TTHEHE BB EANOEANO && DD ANDYANDY CC OLLECTORSOLLECTORS ’’ CC LUBLUB April 2008 Issue 5

Contents 1-2 Editorial 2 Fan Clubs 3 Letters to the Editor 4 Dandy Monster Comic ID Guide 5 Korky Calendar 6-7 Beano Adventures 8 Beano & Dandy Market Report

EDITORIAL ... Dear Collector, comic turned 70 in De- Worksop, Notts. Of most interest to cember and, in July this year, The myself were those auctions held in the Firstly, despite the fact it is now April, Beano comic follows suit! In celebra- early 00s prior to their retirement in I do hope you had a pleasant Christ- tion, an exhibition of original Beano 2004. All the auctions I attended were mas and the New Year has brought and Dandy comic artwork will be on excellent, but these latter sales were good luck both generally and for your display at The Cartoon Museum in held in the renovated waiting room of collecting. this Summer. Worksop Railway Station and included The past six months have been rather the Denis Gifford collection. Amongst others, , Den- hectic at the phil- HQ. I men- nis the Menace, The Bash Street Kids, I am a great advocate of eBay and tioned a stock of nearly 10,000 com- Minnie the Minx, Lord Snooty, Beryl buying online from the comfort of ics in the last newsletter which, un- the Peril, , and Les your own home, but you cannot, in surprisingly, was getting a little out of Pretend will appear. my opinion at least, beat the excite- hand, even with a room devoted to ment of buying in person at auction. them in the new flat. Many of you The exhibition begins on the big day If you thought there was a lot of auc- with internet access will have seen itself, 30 th July, and runs through until tion psychology involved in online the mammoth listings we ran on 2nd November. We visited a similar auctions, live auctions take it to a new eBay, from mid October right up to exhibition at the museum in 2006 and dimension! Christmas week. We had a break in it was enjoyable to see early exam- January, recommenced in February ples of the original comic art. Handling the books and, in my case, and are set to continue at our current smelling them too, the pre-sale ban- The exhibition will be held at The Car- rate all year. Many of the auctions ter, working out where best to sit (or toon Museum, 35 Little Russell Street, have been Beano and Dandy items stand – usually at the back to keep a London, WC1A 2HH. To find out more and I have discussed notable results watchful eye on what’s going on!), details you can contact the museum in a Market Report on checking out the likely competition, on 0207 580 8155 or visit their web- the back page. working out maximum bids (and try- site at www.cartoonmuseum.org. ing to stick to them!) and post-sale Congratulations to Jona- My thanks go to recent subscriber reflections (hopefully without fisty- than Juleff who claimed Paolo Francis of Croydon, who kindly cuffs) all add up to an exciting, his hat-trick and won sent a comic adrenaline-fuelled day! the 1964 Christmas strip of his own Beano comic. Euan Arguably my most memorable mo- hand about the Kerr, BeanoMax editor, ment at a live Hamer Auction was in rivalry at a live picked the triumphant October 2000, at Worksop Station, auction—the line: “Perhaps I should when complete collections of Beano auctioned item have left the lid on the honey pot.” and Dandy annuals were offered. At being the #1 Lot 291 was “The Dandy Monster It is with regret that I have not in- Dandy comic. Comic 1939 No 1 Inscr As Fine an cluded a caption competition with this Space limitations example as you could wish to see Est. issue. To date, captions have been mean the whole £3,000”. On entering the auction received from less than 10% of sub- strip cannot be room, Martin Hamer, fully aware of scribers which suggests the general reproduced here so I have included my desire for Fine annuals, rushed interest in the feature is low. I feel just one frame, above. over, offered a firm handshake and therefore the space would be better The strip reminded me of the days ushered me to a glass topped cabinet. suited to other features which should when Hamer Auctions (Martin and On opening it he took out Lot 291, generate wider interest. Janet Hamer) ran live auctions in turned the book over and exclaimed

