The Distribution of US Published Comics in the UK (1959~1982) 15 15

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:11 PM, Malacoda said:

Is it just me or does this really look like the 10d was stamped over the shilling, not vice versa? 

It's hard to tell without the book in hand and it isn't the clearest image. These stamps can play tricks on you anyway - I have one which appears to sit behind a part of the cover art which is of course impossible. It's mad how some of them apply - or don't apply - to different inks. 

[Malacoda]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:45 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

But I don't feel the reward at this stage to spend the dedicated hours and hours that would be needed to bulk the examples out.

I agree and I think other great stuff is going on on this thread which it would be a pity to back-burner. I've barely scratched the surface of most of the other threads on the CGC so I've no idea, but I feel like this board is building a coherent body of data & evidence as well as well-considered theories based on your research and vital contributions from those who were there. Are there other threads this....well, cool, for want of a better word? 

(Which reminds me, I was deeply immersed in 1971 before I distracted myself with subscriptions. Must get back to that).  

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:07 PM, Malacoda said:

At times I feel like we're just retroactively superimposing order on the chaos.

Indeed. The comics tell part of the story, and their part is factual. I like speculating but I'm mindful of how assumptions can take on a life of their own. If we don't know, we don't know and we should be clear on that. 

[Malacoda]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:21 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

These stamps can play tricks on you anyway

Indeed, I think I'm assuming that if you were trying to price a comic up, you wouldn't do it by putting a fainter, new 1/- stamp over a much heavier older 10d stamp because it would look like the 10d was the newer stamp, but I'm probably imparting more thought to it than whoever actually did the stamping. 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:21 PM, Malacoda said:

(Which reminds me, I was deeply immersed in 1971 before I distracted myself with subscriptions. Must get back to that). 

I'm deeply immersed in Charlton still. I know no one gives a monkeys about Charlton - I know that from the deafening silence that accompanies every post I make about them  - but when I finally get around to landing it I know you will like it Rich.

[OtherEric]

On 5/10/2023 at 9:27 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

I'm deeply immersed in Charlton still. I know no one gives a monkeys about Charlton - I know that from the deafening silence that accompanies every post I make about them  - but when I finally get around to landing it I know you will like it Rich.

I always try to give at least a reaction when you post about Charlton.  I may not care about a lot of the books but I always enjoy your writing about them.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:25 PM, Malacoda said:

Indeed, I think I'm assuming that if you were trying to price a comic up, you wouldn't do it by putting a fainter, new 1/- stamp over a much heavier older 10d stamp because it would look like the 10d was the newer stamp, but I'm probably imparting more thought to it than whoever actually did the stamping. 

Exactly. I bet half of our combined speculation places more emphasis on things that weren't even a consideration back then. Think about it. T&P used the Obliterator Stamp to ensure the right price was observed. And for sale stamps. If you pick up a book with a 10d and a shilling, which is the right price? Has it been reduced, or increased? Maybe the 10d is the Gold Star, and there was one prolific retailer who chanced his arm with a higher priced shilling stamp. Maybe every shilling stamp example came from the same shop. So many possibilities. Hence the need to pick your battles and I don't see the value in spending countless hours on the Gold Star thing. I think we know what we need to know on that now. You have a superlative grasp on research Rich, and show an uncommon level of intelligence in your thinking and writing. I've said before, you should be writing books not wasting time on a website that could be pulled at any point by the owners. And take this how it is meant - as a compliment - I wouldn't waste any time on subscriptions as there are no variants to find, nothing telling. Apply yourself to something more worthy of your considerable talents mate 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:33 PM, OtherEric said:

I always try to give at least a reaction when you post about Charlton.  I may not care about a lot of the books but I always enjoy your writing about them.

Cheers Eric. You can't expect people to respond all the time as not everyone likes everything. I try to acknowledge a job well done when I see it on the boards, even if the subject matter doesn't interest me personally, but it's not something you should get hung up on when you feel like you're posting in a vacuum. There are loads of threads I don't read here which I'm sure are great and which the authors wonder sometimes where everyone is. 

Though they are widely disliked, I do think Charlton have the most going on from a UK distribution perspective. So many phases, so many players and so many links to other publishers along the way. And they have the most complete jigsaw, if that makes sense, where every distribution 'phase' ends cleanly as the other begins (over 22 of them, from 1958 to 1986). My trouble is there is so much to say that I don't know where to start and I can't decide how best to present it. I actually had a twenty plus post new journal entry set up last year. The first 20 posts were quite lengthy, full of pictures and graphics, and barely got me past the first few phases. But I just didn't like it so I deleted it. It was days of work and I just deleted it. It's really hard sometimes to work out what you want to say, and in what order. And do you go straight and risk boring everyone, or try to liven it up a bit with some mucking about. 

