Comics UK

Well, my big box of 259 arrived today and I am really chuffed with them. I forgot to say that I picked up an absolute steal at the weekend with a batch of 5 pre-decimal comics for less than £6 and that includes postage!

I have now broken the 3600 barrier and hope to break the 4000 barrier in the next 12 months. I never expected to be doing this well back in January.

Picked up the 1954 Champion annual for £1 in Deptford market today. Very nice condition.

When did you start your Commando collection Col and when did Adam start his? You both seem to have amassed huge collections in a very short time. Since Commando is still being published do you both collect the current issues as well?

Kashgar wrote:When did you start your Commando collection Col and when did Adam start his? You both seem to have amassed huge collections in a very short time. Since Commando is still being published do you both collect the current issues as well?

Ray, I am on my second attempt. Once I got past the cycle of Mum deciding to donate comics and books to the charity shops et al, I had amassed 1800 out of the first 2300.

But when my first marriage fell apart, I had to decide whether to sell the Commandos or the 2000ADs. Either choice was the pound of flesh closest to my heart and I chose at the time to sell my Commando collection.

I almost instantly started to collect them again, but in 1997, they were very thin on the ground. In 2000 when I discovered Ebay, my collection started to grow again but as I moved around, the collecting was very erratic.

It was only in the last 18 months that I began to rationalise the collection and found that out of 2,500 plus, I had over 500 doubles.

As a result of some serious zoning in, I have increased my collection of issues of Commando from 1900 plus to over 3600 since November 2016 and I have still to assess the increase in War / Battle / Air Ace but that is somewhere around the 500 mark.

I do collect the new issues and will be taking out a sub again once the Judge Dredd Hatchette part work is complete. I think the only way I will stop collecting Commando is if I get the full collection if it ever stops or I am an ex-collector that has shuffled off this mortal coil!

Out of the new issues, two of my favourites are 4781 D-Day Dodgers and 4811 Fighting Frank. I recommend them to anyone. And for bonus points, read D-Day Dodgers and compare it to the Garth Ennis version in War Stories.

Just arrived this morning, two Dandy Comic Library cartoon books (Nos. 4 and 5)

Kashgar wrote:When did you start your Commando collection Col and when did Adam start his? You both seem to have amassed huge collections in a very short time. Since Commando is still being published do you both collect the current issues as well?

I collected Commando as a kid but they all vanished after I left home. I started buying them again ten years or so ago for my 10 year old nephew who was mad on them. I obviously read as many of them as I could before I gave them to him and he worked out I'd given him 800 odd over the years. He's now in the army and almost 21 so my real collection started with the massive 3500 ish that I bought last year. The 1-1000 I've just picked up have filled most of my spaces along with 400 odd acquired on eBay or swapping with Col and others. Col has just introduced me to a chap who is very helpfully filling another 100+ gaps out of the remaining 225. I aim to have the lot by Christmas! Yes I also get the new ones directly from DCT and have done for a while. I'll be lost when I have the lot!

Adam Eterno wrote:I also get the new ones directly from DCT and have done for a while. I'll be lost when I have the lot!

That final comment implies that you think Thomsons will stop producing them at some point in the future, Adam. I suspect that Commando will just keep rolling along like the Mississippi. It wouldn't bother me either way as I detest war stories, consequently I don't own any issues of Commando, nor would I ever buy any. Of course I did have to read a fair few war serials when I was cataloguing The Wizard, but that was a necessity, and cataloguing Adventure obviously requires me to read more, but it's a means to an end, nothing more. Best of luck with your search for the full run.

Picked up 18 issues of June this morning for a pound each in Spitalfields Antique Market. They are consecutive issues for the first four months of 1964 plus the 2 May issue. Also got Mr District Attorney 17 - UK black and white version for 50p. It has a full page add for Mad #2 which is nice.

stevezodiac wrote:Picked up 19 issues of June this morning for a pound each in Spitalfields Antique Market. They are consecutive issues for the first four months of 1964 plus the 2 May issue. Also got Mr District Attorney 17 - UK black and white version for 50p. It has a full page add for Mad #2 which is nice.

Steve, I'm in Angel currently and I've just noticed that there is the London Super Comic Con on for the next three days in the BDC if you're around. I sadly won't be in London this weekend.

Adam Eterno wrote:

Kashgar wrote:When did you start your Commando collection Col and when did Adam start his? You both seem to have amassed huge collections in a very short time. Since Commando is still being published do you both collect the current issues as well?

I collected Commando as a kid but they all vanished after I left home. I started buying them again ten years or so ago for my 10 year old nephew who was mad on them. I obviously read as many of them as I could before I gave them to him and he worked out I'd given him 800 odd over the years. He's now in the army and almost 21 so my real collection started with the massive 3500 ish that I bought last year. The 1-1000 I've just picked up have filled most of my spaces along with 400 odd acquired on eBay or swapping with Col and others. Col has just introduced me to a chap who is very helpfully filling another 100+ gaps out of the remaining 225. I aim to have the lot by Christmas! Yes I also get the new ones directly from DCT and have done for a while. I'll be lost when I have the lot!

It is quite strange when you switch from collecting something to having collected something, especially when the collecting has involved years of work. That moment when the postman delivers that final issue and you can rest easy knowing that that particular task is done.
Thanks to both you and Col for giving us the lowdown on the genesis and progress of your Commando collections.

Adam Eterno wrote:I collected Commando as a kid but they all vanished after I left home.

A common tale, I'm sure. Your mum probably put them in the bin!

Digifiend wrote:

Adam Eterno wrote:I collected Commando as a kid but they all vanished after I left home.

A common tale, I'm sure. Your mum probably put them in the bin!

Yep. Younger siblings "borrowed" all of my vinyl and the comics ended up in the bin or starting a bonfire! I know that the large box of Weetabix Dr Who bits and bobs were burned, that was admitted to!

Well, that's my comics budget for the next two months sorted out. I have just ordered another 266 Commandos from a collector that is down-sizing and he is happy that a fellow collector is cherry-picking his collection. This puts me only 101 issues away from breaking the 4000 barrier!

not a comic but just pre-ordered the new titan release of Dan Dare (Mission of the Earthmen) really looking forward to this one.

once again sorry to sound like a salesman for speedyhen but they have the best price I can find.

https://www.speedyhen.com/Product/Frank ... n/21531957

Just received in the mail today the Beezer and Topper Numbers 15,.16 and 153. (That's the Christmas 1990, New Years 1991 and final edition.)

Only a couple more items to come, but I'll mention them when they arrive.