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COLLECTORS ’ C LUB I NFORMATION & Dandy Collectors’ Club Articles for publication will be gratefully PO Box 3433 received and should be sent to the PO Box Brighton address as should any other correspon- BN50 9JA dence. Subscription costs (3 x newsletters) Tel 01273 673462 UK £9.95 (PayPal £10.60) Mob 07739 844703 Email [email protected] Europe £12.75 (PayPal £13.50) Web www.phil-comics.com Worldwide £14.50 (PayPal £15.50)

The BEANO and The DANDY logos are ®© DC Thomson & Co. Ltd., 2008. All associated characters are © DC Thomson & Co. Ltd.

Used By Kind Permission of DC Thomson & Co. Ltd.

“Look at that back board!” The back Club (I think I joined twice, in fact!) Long live The board in question (pictured on page but wasn’t a member of the Pie- Beano & 4) was (it still is) gleaming white and Eaters’ club, although am quite partial Dandy Collec- spotless! to a steak and kidney at the local tors’ Club! chippy! Anyway, shortly after publish- This auction was held before my ing issue 4, I did in fact join the club. friendship with my arch nemesis, Well, I cheated a little and purchased David Jones, had fully blossomed, but a former member’s club goodies it transpired several months later in through eBay. The Pie-Eaters’ club email correspondence that he too was offered a wallet containing two present at the auction and had re- badges, a set of stickers, secrets of ceived the same “back board” treat- ment! Fortunately for me, the rivalry that Martin was (understandably) hankering for was not tested on that particular day as I was delighted, and astonished, when nobody else bid and Desperate Dan’s muscle building ex- the hammer came crashing down (I ercises and several Pie-Eater’s pass- say crashing - it felt like an eternity at words, including “Howdy, what time is the time!) at my reserve price bid of it? Cowpie Time!” £2,500. The Dennis the Menace Fan Club of- Do any subscribers have fond memo- fered a very similar member pack, ries of a live auction or indeed a with wallet, a Dennis the Menace Hamer Auction? Perhaps you too had badge, furry badge and a the “back board” treatment?! variety of passwords. “Members I hope you enjoy this newsletter. should greet each other with Best wishes, “D.I.N.G.” (Dennis is never good) and “D.O.N.G.” (Dennis owns naughty Gnasher).” Secretly supplied by Gnasher and only to be used by Fang Club Members were Gnashwords Phil Shrimpton (Gnosh! = Dinner’s ready; Gnashty! = Dinner’s horrible; Gnight-Gnight = FAN C LUBS by Phil Shrimpton Sleep well etc). Despite the DTM Fan Club ending I mentioned the Desperate Dan Pie- in 1998, the Gnasher badge has Eaters’ Club in the last newsletter and not been forgotten. The Kaiser decided to put my enquiry to DC Chiefs (an indie band from Leeds, Thomson, who were probably in the UK) used the Gnasher badge on best position to respond. They in- the cover of a limited edition 7” formed me that the Desperate Dan single called “The Angry Mob”, Pie-Eaters’ Club, having begun in June pictured right, released in August 1978, ended in the mid 1990s with 2007, with artwork by the Beano about 350,000 members. The Dennis artist . the Menace Fan Club began in June 1976 and ended in 1998 with approximately 1.3 million members! I was a member of the Dennis the Menace Fan

