Oscar just got booked. On reflection, Threlkeld might be a better bet than Baptiste who has given penalties away recently! I won't return to this off-topic theme either, Steve.

[geoff42]

I didn't buy Fury comic (marvel uk) with free gift no.1 today because my bid was blasted out of the water. It finally went for £137. Now, that is some bid! I know I was prepared to bid £300 for Cor!! no.1 with free gift, but there are certain comics where you just wouldn't. And I do realize a collector is prepared to pay anything to obtain a certain comic that he wants. But... I'm really starting to get worried where certain comics are just priced out of the common's man reach. I bought a Cheeky issue 1 with free gift three years ago for less than a tenner: I bought Bullet issue 1 with free gift a year ago for £55. Now, I struggle to compete. Who says British Comics are dead?

[Phoenix]

Who says British Comics are dead?

By their very nature, Geoff, all defunct titles are dead. But as you have seen, the dead will rise again............and again............and again...........''Any advance on £1840 for this excellent example of a Beano from 2010? For the last time......knocked down to that man with the white face sliding down the wall. Get the paramedics. Perhaps he thought I said 1910. But then value is always in the eye of the beholder. I thought everybody knew that! There's a fool born every minute. When he comes round, don't forget to remind him about the buyer's premium and the VAT.''

[Lew Stringer]

I didn't buy Fury comic (marvel uk) with free gift no.1 today because my bid was blasted out of the water. It finally went for £137. Now, that is some bid!

Presumably it's the Dave Gibbons cover that pushed the price up, but that is a high price for a reprint comic!

[starscape]

Think I used to sell that in mint with free gift for about £10 about 5 years ago. I'm astonished Fury has reached that price.

[philcom55]

I wonder if it makes any difference whether the free plane has been assembled or if it is still attached to the plastic frame and contained in its original packet?

- Phil R.

[geoff42]

yes, definitely, if the plane had been assembled the value would have been heavily downgraded. As for original packet, I actually think the model plane came without a packet as did the Complete Fantastic Four issues 1 and 2 model planes and Rampage issues verbatim. And yes, Phoenix, I agree with your point as regards a dead comic... but, they're never forgotten. And, curiously, their prices are shifting ever higher. That's bad news for us collectors... or is it?

[Lew Stringer]

And, curiously, their prices are shifting ever higher. That's bad news for us collectors... or is it?

It's the old consequence of supply and demand I think. I've noticed that UK comics of pre-1950 can often be picked up quite cheaply now. Presumably because nostalgia is a key factor in collecting and there sadly aren't many fans left (or inclined to still collect) who are nostalgic for comics of the 1920s-50s. Good news for those of us who are interested in comics from any era. I mentioned here a few weeks ago that I bought a Chips Annual 1941 in very nice condition for just £2.99. No one else bid on it. I've picked up copies of 1930s comics in excellent condition for about a fiver each. Insanely cheap for 80 year-old comics.

On the other hand, prices of 1970s/80s comics have risen because the readers of the time are now looking to refresh or rebuild their collections so the market for those has become more competitive.

No doubt all those 1990s issues of Beano and Dandy that people can't shift on eBay at present will find their audience eventually.

There will always be exceptions of course. Golden age Dandy and Beano will always fetch more than copies of Radio Fun or Knockout from the same vintage.

[George Shiers]

And, curiously, their prices are shifting ever higher. That's bad news for us collectors... or is it?

It's the old consequence of supply and demand I think. I've noticed that UK comics of pre-1950 can often be picked up quite cheaply now. Presumably because nostalgia is a key factor in collecting and there sadly aren't many fans left (or inclined to still collect) who are nostalgic for comics of the 1920s-50s. Good news for those of us who are interested in comics from any era. I mentioned here a few weeks ago that I bought a Chips Annual 1941 in very nice condition for just £2.99. No one else bid on it. I've picked up copies of 1930s comics in excellent condition for about a fiver each. Insanely cheap for 80 year-old comics.

On the other hand, prices of 1970s/80s comics have risen because the readers of the time are now looking to refresh or rebuild their collections so the market for those has become more competitive.

No doubt all those 1990s issues of Beano and Dandy that people can't shift on eBay at present will find their audience eventually.

There will always be exceptions of course. Golden age Dandy and Beano will always fetch more than copies of Radio Fun or Knockout from the same vintage.

What comics would you most recommend from this era Lew, that won't set me back too much?

[Lew Stringer]

What comics would you most recommend from this era Lew, that won't set me back too much?

If you don't already have any, then any comics published by Amalgamated Press are worth trying. Comic Cuts, Chips, Radio Fun, Funny Wonder etc. The ones I've covered on my blog really.

It's up to personal taste of course. They're mostly of a set formula and style, and fairly interchangeable, but good to see if you like that Roy Wilson inspired style (which I do) and interesting from a historical context.

[Lew Stringer]

I didn't buy Fury comic (marvel uk) with free gift no.1 today because my bid was blasted out of the water. It finally went for £137.

I just did a swift search for 'Fury' on eBay. That price of £137 was well over the top. There's one with no free gift currently on Buy It Now for just £9.99 if you're quick:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FURY-MARVEL-1 ... 1e87c71e4b

[Marionette]

I just did a swift search for 'Fury' on eBay. That price of £137 was well over the top. There's one with no free gift currently on Buy It Now for just £9.99 if you're quick:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FURY-MARVEL-1 ... 1e87c71e4b

I think it just goes to show how much someone will spend on something if they really want it, regardless of any objective measurement of "value".

Or that some people have more money than sense. Take your pick.

[George Shiers]

What comics would you most recommend from this era Lew, that won't set me back too much?

If you don't already have any, then any comics published by Amalgamated Press are worth trying. Comic Cuts, Chips, Radio Fun, Funny Wonder etc. The ones I've covered on my blog really.

It's up to personal taste of course. They're mostly of a set formula and style, and fairly interchangeable, but good to see if you like that Roy Wilson inspired style (which I do) and interesting from a historical context.

Yes, I do like Roy WIlson's art. I'd really like to read a few issues of Happy Days from 1938 with his full-colour art on the comic. They're not cheap however, so until I find one stacked in-between some Beano and Dandy comics from the 30's for 50p each at a car boot sale (if only) I'll try to find some Comic Cuts.

[Lew Stringer]

Yes, I do like Roy WIlson's art. I'd really like to read a few issues of Happy Days from 1938 with his full-colour art on the comic. They're not cheap however, so until I find one stacked in-between some Beano and Dandy comics from the 30's for 50p each at a car boot sale (if only) I'll try to find some Comic Cuts.

Yes, Happy Days is a rarity. Only ran for 45 weeks. I've never seen one except for reproductions in books.

The thing with collecting pre-war comics is that unless you know otherwise, that issue of Comic Cuts or Jingles you find might be the only one in existence outside of the British Library. So many were no doubt treated as waste paper for the war effort, or simply used to light the fire. Also, back then, there was a belief that "old papers carry germs" so that was another incentive to get rid.