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UK Collectors in the 70's

Started by nmtg9,

37 posts in this topic

nmtg9

nmtg9

Posted
Posted

 

up till about 1972 thorpe and proter distributed comics in the uk. i remember new books coming out over here from about 1978.

 

as uk collectors will know the books in between were ND (not distributed). back in the 80's these back issue books often cost a little more because of this.

 

is there any UK collector from the 70's who can tell me how they continued to buy new comics during this time? were they still distributed but in smaller numbers and by who?

 

what happened? i know my dad wasnt buying many during this time anyway - times were hard in the mid-late seventies and he had a new family etc.

 

neil

 

 

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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From my experience buying new comics in the UK was always hit and miss in the 70's.

 

I would go into the news-agents and they would have a rack full of DC & Marvel comics. These would usually be from the last couple of months but there would always be gaps in the issue numbers - and not from people buying them, that's how they came into the shop - so you might get two consecutive issues of FF (say 172 & 173) and the other one in the shop would be 175!

 

I never understood why some were ND and others weren't - it was very frustrating! I was a teenager at the time so life was very fustrating in general but this mish mash of distribution didn't help.

 

I was glad when punk came along so I could vent my anger!

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gaz973

gaz973

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From my experience buying new comics in the UK was always hit and miss in the 70's.

 

I would go into the news-agents and they would have a rack full of DC & Marvel comics. These would usually be from the last couple of months but there would always be gaps in the issue numbers - and not from people buying them, that's how they came into the shop - so you might get two consecutive issues of FF (say 172 & 173) and the other one in the shop would be 175!

 

I never understood why some were ND and others weren't - it was very frustrating! I was a teenager at the time so life was very fustrating in general but this mish mash of distribution didn't help.

 

I was glad when punk came along so I could vent my anger!

 

We want to see a picture of you in your punk phase. :baiting:

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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you were probably one of those punks i was slightly afraid of in the Cleveland Centre when i would go for my comics lol

 

No - I was the only punk in the village (Berwick Hills) so that can't have been me!

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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Most titles continued to be distributed in the UK. Titles like ASM were made ND once their UK B&W reprint titles started.

 

Earl.

 

I seem to remember MWOM coming out in the early 70's but most ASM issues were still getting to the UK.

 

Apart from #121, #122 & #129 of course!

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tth2

tth2

Posted
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From my experience buying new comics in the UK was always hit and miss in the 70's.

 

I would go into the news-agents and they would have a rack full of DC & Marvel comics. These would usually be from the last couple of months but there would always be gaps in the issue numbers - and not from people buying them, that's how they came into the shop - so you might get two consecutive issues of FF (say 172 & 173) and the other one in the shop would be 175!

 

I never understood why some were ND and others weren't - it was very frustrating! I was a teenager at the time so life was very fustrating in general but this mish mash of distribution didn't help.

 

I was glad when punk came along so I could vent my anger!

 

We want to see a picture of you in your punk phase. :baiting:

I managed to track down a picture of Andrew from this period:

 

catwoman.jpg

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batmiesta

batmiesta

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Slightly off topic, can any UK collector help me in naming a comic shop in Manchester from years ago?

There was supposed to be a comic mart at some Manchester hotel (1979/80) , so i decided to go, but when i got there, it had been cancelled, I wandered around for a bit, then decided to go to the station (Victoria, i think) nearing the station i found a old looking shop with comics in the window, i went in and it was like stepping back in time, it was dark and you could smell the comic pages, the owner was a old bloke and there was comics everywhere, I spent all my money, so the trip was not a complete waste, i often wonder what became of the shop and what it was called, i wish i took the time to see the name, but i was a excited kid at the time...so i never, anyone know of it?

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nmtg9

nmtg9

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No idea - I remember Manchester's record shops of the 80's/90's but i was too young to be in Manchester back then. Leeds and Teesside have all the comic shops I remember.

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herc2000

herc2000

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I remember seing a guy who had a spidey collection on ebay and he had a 121 that was a pence copy. I was shocked as I thought this did not exist and have never seen one before or since?

 

Any explanations or ideas? I know it's always been stated as ND, and I'm not sure if this was a one off or what, wish I bought them now.

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joe_collector

joe_collector

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I don't know he has been mentioned yet, but I remember a UK fella being talked about when I posted a few BA Brit comics (apparently he was pictured in some) and was referred to as something like "Greatest UK Collector" and may have been on TV as well.

 

These books were from the mid-70's and I think the guy was pretty young - just a major comic freak that somehow the UK comics picked up on.

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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I remember seing a guy who had a spidey collection on ebay and he had a 121 that was a pence copy. I was shocked as I thought this did not exist and have never seen one before or since?

 

Any explanations or ideas? I know it's always been stated as ND, and I'm not sure if this was a one off or what, wish I bought them now.

 

That's curious - I was always under the impression that they were,as you say, non distributed in the UK..

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