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LETTERS TO THE E DITOR Hi Phil Editor Thanks Peter, a most inter- making of The Beano issue No. 2020 esting account to which I’m sure and particularly the Dennis The Men- I wanted to say a big thanks for many a subscriber can relate to. If ace strip. The presenter of the pro- newsletter issue #4. I really felt this anyone knew the shop please get in gramme was characterised as the was a strong issue. It was broader touch... man who features throughout the than before, particularly strip (get your copy out and you will holding more Dandy interest. As mentioned in my first Editorial, see what I mean). It is easy to date my own collecting essentially began Can I please say that as well as ad- because of the issue number— it was in two shops in Birmingham City miring your dedication to making this 1981. Obviously it was a great show Centre called Reader’s World. My a success - it is clearly evident in the to watch and I recorded it, but some favourite of the two was in a now- effort you put in - I also recognise years later I foolishly recorded over demolished subway in Smallbrook and admire your balance of opinion, it. Queensway, near the Chinese Quar- rectitude and responsibility in pro- ter. It had a particularly musty Did you see it and do you have a ducing the final version. In the latest aroma to it which I can still smell copy? Maybe a fellow subscriber has issue I was particularly impressed today! Those were the days… a copy? The BBC certainly should. with your treatment of the Dandy Xtreme. A brave Hi Phil, Regards, inclusion but an absolute must and I … I recently built a Korky the Cat Phil Porter, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne loved your respectful treatment of it. whirligig for the garden and thought Editor I put your note to Euan Kerr Kind regards as always, it might give you a laugh. who replied as follows: Paul Spice, Australia It has a split propeller and the blades Hi Phil are formed by his legs so when the Editor Thanks for your kind words, wind blows his little legs go round I do indeed remember the pro- Paul. It has always been my inten- like bill-o (or even)...note gramme and the strip. In fact, hav- tion to give a broad array of articles the fishing rod and the fish - hence ing just rooted through my drawers and balanced opinion of the comics the reason for his mad dash away (ahem!), I've come up with a slightly and of course welcome subscribers from the gamey! crumpled copy of the issue auto- thoughts in the form of Letters to the graphed by the TV team. It's from Editor or indeed features or articles. Best wishes, #2020, April 4th 1981. The recording Hi Phil Gary Seal, Shropshire was made when Harry Cramond was still at the helm. The signatures are In around 1970 (I recall Cor!! Comic rather unclear but the director’s had just been launched), there was a name was Peter, the presenter Alan small shop near me in New Road, and the researchers Alice and Portsmouth, run by an old man, Hayley. If I remember correctly, the which I used to frequent as a 6 or 7 programme was for Middle English year old. He used to sell small, for BBC Schools. I'd guess that any rolled-up bundles of old (even then!) showing in 1985 was a repeat. It's comics for 1d (one old penny) a been shown a few times since. time. Nothing else but old comics. I'd choose five and he'd carefully tie Hope this is of some help. them together with a piece of string. Euan I vividly recall looking at Beano and Dandy comics numbered in their Editor My thanks go to Euan for 300s and 400s and thinking how very Editor Many thanks for sharing that helping out. Phil replied to Euan’s long those comics had already been with us, Gary. Having sifted through reply: “That's great, Phil. Next ques- running. The earliest issue number I a few 1970s Dandy comics it didn’t tion: how do we get to see it again? I remember seeing was something like take long to find an appropriate strip will leave that one with you.” Beano or Dandy #65, but complete of the type that you no doubt had in So, any ideas out there, collectors? runs were present of Wizard, Hot- mind when making the whirligig... spur, Rover, etc. It was the number- Whilst on the subject of comics in the ing and related dates which always press, I was recently interviewed by caught my eye first. My most vivid a BBC Radio 4 journalist for a show memory is of the musty smell of the called The Reunion, which reunites a place; that unique smell group of people intimately involved which inevitably emanates from old in a moment of modern history. In comics. this instance the Beano and Dandy comics of DC Thomson were dis- The old man must have been way cussed. ahead of his time because I never knew anyone else who believed there The show was broadcast on Sunday, was any value in keeping and resell- 20th April and the main interviewees ing these gems. I hope he lived long were Morris Heggie, former Dandy enough to see that his interest back Hi Phil, Editor, artists and Jim then would realise itself in this elec- Petrie, and writers Walter Fearn Around 1985 when I was 11 and off tronic, computerised age. If any- and Dave Torrie, with clip/quotes school, for whatever reason, I saw a one ever knew the shop I'd love to from myself and several others. If BBC 2 (I think) daytime programme hear about it! you missed it, I hope to discuss the about The Beano, its history and its show in an article in issue 6. All the best, current production. It interviewed Euan Kerr and actually showed the Watch this space! Peter Gates, Portsmouth - 3 -