Sigh, I'll get there one day. And I'll be watching for your 'like' when I do 

[themagicrobot]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:27 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I'm deeply immersed in Charlton still. I know no one gives a monkeys about Charlton - I know that from the deafening silence that accompanies every post I make about them  - but when I finally get around to landing it I know you will like it Rich.

As I sort through my boxes I am finding more and more Charltons that date back to times when I was selling comics but could only find buyers for Marvels. My friends even turned their noses up at DCs too.

Living in a country where weekly comics appeared twice a fortnight, I never understood how would anyone remember to visit the spinner rack to pick up their comic once every 6 weeks? Or in the case of some Dells, just four times a year??

 

[themagicrobot]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:21 PM, Malacoda said:

I agree and I think other great stuff is going on on this thread which it would be a pity to back-burner. I've barely scratched the surface of most of the other threads on the CGC so I've no idea, but I feel like this board is building a coherent body of data & evidence as well as well-considered theories based on your research and vital contributions from those who were there. Are there other threads this....well, cool, for want of a better word? 

(Which reminds me, I was deeply immersed in 1971 before I distracted myself with subscriptions. Must get back to that).  

Other threads? Have you any comics with horses on the cover?

Edited May 10, 2023 by themagicrobot

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 6:06 PM, themagicrobot said:

As I sort through my boxes I am finding more and more Charltons that date back to times when I was selling comics but could only find buyers for Marvels. My friends even turned their noses up at DCs too.

Find new friends 

On 5/10/2023 at 6:06 PM, themagicrobot said:

Living in a country where weekly comics appeared twice a fortnight, I never understood how would anyone remember to visit the spinner rack to pick up their comic once every 6 weeks? Or in the case of some Dells, just four times a year??

 

I know, it's mad isn't it. Gold Key were the same. It makes plotting a nightmare too:

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 6:09 PM, themagicrobot said:

Other threads? Have you any comics with horses on the cover?

Don't be silly Robot. What idiot would start a thread on that....

[Get Marwood & I]

The other good thing about Charlton is that you can extract the urine mercilessly out of their covers. With deep affection, of course 

On 11/4/2019 at 4:34 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

 

 STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES II 

The Thickening

Stranded on the North Pole….and then THEY appeared!

“Hey, Dave”

“What?”

“I thought we said we weren’t doing the winged hats anymore?”

“What?”

“We said horns only, remember?”

“What are you talking about!”

“The winged hats Dave. We said they looked silly”

 

“Ah…ah…AH…AH-CHOO!”

“Oh, Jesus Daphne! It’s all over my cloak!”

“Oh. My. God. I am so sorry about that! Here, let me wipe it off”

 

“Jesus, I must be putting on weight. Or getting old. So hard to get airborne nowadays.... I feel like there’s a two ton weight on my– hey!”

 

“In this bottle…the secret way…TO LIVE AGAIN!”

“Aint taking it”

“Oh come on Eric. One drop of this and–“

“Look, I aint bloody taking it alright. Keeping me locked up all day in this cage? It aint right Professor. It aint right”

 

A bit 'cup half empty' aren’t they, Kandor’s visions.

 

“You are about to hear…THE VOICE OF VENUS!”

“OH NO!”

“Hello…Earthlings! (Now, let me see if I can remember my Earth training. Oh yes. Here we go) Hello Earthlings! Can you.. show me, the way… to the ‘crapper’? Is that right – ‘crapper’? I want…to evacuate...my bowels”

 

“Don’t miss the eyes of doom!”

“Are you taking the p?”

“What?”

“You do know I’m blind, right?”

“Oh. Are you? Right”

 

“Oh for f sake! Look what that thing’s done to the ship! How the f am I going to get home now!”

“We, Dave, ‘we’. How are we going to get back”

“Oh, f off Clive. You’re lucky to be here at all, Mister ‘I won a ticket to Taurus II’ in a cereal competition. That’s the worst packet of Weetabix you ever bought isn’t it!”

“Calm down–“

“Calm down. CALM DOWN! I’d like to see you calm down when a fifty foot sock puppet eats your f rocket mate!”

 

“I don’t understand it Mrs Lowe…but your husband is choking to death!”

“Oh no! Could it be anything to do with that voodoo doll of him over there with a noose around it’s neck?”

“Don’t be silly Mrs Lo– oh. Hang on. Yes, here we go. There’s a chicken bone lodged in his throat”

“Oh. Thank God!”

 

 

 STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES II

The Chickening

 

 

[themagicrobot]

Quote

 I've said before, you should be writing books not wasting time on a website that could be pulled at any point by the owners.

Many must-visit websites have disappeared over the years as the people running them got old  or bored.

