Garystar

Thanks. Unfortunately I need about 120 issues across the two titles and they’re so difficult to come by in UK. A shorter run title like Gunsmoke Western may be more attainable. Strange Tales and JIM are higher up my wants lists - although more expensive I don’t need many issues of either so I’m more focused on these.

There's a good history of Spider-man's creation in this magazine by Greg Theakston. In summary the idea of a super hero called spiderman was Joe Simon's (Jack's partner) in 1953. He didn't like the name and revised it to the Silver Spider. His draft pages were rejected as the concept was too much like Captain Marvel but years later he gave them to Jack Kirby who worked them and the character became the Fly. By 1962 Jack was at Marvel, Stan asked Jack if he had any ideas for new super heroes and Jack mentioned Joe's character Spiderman/Silver Spider. Stan liked the name and asked Jack to go away and do a few pages, Jack came back with the pages - a small boy who would transform by means of a magic ring into a heroic figure with a web pistol. Stan rejected the concept but liked the name Spiderman so gave the project with a few ideas how he wanted it to be and an origin to Steve Ditko. Steve went away and came back with the Spider-man we know from Amazing Fantasy #15. So Spider-man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko based on ideas by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. (No mention of Joan Lee);

I think there's a chance with Sgt Fury #167. It fits the pattern of final issues and same month as the recently found Marvel superheroes #104. It makes some sense that titles with falling sales are sent to UK to find some more buyers and perhaps save them from cancellation. Sgt Fury #167 would have had a declining print run, with UKPV being a small fraction of the overall print then they would be quite scarce. I would have only looked for Sgt fury #167 when i was looking to complete my set, I obviously didn't see any UKPV at the time because mind is cents. I'll keep an eye out now though.

Mostly recollection with some fact: Early 1970s distribution rights for US Marvel comics transferred from T&P to World Distributors. I believe WD were the distributors of US Marvels when MWOM was published in October 1972, a (very) quick search on Ebay shows T&P stamps on Marvels cover dated July 1971 but no T&P stamps on Marvels post August 1971 so I assume this is when the change over occurred. I started collecting in May 1973 but Marvels were incredibly hard to find, I could find no regular source of Marvels, those I found titles were pretty scattergun and dates ranged from late 1960s to present and were a mixture of 15c T&P, UKPV 1/- and UKPV 6p. Then in December 1973 current UKPV Marvels started appearing in all the newsagents whilst the older T&P ones disappeared. However they only appeared for a few months until March 1974 when only six issues appeared (possibly the six earliest printed for cover date March) then none at all April – July anywhere in UK. In August 1974 UKPV 7p Marvels re-appeared everywhere and were easy to find. However distribution was now aligned with Marvel’s UK B&W reprint and several titles which had UK reprints were no longer available – Avengers, Spider-man, Hulk etc. Spider-man and Hulk had already been non-distributed since 1973, I suspect that once Marvel UK started publication with MWOM in October 1972 Marvel took much more interest in distribution – not from a collector/readers point but from a financial one. I think I’ll look to getting some UK fanzines from around the early 1970s and see what they have to say. I recall a lot of discontent with the non-appearance of several titles.

Agree Duncan has lots of inaccuracies regarding distribution. I know you’re going to educate me better but I don’t (until your next post) believe there were any stamped cents Marvels after distribution shake up August 1974. After this date Marvels were either non-distributed or were UKPV.

I see Duncan McAlpine’s last UK guide has Sgt Fury #167 as distributed scarce in U.K. Does he know or seen something we haven’t or just got this one wrong?

Some strange patterns/thinking with distribution of last issues; Jungle Action, strange Tales and Where Monsters Dwell, generally distributed but last issue not, crypt of Shadows and Vault of Evil no issues distributed bar the last. We also missed last issues of Nova and Invaders (double size) machine man. I’m sure there are more and you’ve exhausted searches, seems odd how many last issues break the distribution pattern.

Looking for patterns you’ve touched on one yourself - last/late run issues. MSA 37 last issue, MSH last two issues before pence issues ended. Rawhide Kid was non-distributed for many years but the last issue turned up over here, similarly Sgt Fury non-distributed for years but the last few issues were distributed. What chance Sgt Fury #167 exists in pence, or a couple of those later Rawhides, or last issues of some of the horror reprints? Perhaps worth looking at last few issues of titles ended during the 80s which were otherwise non-distributed. Just a thought.