ANNUAL I DENTIFICATION G UIDE 2: D ANDY M ONSTER C OMIC 1939-1949 Those subscribers who are fortunate youngsters indeed. This first, mile- ics with captions from Denis Gifford. enough to own a copy, or have even stone annual had a chunky look and Unlike the Black Bob annuals featured just handled one, will appreciate that heavy feel with attractive cover and in issue 4, where the back covers are those youngsters discovering a Dandy spine artwork making it seem very useful in identifying the years, the Monster Comic in their stocking on De- good value for half a crown. Inside uniqueness of The Dandy Monster cember 25th, 1938, were very lucky were 128 pages crammed full of Comic front covers renders the back comic capers and text stories from covers null in this respect (unless, of the characters that readers had course, an annual lacks its front grown to love since The Dandy cover!). Despite this, the rear covers comic began a little over a year ear- are rather attractive, featuring a single lier. character such as Diver Dick and Hun- The cover of the first Dandy Mon- gry Horace, so worth picturing here. ster Comic was a feast for the eye, The annuals are in order from top to with Korky the Cat standing glee- bottom, left to right, starting with 1939 fully to one side as he introduces and ending with 1949. many of his fellow Dandy charac- ters. Inside, Desperate Dan and Next issue - Beano Books 1940-49! Korky the Cat were seen in four adventures each, whilst , Smarty , and Hungry Horace all had three. DC Thomson were past masters at compiling enticing annuals. During the 1920s and 1930s the publishers accompanied the weekly Rover, Wizard, Skipper, Hotspur and Ad- venture story papers with annuals at Christmas. The Dandy Monster Comic was a clear success as the following year, along with the very first Beano Book, the second Monster Comic was produced. The Dandy Monster Comic title lasted until 1953 where it changed to The Dandy Book. The chunky feel of the first issue issue (the pages were made of cardboard!) lasted until the second issue where-after, for the years 1941, 1942 and 1943 at least, the format became slightly taller and thinner, albeit maintaining a page count of 128. In 1944 the book be- came thinner still and has remained at that thickness to this day. The pictorial spine of the first an- nual was very attractive and a simi- lar design was adopted for the 1940 and 1941 editions, but this format was dropped for the 1942 annual, being substituted for a simple de- sign, as seen below. Although this design is rather appealing in its own right, it is not as attractive as the pictorial designs.

As you will see from the surround- ing images, the covers of the Dandy Monster Comic annuals were a sin- gle image involving many of the Dandy characters. Personal favour- ites of mine are the 1944 and 1945 annuals, the latter of which was reproduced on the cover of the 1974 Christmas Observer Magazine, containing an article on British com-

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AUCTION R ESULTS A RCHIVE

In issue 4 we made a brief mention to our forthcoming auction results feature and are pleased to announce that the archive is now fully up and running. Currently, there are 5,000 auction results from our 2003-2008 sales, covering a broad spectrum of British comics from the 1920’s to the present day. Of these, some 1,600 are Beano comics, 185 Beano Books, 650 Dandy comics, 115 Dandy Books and 100+ Beano and Dandy Summer Specials. These results cover the years 1937 up to the 1990s so feel free to browse the archive for it forms a very useful resource for the collector. Please visit the Auction Results page of our website to browse the archive. phil-comics auctions, PO Box 3433, Brighton, BN50 9JA, UK 01273 673462 - [email protected] - www.phil-comics.com