[themagicrobot]

Here is Miss Bikini Luv 625. She finally got her own comic after featuring for a year or so in Charlton's "Gorgo". However the series had originally begun a decade earlier at number 500 as "Robin Hood". From issue 524 it changed to "Wild Western comics". After a hiatus it continued from number 581 as "'Lil Scamp". It was re-named as "Jungle Warfare" from number 610 (but still had "'Lil Scamp" back-up stories to use up inventory). Miss Bikini Luv ran from number 623 to 627. All these comics are extremely rare/completely unobtainable.

[Malacoda]

On 5/10/2023 at 6:37 PM, themagicrobot said:

Here is Miss Bikini Luv 625. She finally got her own comic after featuring for a year or so in Charlton's "Gorgo". However the series had originally begun a decade earlier at number 500 as "Robin Hood". From issue 524 it changed to "Wild Western comics". After a hiatus it continued from number 581 as "'Lil Scamp". It was re-named as "Jungle Warfare" from number 610 (but still had "'Lil Scamp" back-up stories to use up inventory). Miss Bikini Luv ran from number 623 to 627. All these comics are extremely rare/completely unobtainable.

Ah. I was wondering how the Hell Miss Bikini Luv got to number 625.  It was because it started at number 500 and had 16 other titles in between.  I like the DC style chequerboard as well, but I think there's too many brown tones in this (and not enough dinosaurs) for it to have passed Irwin's marketability test. 

[themagicrobot]

I'm sure @Get Marwood & I has had great fun tracking all the Charlton numbering. Fawcett's This Magazine is Haunted continued with Charlton from No 15. At No 22 the comic changed title to Danger and Adventure. From No 28 it became Robin Hood. All this consecutive numbering for totally different comics with different subject matter continued supposedly because of Second Class Postage (even though it was unlikely that anyone was subscribing and Charlton weren't posting the comics anyway).

[Albert Tatlock]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:07 PM, Malacoda said:

I think Albert has said he remembers then turning up suddenly 6 months after the event.  This is obviously a contradiction as they (probably)  can't have turned up all together yet been distributed 6 months apart.

The ones that turned up, unexpectedly, 6 months late, were the Oct-Dec 1966 AWOL issues. They could be sold on at a premium, as everyone had the same gaps in their collection. They remained scarce for several years, until copies started filtering in from across the Atlantic. Alan Austin's Price Guide notes them as scarce or rare a good few years after the event.

There was no shortage of the other Marvels from the same period, and if any surplus copies arrived later, stamped or unstamped, I would have paid them no heed, as I had already bought copies when they first appeared, on schedule.

The other 10d stamped copies, DD # 29, etc, were worth exactly the same as the regular ones which had arrived on time.

I did not worry about stamps, UKPV variants or anything of the sort, a comic was a comic, you either had it in your collection or you didn't, and that was the end of the story at the time, with me and the other local collectors.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 5/10/2023 at 7:25 PM, themagicrobot said:

I'm sure @Get Marwood & I has had great fun tracking all the Charlton numbering. Fawcett's This Magazine is Haunted continued with Charlton from No 15. At No 22 the comic changed title to Danger and Adventure. From No 28 it became Robin Hood. All this consecutive numbering for totally different comics with different subject matter continued supposedly because of Second Class Postage (even though it was unlikely that anyone was subscribing and Charlton weren't posting the comics anyway).

Bloody things....

[Malacoda]

On 5/10/2023 at 5:27 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I'm deeply immersed in Charlton still. I know no one gives a monkeys about Charlton - I know that from the deafening silence that accompanies every post I make about them  - but when I finally get around to landing it I know you will like it Rich.

For sure.  I love Charlton.  From the jailhouse handshake to the everything-under-one-roof approach to their mob connections, they are the true mavericks of the comic world. Unfortunately, I have no relation to them as I owned, I think, literally 3 Charlton comics. It's also much harder to get info about them (at least pertaining to distribution) because they outright owned Capital.  I'm sure the info is out there, but you don't stumble across it the same way you do with IND & Curtis.  

Your Charlton thread is one of the few other threads I have read, and, as Eric says, it's treat to read your research even if one is not interested in Charlton itself because you've researched it so meticulously. It's kind of the model for how to do things right (though few people would have the tenacity to hunt down the necessary examples given the painstaking work over many years). 

As you say, no one cares about Charlton, but by the same token, it must be nice to have a playground that's all your own. I'm constantly banjaxed in trying to research distribution because there just seems to be nowhere to look.  Recently, I wrote to the Audit Bureau of Circulations for any info about  Thorpe & Porter, World Distributors, Comag, Moore Harness, GSP, Surridge Dawson, John Menzies, WH Smith and others and they replied:

I am afraid this is not something we can help with as we do not retain this kind of information for such a long time. Also, I am not sure who might be able to you with this.

This is literally like getting to Oz and finding out that it doesn't matter whether the Wizard will help you or not because there is no wizard. 

So I do share your pain. My hat is off to you, as ever.