I can never understand the thinking of someone selling a comic for £4,450 asking another £2.95 postage. Surely you’d dangle the carrot of free postage that would have swung it for me, if I hadn’t blown my budget on those Marvel Tales.

Just posted these in the western thread and thought appropriate for this thread also. 101 - 151 are in the attic so not to hand to photograph.

This is the stamp on Rawhide #10. I can’t make it out even in hand or under a light (also tried a black light). Kid colt I have from 100 to last issue and a few earlier, two gun from 60 to last issue and a few earlier including #1. At the rate of 2 or 3 a year I will be 100 by the time I complete. Another problem collecting in UK is the time difference; I was recently outbid, by one bid, on a Kid colt #1 towards the end of the auction, it ended in the middle of the night here so I wasn’t able to react to being outbid.

My Rawhide #10 has a stamp - it’s 9 something or other but unfortunately too dark to see properly. Could it be an early T&P? but could be 9 cents second hand stamp. Nice KC #91, it’s one I haven’t got. Was kid colt distributed from 95 or 96?

Thanks. Finding them in UK is the problem. Kid colt was not distributed in UK until #96, TGK until #54, westerns were not as popular as superhero titles so dealers nor collectors didn’t make the effort/expense to import them. Pre-internet these issues were rare to non-existent in UK. I’m not fussy about grade of westerns, if I was I wouldn’t have found more than a handful here. Of course I can now source them from all over the world but then shipping is often twice the cost of the comic and a mental barrier prevents me paying $50 for a $15 comic. Rawhide kid was distributed from #17 so fewer difficult issues to track down. To my mind it was generally the best read of the westerns so perhaps others thought the same and hence more copies in circulation here.

Being in the UK this was a hard set to put together. I’ve just about given up hope if completing Kid Colt, lingering hopes for Two Gun Kid.

MMMS Sweatshirt. Front; Back;

This one is in comic book style. Issued recently to raise funds to support road crews who have no work whilst gigs and tours cancelled due to Covid.

Here's a UK oddity, From SMASH #38 October 1966. Despite the Batman strip on cover the issue's point of interest is a NEW hulk strip. Sometimes referred to as Avengers 3 1/2 as the story follows on from Avengers #3. The villain was later retconed as the The Masked Matador from Daredevil #5; .

Don't think the stickers have been shown before, at least no longer visible;

I just checked and you're right, MMMS memorabilia included super-heroines but none of the romance characters. Patsy, Hedy and Millie did however make it on to the official Marvel stationery though.

From (cover dated) February 1971 comics...

Fantastic Four #250 letters page. I was reading most Marvels at this time and recall FF being the title I most looked forward to reading.

Distribution in UK until 1974 was all over the place. I started collecting in 1973 with a pick up of twelve "brand new/mint" Marvels all dated 1969. The disadvantage was it was impossible to read anything in continuity, my first Daredevil pick up was #97 the next was #60. I bought FF #111 and #129 in a shop, both new, together. The advantage was you could find the odd gem. In 1974, in a corner shop in Swindon I picked up "brand new/mint" FF#48 for 8p (regular distributed Marvels were 7p at the time, 20c cover price ). A few weeks later at the same shop I picked up Spider-man #129 again "brand new/mint" for 8p despite the fact it wasn't officially distributed in UK.

Hi Steve, Sorry I can't help, my #104 is a cents copy. My # 72 and 80 are pence but all other copies are cents. Do you own the #104? A quick search of ebay shows #72 and 80 readily available in pence but not #104, this must be exceedingly rare or a mock up - in which case it's well done, can't see the joins. Was there a set number of titles distributed in UK each month? If so perhaps your records could calculate if this issue makes up that number (which would support it being genuine) of exceeds it (which would support it being a fraud). (I tried to post a reply yesterday but it appears to have vanished in the ether, or its landed on some other thread).

My Alan Austin price guides. The colour one is my original from 1983 which explains why it’s falling apart. 1975 - amazing fantasy #15 mint £15 1979 - amazing fantasy #15 mint £120 Green lantern #76 mint £18 1983 amazing fantasy #15 mint £300

and here's the UK reprinting of ASM#10 to make triplets. Note the art is slightly different with spacing between Ox and Fancy Dan. I think the yellow background works better also.