VALUATION S ERVICE Applying fifteen years of experienced knowledge as collec- complete the list of items along with their grades. You can tors, dealers and auctioneers to the British comic market, find our Grading Guide on the Auction Services page. For we are pleased to offer a new collection valuation service. higher value items it would be useful to supply us with The valuation service applies to vintage British comics, digital images. annuals and related material. For significant collections within the South East of Eng- Use our valuation service to keep up to date with the land, we may be able to travel to you to value your collec- value of your collection/investment and/or to insure your tion in person, for an additional fee. collection for an appropriate value. We are happy to discuss your requirements with you prior Requirements to carrying out a valuation. We require a list of the items in your collection along with Fees their grade/condition, leaving a space for us to assign a We charge £10 per hour and can take payment by value. We can provide a template, by email, for you to cheque, Postal Order or PayPal.

KORKY C ALENDAR 1946 by Phil Shrimpton

Approximately three years ago I saw a rather unusual item on eBay, one that I had certainly never seen or heard of before. So unusual I thought it to be that I questioned its authenticity and wondered if it was an “amateur” job, although the artwork admittedly looked of a high quality— almost too official to be so. The seller had found it amongst a box of tatty 1940s Dandy Monster Comic annuals

and Magic Beano Books. Despite being unable to verify its authenticity I decided it was worth the risk and placed a bid. To my delight I won the attractive little item; a Korky calendar for the year 1946, which admit- tedly narrowed the search for its source down somewhat. Had it come from the 1945 Dandy Monster Comic annual? Perhaps a weekly Dandy comic or from one of DC Thom- son’s other comics? Well, it wasn’t long before I was able to verify that the item was indeed original when, several weeks later, I saw a New Year Dandy comic advertised on eBay and asked the seller if there was any reference to the Korky calendar. A prompt reply arrived with a picture of the back cover, and there it was! It was Dandy comic #309, dated 5 th Jan 1946. Inside the comic is a nice little advert on how to make the Korky calendar and it seems that the origi- nal owner chose to deface his/her comic and cut out the back page. We have never seen another exam- ple and are confident in going so far as saying it is probably the only surviving original example of the calendar in its made up format. Unless you know differently, of course!

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BEANO A DVENTURES by Norman Wright

