Compal Launches Lot Search, Garth Art Up For Auction

The Autumn 2009 auction at British comics auction site Compalcomics, which has just announced an online search facility for all its past lots, closes soon.

This catalogue's star lot is The Beano Comic No 1 with original advertising flyer, an eight-page mini comic in its own right - expected to sell for some £5,000-5,500 - which is closely followed by a Fine copy of Beano Comic Issue 3.

There are also some extraordinary high grade 1930s comics including Boys' Broadcast Issues 1-36, Buzzer 1-36, Crystal / Girls' Crystal 1-62, Detective Weekly 1-97, Hotspur complete years 19-70 and 71-122, Knock-Out 11-20, Radio Fun 11 & 12, Scoops (The UK's first Sci-Fi Weekly, pictured above) Issues 1-20 complete with never seen before No 1 free gift and Wild West Weekly 1-50. All in all a bronco-bustin' 1930s line-up bristling with free gifts.

Beryl The Peril, Black Bob, Dennis The Menace, Beano and Dandy feature 'rare-in-condition' high grade annuals and there are several 1960s Beano bound volumes in complete years.

This auction's artwork section stars Desperate Dan, The Broons and Oor Wullie - and introduces the superb artwork of Martin Asbury who took over Garth from Frank Bellamy in 1976.

The US section highlights some 1950s lurid covers of Crime SuspenStories, Captain Marvel Adventures and a spasmodic run of Detective Comics from 1949 to the 1960s. Amazing Spider-Man #1 and early issues of Fantastic Four, Hulk, Silver Surfer and X-Men mutate for your attention.

In a major revamp to the site ComPal have also created their own online search facility. Comic Book Auction's 11 year, 45 catalogue run of comics, annuals and artwork can be accessed in one searchable database, featuring over 15,000 lots of comic titles, issue numbers, years, prices, grades and descriptions.

• Bids will be accepted until Tuesday 1st September at 8 PM UK time.To go directly to the main page for the catalogue, click here

• Visit Compal at www.compalcomics.com

Dandy Issue 1, Amazing Fantasy #15 Up For Sale

There's still time to bid on items - including a rare copy of the first ever Dandy - from British online auction site Comic Book Auction's Summer Catalogue.

Included in the British section of the catalogue is an extremely rare first issue of DC Thomson's humour title, Dandy. Published in 1937, this first edition introduced Korky the Cat, Desperate Dan, Keyhole Kate and their chums and is described as "a well worn copy with 3 inch spine tear and multiple edge tears although only minor loss." Only 20 copies of this first issue are known to exist, so expect some high bids, well above the £500-£600 reserve.

Also included this time are some also rare wartime Beanos, all with bright fresh covers and white/off white pages. Since a lot of paper was recycled for the war effort, copies of these issues are probably even rarer than some of the pre-war titles such as Champion, Butterfly, Hotspur and Schoolgirls' Own, which are also being offered.

Original Desperate Dan art by Dudley Watkins - a staple of most these regular auctions - is also offered, including work published in a 1942 issue of the Dandy. (Artist Dan paints the town with bristles from his beard. The pictures are so realistic the mayor gets Dan to camouflage all the tanks and planes for battle!).

Of interest to many downthetubes readers though will be a page of Ron Embleton art featuring Wulf the Briton from Express Weekly 155 (published in 1957), in which Viking Wulf proves himself to the warrior tribesmen in his quest to solve the riddle of the Sphinx. Also beng offered is original Dan Dare art from the Eagle by Desmond Walduck (featuring both Dan and the Mekon), Supercar and Joe 90 art, a Dan Dare space gun, bound copies of Eagle and Lion, issues of TV Century 21 - including several rare and much sought after Specials - Valiant, Tiger and more.

For US comics fans, the chance to own the first appearance of Spider-Man in Amazing Fantasy #15 is sure to stir plenty of interest, even if the issue comes stickered with a British 9d tag. A first issue of Amazing Spider-Man is also in the auction, along with plenty of ther goodies including Fantastic Four #1, X-Men #1, Millie the Model, Batman #20 from 1944 - the first Batmobile cover - and lots of other goodies.

• Bids on items, which include comics and original art, will be accepted until Tuesday 9 June at 8 PM UK time (GMT).

Catalogue Links:

• British comics, annuals and artwork
• US Golden Age comics
• US Silver Age Marvel comics
• US Silver Age DC comics
• US 1970's & 1980's comics