Thanks for that publisher info, matrix, Always good to add to our knowledge of the somewhat convoluted publishing history in GB. I didn't know Alex White was responsible for the first 2 issues.
As for British creators working for foreign studios or groups, that's a practice that still continues, so it's no big surprise that British creators would have appeared in foreign comics which were reprinted here.
However, David's Bails link has thrown up a bit of a problem. It refers to Recreo having had work in Charlton Phantom # 74, 75, 76. That run finished with # 74, which is one of the classic Don Newton stories and as far as I can see, it's all Newton. There isn't even a back up story, or spot illos, in the issue.
I'll have to have a good old dig through piles of digital Charltons and see if I can find some other other issues mentioned by Bails. If anyone fancies it, there are hundreds of pd Charlton comics on CB+, so you could have a look yourselves. I'll start wading through them this pm.
What a fascinating discussion. Thanks to all.
Other comic libraries
Re: Other comic libraries
No worries Paw, glad to help now and again!
Ok, I have found out who the artist is for the scan on top of the covers, and the top scan of the three interiors, it was Enrique Nieto. How do I know that? They are signed! How did I miss them? Have you ever bought a car then noticed the same car all the time where before you never noticed that car, a bit like that!
He signed them F. Nieto with the F and N stretched, so look like white lines!
Ok, I have found out who the artist is for the scan on top of the covers, and the top scan of the three interiors, it was Enrique Nieto. How do I know that? They are signed! How did I miss them? Have you ever bought a car then noticed the same car all the time where before you never noticed that car, a bit like that!
He signed them F. Nieto with the F and N stretched, so look like white lines!
Re: Other comic libraries
Incidentally, another interesting digest title published by Top Sellers during the mid-1970s was Double Duo - each issue of which reprinted two European 'Classics Illustrated' stories that had never appeared in the UK before.
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Re: Other comic libraries
Once again the British Guide seems to have it wrong, listing, as it does, Williams as the publisher of Double Duo. I assume that you are right, Phil - you usually are - unless Williams were Top Sellers. According the the guide, this series ran for 12 issues, but that could be wrong also!
There is a British company reprinting the European editions of C.I., the ones that were not published in N.America, but their reprints are expensive. It is about the only way to get these issues in English as many were published in Greece and other Euro countries. I'm not sure if any of them were translated into English for the British market prior to this company doing them.
I tried to find info. on Top Sellers but the only thing that turned up was a note that Top Sellers were an arm of Thorpe and Porter. Can anyone cast any light on this?
There is a British company reprinting the European editions of C.I., the ones that were not published in N.America, but their reprints are expensive. It is about the only way to get these issues in English as many were published in Greece and other Euro countries. I'm not sure if any of them were translated into English for the British market prior to this company doing them.
I tried to find info. on Top Sellers but the only thing that turned up was a note that Top Sellers were an arm of Thorpe and Porter. Can anyone cast any light on this?
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davidandrewsimpson
- Posts: 314
- Joined: 03 Jun 2008, 16:57
Re: Other comic libraries
Paw
According to Dez Skinn, Williams and Top Sellers were one and the same. To quote from Dez's website: "To this day there remains confusion over the name of the company responsible for all these titles, probably because they used so many! To distance its adult line, they were published under the GBD imprint (General Book Distributors).
Hardback children’s annuals carried the BrownWatson imprint while the imported US comics (DC, Marvel, Charlton, Tower, Archie – the lot!) all used the original Thorpe & Porter banner, a name going back to the days of its 1950s UK reprints when US comics were banned. Thorpe & Porter was also the name used as publisher for the Classics Illustrated series, which ran to 167 issues between 1952 and 1962. Williams was the brand for titles being published in various European countries while Top Sellers seemed to get the rest." This comes from http://dezskinn.com/warner-williams/
According to Dez Skinn, Williams and Top Sellers were one and the same. To quote from Dez's website: "To this day there remains confusion over the name of the company responsible for all these titles, probably because they used so many! To distance its adult line, they were published under the GBD imprint (General Book Distributors).
Hardback children’s annuals carried the BrownWatson imprint while the imported US comics (DC, Marvel, Charlton, Tower, Archie – the lot!) all used the original Thorpe & Porter banner, a name going back to the days of its 1950s UK reprints when US comics were banned. Thorpe & Porter was also the name used as publisher for the Classics Illustrated series, which ran to 167 issues between 1952 and 1962. Williams was the brand for titles being published in various European countries while Top Sellers seemed to get the rest." This comes from http://dezskinn.com/warner-williams/
Re: Other comic libraries
The title suggests that each issue should contain four picture strip adventures for the price of one.philcom55 wrote:another interesting digest title published by Top Sellers during the mid-1970s was Double Duo - each issue of which reprinted two European 'Classics Illustrated' stories
Re: Other comic libraries
OOOOH! Sharp as always, Phoenix 
- and quite correct.
David, thank you for that. That's a lot clearer.
I had forgotten that the Top Sellers name was also used for the British reprints of Italian digest sized porn comics, e.g. Snow White, Wallenstein and others. These and similar titles were to be seen in Glasgow in a couple of dodgy newsagents near the old bus station. Although these 2 were certainly nowhere as bad as a lot of the Italian horror porn which was on sale in newsstands throughout Italy and Spain at one time.
And as Phoenix has used a bit of Spanish today, might I just add some Italian in relation to those unbelievably disturbing Italian comics, non mi sono piaciuti, quei fumetti - indimenticabile ma orribile! ( Didnae like them one wee bit! Cannae forget them, horrible!) Pretentious, moi?
- and quite correct. David, thank you for that. That's a lot clearer.
I had forgotten that the Top Sellers name was also used for the British reprints of Italian digest sized porn comics, e.g. Snow White, Wallenstein and others. These and similar titles were to be seen in Glasgow in a couple of dodgy newsagents near the old bus station. Although these 2 were certainly nowhere as bad as a lot of the Italian horror porn which was on sale in newsstands throughout Italy and Spain at one time.
And as Phoenix has used a bit of Spanish today, might I just add some Italian in relation to those unbelievably disturbing Italian comics, non mi sono piaciuti, quei fumetti - indimenticabile ma orribile! ( Didnae like them one wee bit! Cannae forget them, horrible!) Pretentious, moi?
Re: Other comic libraries
I suggested earlier that checking the Charlton issues on CB+ might help with artist id. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me at the time that all the comics mentioned on Bails site would be too recent for being hosted on CB+. Sorry.
Also, I have been through the Phantom comics for the time period listed and can't find art that appears to be by Recreo. But I'm not very good at artist identification so I could be completely wrong.
Also, I have been through the Phantom comics for the time period listed and can't find art that appears to be by Recreo. But I'm not very good at artist identification so I could be completely wrong.