Now regarded almost solely as a Thomson had a penchant for strong- ings and makeshift paddles, pulling comic of knockabout humour, it must man strips and Morgyn was the first towards a palm-strewn island. Soon not be forgotten that, during the first of several to feature in The Beano . the castaways are ashore and, after thirty five or so years of its life, The a hearty meal of coconuts and ba- In a short article it is not possible to Beano also offered readers a wealth nanas, row back to the ship in true consider in detail all the many ad- of first class adventure strips, some of Crusoe fashion in order to salvage venture strips that featured over the which have become classics of the whatever they could from the decades, so we must quickly pass by genre. In this feature I will be looking stricken vessel. Jack Glass’ “The Prince on the Flying at the comic’s earliest adventure Horse” and James Walker’s well- Once settled on the island the casta- strips and then concentrating on two drawn “The Tiger Trail of Kandabar” ways build a bamboo home and con- of its most iconic strips that appeared and move on to 1941 to look briefly struct a number of other ‘mod-cons’. within its pages during its formative at the very first adventure strip to be Later they discover a hoard of pirate years. drawn by the great Dudley D. Wat- treasure hidden in a cave. In issue The Beano got its adventure strip ros- kins. 207 a waterspout throws part of ter off to a safe start with “Morgyn their former ship onto dry land and Watkins had drawn spot illustrations The Mighty, The Strongest man in the they convert it into a new home. The for “The Adventures of Tom World”, drawn by George Anderson on following week they construct a Thumb” (pictured here) since The pages four and five of the inaugural swimming pool in the lagoon – com- Beano ’s first issue but, in the sum- issue. Morgyn was a tried and tested mer of 1941, he character having appeared in text began drawing Tom form in the pages of Rover since Thumb’s adven- 1928. Anderson’s drawing was ac- tures in picture ceptable, constrained by the formalis- strip form (Watkins tic approach demanded by almost was to draw Tom every British comic of the time that Thumb again dictated action always had to be twenty years later viewed ‘straight on’, allowing the art- when the nursery ist little flexibility to draw his frames comic used from more interesting perspectives. the character on its The page format of six similar-sized front cover). Once panels, each with an accompanying DC Thomson real- text block, was another factor that did ised that Watkins little to enhance the dynamics of the was as accom- adventures. plished at adven- The other adventure strips that ap- ture strips as he peared in Beano No. 1 were “ was with the Jack”, a cowboy story drawn by the ‘funnies’, they prolific Jack Glass and “Wild Boy of quickly began to the Wood”, drawn by Richard Baynes. tap this new re- This trio formed the blueprint for most source for The of the adventure strip output that Beano and, in Sep- would be published in future issues of tember 1942, he plete with an anti-shark net. A few the comic: westerns, the ‘boy alone’ produced a western called “Lone weeks later a shadow is cast over and ‘strongman’ adventures. DC Wolf”. Far more interesting than the island after Danny rescues a “Tom Thumb”, it was a taster of the one-legged mariner from the sea. splendid adventure strips that were ‘Peg-leg’ proves to be a villain who to flow from his busy pen in the en- steals the pirate treasure and at- suing few years. “Lone Wolf” ran for tempts to kill Gloopy and Sampson only 12 episodes but, the week after before his plans are thwarted and he its final instalment, Watkins began a is sent packing, leaving the casta- new adventure that was destined to ways to once again enjoy their tropi- become one of the comic’s most en- cal home. “The Shipwrecked Circus” during adventure strips. had literate scripts and Watkins’ at- While “Big Eggo” was performing mospheric artwork gives the adven- skating tricks on the icy cover of The tures a great sense of gusto. Beano No. 200, on page four a group After 13 episodes Watkins relin- of characters were in hotter water quished the artwork to Jack Prout, paddling a makeshift raft across a best remembered for his depiction of stretch of the South Seas after their Black Bob, the Dandy Wonder Dog, ship had struck a reef during a fierce who continued drawing the strip until storm. The five castaways of “The December, 1943. Shipwrecked Circus” were Strong- man Sampson, Trixie the acrobat, The second “Shipwrecked Circus” Gloopy the clown, Horace the edu- series began in the The Beano Xmas cated chimp and a young boy called Comic for 1946 and ran throughout Danny. Watkins’ finely wrought the fortnightly issues of 1947. Wat- opening illustration, spread across kins was signing his work during this the full width of the page, depicts period and his artistic skill was at its the five with their few scant belong- peak. The panels of that Christmas

