Frank Hampson Dan Dare art in latest Compal Auction

Dan Dare original colour artwork by Frank Hampson for Eagle Vol. 7 No. 41 1956. Rogue Planet story. Like many Dan Dare cover artworks from the Hampson studio this board had some panels re-configurated to fit the format for publication of later Eagle overseas issues.

Early issues of Mickey Mouse Weekly and The Dandy, Commando art, 'Dan Dare' art by Frank Hampson, Thunderbirds art by Frank Bellamy and some stunning covers from IPC's Thrilling Picture Library and other titles by Giorgio De Gaspari are just some of the lots in the Summer 2011 auction at Compalcomics.

Compalcomics tell us their recent March catalogue was a complete sell-out highlighted by £441 for the first Beezer comic with free gift Whizz Bang, £330 each for Kit Carson, Dick Daring and Spy 13 front cover artworks from Cowboy and Thriller Picture Library, £2200 for Frank Bellamy's action-packed Thunderbirds artwork and an average price of £80 each for our 'one owner from new' war years Dandy comics.

The first Doctor Who And The Daleks jigsaw
'In The Tardis' (later withdrawn by the BBC)

More examples of all of these form just part of the massive British section of the new auction, which also includes Doctor Who jigsaws, copies of DC Thomson's early comic Magic and as a 1926 book featuring the original 'Invisible Dick' - who was reinvented for Sparky comic in 1965 as well as appearing in the original Dandy.

Early comic art from Film Fun's war years includes strips featuring George Formby and Laurel and Hardy by George Wakefield. The Magic comics offered include Easter and Christmas editions, along with penultimate Issue 79 which features the editor's apology for the forthcoming demise of the title due to wartime paper shortages.

Denis Gifford's run of G G Swan annuals also comes to an end with runs of Fairies and Funnies albums but of special interest is Gifford's own Giant Monster Comic Book; 92 pages of original artwork in a mock-up annual that never made publication and a unique piece of British comics history.

The 1956 Frank Hampson board of Dan Dare artwork is sure to excite strong interest with its estimate of £800-1000. A similar board from 1951 was sold in France recently for 3000 euros.

Send For Spitfires - an original 63 page complete story artworks for Commando War Stories In Pictures No 83 (1961). By Julio 'Chiche' Medrano.

But the star lot this catalogue concerns the ever popular Commando - the complete illustrated 63 page artwork from Commando 83 'Send For Spitfires', a stunning set from the pen of Julio Medrano. Rarities also include  six Thunderbirds giveaways only redeemable with Dutch margarine wrappers.

Also up for grabs are early issues of Mickey Mouse Weekly - sure to appeal to Disney fans, as will the early British Donald Duck annuals offered. With two (if faded) Frank Bellamy Thunderbirds boards, rare TV Century 21 Holiday Specials, a smashing Frankie Stein piece by Robert Nixon for Monster Fun Annual 1980 and even a 2000AD Issue 1 - complete with free space spinner! - there's plenty here for British comics fans to savour.

• Bids for the Summer 2011 auction at Compalcomicswill be accepted until Tuesday 7 June at 8 PM UK time. Web: www.compalcomics.com/catalogue/index.htm

• If you have a question about any of the items in the catalogue, please send an email to Compalcomics director Malcolm Phillips at comicbookATcompalcomics.com

2000AD, TV21 and Whoopee art offered in latest Compalcomics auction

Bionic Woman art for Look-In 13 by John Bolton. Lot details here

There's artwork and British comic rarities in the Spring 2011 auction at Compalcomics, which has just opened, including 2000AD art by Ron Smith and superb work by artists such as John Bolton, Frank Bellamy, Ken Reid, Robert Nixon and Italian artist Giorgio de Gaspari.

There are 292 lots in the winter catalogue, including a Thunderbirds page by Frank Bellamy published in TV Century 21 Issue 168, and a continuation of individually lotted Dandy Comic war years issues, many not seen at auction before.

The British section also includes Film Fun Issue 1, complete with its incredibly rare free 'Fatty Arbuckle' gift and a rare Beano No 2 is at lot 26 (only a handful of copies are known to exist) and there's a beautifully fresh second Dandy Monster Comic at lot 58, published in 1940.

The Compal team have also unearthed a Radio Fun first issue graded Very Fine for your consideration at lot 19, the comic that introduced readers to comic strip versions of the likes of George The Jolly Gee-Gee, Flanagan & Allen, Sandy Powell, Will Fyffe and brought them the Clark Gable Picture Story ‘Along Paths of Peril’, back in 1938.

Denis Gifford was a comics historian of great importance whose input was well known and the auction featuresa collection of his Gerald G Swan albums and comics as well as an unpublished 1944 album by him entitled 'Corker Comics issues 1-12' for which all of the page settings and original artwork is included.

There is also a minor contribution of artwork characters Larry, Horace and Pop and Percy Pig by RAM, a talented young artist and writer later going on to international comedic fame as one Robert A Monkhouse. Surel a unique piece of British comics history.

This Corker Comics lot features comic strip by the late, great Bob Monkhouse

Dick Daring cover art by Giorgio de Gaspari
for Thriiler Picture Library 244

While there are some terrific lots of comics - both individual and collected, including TV Century 21, Eagle, Junior Express Weekly and many more, it's the art in this auction that is sure to attract attention, not least from Western comics fans who might be salivating over several pieces of cover art for Cowboy Comics and Thriller Picture Library by Italian artist Giorgio de Gaspari whose atmospheric action style is well captured with Kit Carson, The Kansas Kid, Dick Daring and Spy 13.

There's also some 2000AD art on offer - including a page of Judge Dredd by Ron Smith, Ant Wars art by Alfonso Azpiri, and a joint lot featuring art by Adrian D. Beeton and John Stokes.

The Broons and Oor Wullie by Dudley Watkins are up to their usual tricks along with Frankie Stein and the World Wide Weirdies by Ken Reid, and a Frankie Stein piece by Robert Nixon - plus a special Viz artwork that ComPal is  offering on behalf of the charity Sunshine Project International.

You may notice that Simon Donald's snowman theme is well blessed in the testosterone department.  If you don't fancy that there's always the Dennis The Menace Clickity Clicker, given away in an issue of The Beano in 1960 -- in full annoying working order!

• Bids will be accepted until Tuesday 15 March at 8 PM UK time. Catalogue at:  www.compalcomics.com/catalogue/index.htm

(With thanks to Graeme Neil Reid for additional info)