The DC Collection Is COMPLETE. 9 9

[EwanUK]

Hope this is of interest, found this story in an old UK fanzine from the early 1970s

 

Shows there was original-owner DC keys in the UK even then. Alan Austin (the dealer Ian mentioned) is reported to offer 1pence for Action no.1 amongst others!!!!

 

I wonder what happened to this collection?

 

 

[Ian_Levine]

Hope this is of interest, found this story in an old UK fanzine from the early 1970s

 

Shows there was original-owner DC keys in the UK even then. Alan Austin (the dealer Ian mentioned) is reported to offer 1pence for Action no.1 amongst others!!!!

 

 

Having known Alan Austin well in the 1970s and being his most regular customer, I can assure you that even back then, he would have jumped at the chance of having the early Actions and Detectives and would have offered a fair price.

He was the man who printed the first ever UK comic book price guide, which was just a photocopied affair on A4 but his heart was in the right place and he did turn up comics that no-one else could, which is how I ended up with virtually a complete run from 1957 up to 1986 when I quit for a while.

[tth2]

It's nice to see there've been unscrupulous (and unfriendly) comic dealers as long as there has been a back-issue comic market. Human nature is such a wonderfully predictable thing.

[goldust40]

For the record, I know Alan quite well as he's a regular attendee at London shows.

 

In my opinion he's one of the nicest guys in the business (although he mainly deals in books these days), with an unmatched knowledge of British comic fandom history.

[Ian_Levine]

In my opinion he's one of the nicest guys in the business (although he mainly deals in books these days), with an unmatched knowledge of British comic fandom history.

 

Seconded.

[Ian_Levine]

It's nice to see there've been unscrupulous (and unfriendly) comic dealers as long as there has been a back-issue comic market. Human nature is such a wonderfully predictable thing.

 

Sorry but I don't believe a word of that article.

[Bronty]

I suspect the truth might lie in between. perhaps the old guy just called up alan and asked what he pays for old comics and received a standard reply (for comics) from an employee without alan knowing what books they were

[Ian_Levine]

I suspect the truth might lie in between. perhaps the old guy just called up alan and asked what he pays for old comics and received a standard reply (for comics) from an employee without alan knowing what books they were

 

Yeah but Alan ran a one man show in the 1970s. There was no budget to have emplyees back then. It was one little basement in Hackney.

[EwanUK]

It's nice to see there've been unscrupulous (and unfriendly) comic dealers as long as there has been a back-issue comic market. Human nature is such a wonderfully predictable thing.

 

Sorry but I don't believe a word of that article.

 

The editor of the fanzine is Dez Skinn.

[Ian_Levine]

The editor of the fanzine is Dez Skinn.

 

Yes I know, but I still don't believe Alan Austin wouldn't have ever jumped at the chance to buy Action Comics 1 through 15.

[tth2]

The editor of the fanzine is Dez Skinn.

 

Yes I know, but I still don't believe Alan Austin wouldn't have ever jumped at the chance to buy Action Comics 1 through 15.

But what would have been the incentive of the fellow in the newspaper to lie, given that it was a topic that no one really cared much about in the early 1970s?

[gaz973]

The editor of the fanzine is Dez Skinn.

 

Yes I know, but I still don't believe Alan Austin wouldn't have ever jumped at the chance to buy Action Comics 1 through 15.

But what would have been the incentive of the fellow in the newspaper to lie, given that it was a topic that no one really cared much about in the early 1970s?

 

I guess it made a bit more dramatic sounding story.

[Ian_Levine]

I guess it made a bit more dramatic sounding story.

 

Yeah that's what I thought too.

I know from bitter experience that it won't be the first time a journalist has taken liberties with the truth.

[goldust40]

The editor of the fanzine is Dez Skinn.

 

Yes I know, but I still don't believe Alan Austin wouldn't have ever jumped at the chance to buy Action Comics 1 through 15.

But what would have been the incentive of the fellow in the newspaper to lie, given that it was a topic that no one really cared much about in the early 1970s?

 

Fandom in the U.K. may not have been as developed back then as it is now, but the early 1970s were a crucial period nevertheless. 1973 was the year when U.S. comics took off in the U.K., with the first speciality shops appearing, and people like Austin and Skinn starting fanzines and yes, even price guides.

 

Within a year Stan Lee was at the Roundhouse in North London for the first U.K. Marvel Con. The buzz was definitely there, and collectors were very much interested in what old comics went for, especially those that were rarely seen in the U.K. up to that point. Good times...

[tth2]

Interesting stuff. Would never have figured organized fan-dom would have come into being that early in the UK.

[Ian_Levine]

Interesting stuff. Would never have figured organized fan-dom would have come into being that early in the UK.

 

I seem to recall my old friend and mentor Mike Lake organised the first ever UK comic con.

[Ian_Levine]

Can anybody tell me what month and year the Previews magazine first featured their "Direct Currents" section, picturing the forthcoming DC releases

 

I have heard theories ranging between 1988 and 1992 and none have been corroborated yet.

[Miraclo]

Ian,

 

I was going through wikipedia, and stumbled along this...

 

 

This is the house ad for Detective Comics 1.

 

You don't by chance happen to have a copy of this do you?

[Ian_Levine]

This is the house ad for Detective Comics 1.

 

You don't by chance happen to have a copy of this do you?

DC had two titles already running when they introduced Detective 1, which were More Fun and New Adventure Comics, so I imagine I will have this ad in the relevant issue of each of those, but they're all sealed up neatly so I'd have to know which issues to go and look. I know that New Adventure 26 has the first ever ad for Action Comics 1.

[Ian_Levine]

Can anybody tell me what month and year the Previews magazine first featured their "Direct Currents" section, picturing the forthcoming DC releases

I have heard theories ranging between 1988 and 1992 and none have been corroborated yet.

 

Anybody ??

Anyone ??