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Jimmy had only to wish to be in some historical pe- riod or at some histori- cal or mythi- cal event to find himself whisked off to that very time and place. The scriptwriters were afforded almost limit- less scope. The first ‘Magic Patch’ episode are crammed with detail as adventure began in issue 222 and, Sampson rescued their giant-sized during the course of the first series, Christmas pudding from a marauding Jimmy found himself in a wide vari- swordfish. As in so many of the ety of settings: everywhere from Thomson ‘strongman’ adventure Ancient Egypt to Saxon , strips, the local fauna is decimated along the way encountering Dick out of hand. When the scriptwriter Turpin, Francis Drake, King Alfred, wanted to add a touch of drama to commoners alike and he became one Bonnie Prince Charlie and many other his plot he inevitably had his hero of the most popular characters in famous figures both real and legen- encounter and destroyed some large The Beano . dary. His final first series adventure wild creature. At the time the strips found him in Merry England helping When took over the were appearing, there was less con- Robin Hood. The latter was to prove character in 1950 he had a hard act cern over the slaughter of wildlife the most visited of Jimmy’s famous to follow. Despite producing some but from a modern perspective it is, characters: of course, totally unacceptable and over the dec- for some readers of today would take ades Robin the gloss off the episodes. Hood was as- “The Shipwrecked Circus” returned sisted by to the pages of The Beano in 1951, Jimmy on 1955 and 1957. For these later se- more than ries the artwork was provided by half a dozen Paddy Brennan. Brennan proved an occasions – ideal artist to take on some of the not counting adventure strip chores relinquished reprints! by Watkins, when the latter was re- Jimmy Watson quired to increase his output of hu- was a robust, morous strips for The Topper and determined . Brennan’s work has a and resource- great strength and a sense of move- ful character, not easily fazed. He ment that carries the reader breath- enjoyable work his Jimmy – in my faced pirates, monsters and great fires lessly along. opinion - was not a ‘patch’ on his with equal equanimity, always finding predecessor’s and, in 1955, Beano In 1958 The Beano reprinted some something handy in his well-filled began reprinting the earlier ‘Magic of the earliest adventures of the pockets to get himself, and often some Patch’ strips. There were series of castaways - including their very first important character from history, out Dudley Watkins reprints published in appearance - as reduced-size strips, of difficulties. How different many his- The Beano during 1955, 1956 and with their original text blocks torical events would have turned out if 1957, during the course of which trimmed to the bare minimum, al- Jimmy had not been on hand to help. nearly half of the original strips were lowing Watkins’ artwork to tell the It was he who warned King James of reprinted. New Paddy Brennan strips, story almost unaided. the Gunpowder Plot; who helped drawn in a more comic style, began Boadicea to defeat the Romans and Although “The Shipwrecked Circus” in the summer of 1959 and ran until who provided the Greeks inside the was extremely popular, arguably the December of that year when the Wooden Horse with cough sweets in greatest Beano adventure strip be- young adventurer took his leave order that they would not be heard by gan on 1 January 1944, when young from the pages of The Beano the Trojans. Jimmy Watson set off for school, (although he did pop up in the annu- climbed a tree to save a cat and tore Dudley Watkins drew the first three als for 1960, 1961 and 1963). Of all his trousers. The seat of his torn series of “Jimmy and His Magic Patch”, the The Beano adventure strips it is trousers was patched with a piece of some ninety plus strips. There is no perhaps “Jimmy and His Magic fabric cut from a magic carpet. doubt that he produced some of his Patch” that is most fondly remem- “Jimmy and His Magic Patch” had all very best work for the series, excelling bered by readers. the ingredients for the perfect ad- at depicting the many different histori- Editor My thanks go to Norman for venture strip. With the premise that, cal periods that the scripts demanded. contributing this article. Watch this when wearing the trousers with the His Jimmy was a most likeable, sturdy space in future newsletters for more patch (which was all the time!), fellow who sat at ease with kings and articles from Norman. - 7 -

PHIL -COMICS AUCTIONS : B EANO & D ANDY M ARKET R EPORT As mentioned in the Editorial, we have been auctioning a ise more in comics, but the annuals are still key to our multitude of items over the last six months and many of auction sales in keeping a wide variety of those auctions have been Beano and Dandy items. Where collectors keen. In October we sold a better to discuss the results than in the pages of this very VG/VG+ example of the 1942 Dandy newsletter! Monster Comic, privately, for £750. The buyer had already had a copy for several Auction market trends are dictated by several key factors, years in lower grade, so was delighted including the grade of an item, its level of supply, the time with this significantly better example. of year the sale is held and the number of collectors bid- ding at any one time. This all adds up to a certain element Magic-Beano Books in very high grade of mystery and surprise which, to us at phil-comics, con- rarely surface but, over the last few tributes considerably to the excitement of an auction! years, we have seen a relatively steady flow of One could argue that late 1940s examples in lowish grade most of these factors con- coming onto the eBay market. With high tributed to our very suc- grade books often fetching many hun- cessful sale of a VG+ ex- dreds of pounds, there is no shortage of ample of the 1943 Christ- collectors trying to scoop an affordable mas Beano comic - the copy, with no intention of ever trying to rarity fetched a stealthy upgrade. Consequently, there was plenty £290! Few collectors can of interest in a small selection we offered resist a punt at a rare, that fitted this criteria: 1946 (Fair): high grade Christmas £147, 1949 (Good-): £77 and 1950 (Fair/Good): £103. comic in the weeks preceding the big event. An equally Later annuals are always of interest and £103 and £69 admirable £190 was achieved for the Dandy counterpart. were achieved, respectively, for VG/Fine 1954 and 1960 As Beano and Dandy comics/annuals so often went hand in Beano Books. hand, when we are contacted by an original owner who has In our experience, Summer Specials are not as widely a collection of comics/annuals to sell, we are invariably collected as the annuals and weekly comics. The fact they offered both Beano and Dandy items together. When mak- are large to store and were often origi- ing an offer, we will often state that, as a general rule, nally folded/worn due to their large size Dandy items are worth approximately two thirds of the no doubt puts some collectors off. All value of Beano items. The two results above illustrate this issues pre-1966 are point very well. scarce whereas the We were pleased to acquire the genuinely first, joint Beano- rare first Dandy Christmas comic (#4, Dandy publication, and dated December 1937) in VG condition, the first separate is- and sold it privately for the princely sum sues of 1964, are rare. of £434. We know of approximately five Several keen collectors examples so it comes as no surprise that are prepared to pay the comic commanded a premium price. premium prices for elusive items; the A subset of collectors will only seek high 1963 Dandy-Beano Summer Special grade items, often aiming for a minimum recently made £112 despite the fact that grade of Fine. However, there is no shortage of enthusiasts the covers were detached and half the rear cover was who are quite happy with lower grade items, whether that missing! An impressive £171 was achieved for a VG 1964 be to fill a gap or for general reading. Several Fair exam- Dandy and £182 for a G/VG 1964 Beano Summer Special, ples of 1950’s Christmas comics were bought, by various pictured on the front cover. different bidders, for between £15 and £20 each. The buyer of the Dandy Summer Special was one of three Other notable Christmas or four very avid Dandy comic collectors on our books comic results included a who, coincidentally, are all trying to complete their collec- 1940 Beano (Fair) at £127, tions of Dandy comics from around 1958 to 1970. We 1946 Beano (VG) reaching listed a small run of scarce Dandy comics from late 1960 £70, Beano 1965 (G/VG) at and the prices soared to an average of £20 each when £21, 1954 and 1964 Dandy usually comics of this period exchange (both VG/VG+) at £23 each hands for around a fiver. and 1961 Dandy (VG) at We have recently branched out into £19. original artwork and have sold two Landmark Beano comics containing the first appearance of pages of art, from the key characters always attract wide interest – examples of late 1960s, for £150 each. We will the first Bash Street Kids (1954) and shortly be offering an original David (1953) were both jousted to over £50, Walter the Softy Law Corporal Clott piece from 1970 so (1953) mustered £18 and Gnasher (1968) chomped his please keep an eye on our auctions/ way to £26. Other special issue Beano comics include the website sales. last Biffo Bear and first Dennis the Menace covers, from As seen in our advert on page 5, we 1974, which were battled to £19 and £29 respectively. Not have recently published our entire auction results, from forgetting Dandy comics, the first Corporal Clott (1960) 2003 to the present day, on our website. Feel free to achieved £27 and Winker-Watson (1961) wangled his way browse nearly 5,000 auction results to monitor the value to £28. of items in your collection and, if wishing to sell an item or In 2003, when our trading began to take off, we primarily indeed collection, gather an idea of what you might expect sold annuals. In the years since we have tended to special- to achieve if selling through phil-comics auctions.

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