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

[Malacoda]

On 7/28/2023 at 10:46 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Never bring violence to the domain of Taanda. I've always tried to rule that out of my life.

 

Though you can bring a surprising amount of ethnic diversity, it seems.  

[themagicrobot]

 

Whilst Roswell the Alien was asleep I borrowed his Fantasy Uninhibited fanzine. This letter caught my eye:-

     A few years ago I had an experience I'm sure your readers would like to hear about. It was on a Saturday, when I make my usual trip to second-hand bookshops around London looking for old comics. It was in one of my favourite haunts, a Popular Book Centre, that this happened. I went into the shop and it was empty apart from a young girl who appeared to be browsing through the paperback section. She was, I'd say, in her early twenties, blonde and quite attractive. Anyway, I headed straight for the DC piles, and started carefully going through them. By this time the girl had come towards me, and walking past she accidentally knocked my duffel bag from my shoulder, for which she quietly apologised. I carried on looking through the DCs, and was just about to pull out an issue of The Brave and the Bold I needed to complete my run, when, imagine my surprise, the girl's hand touched mine.

     I looked up and she was smiling at me. Puzzled, and slightly embarrassed, I pulled away and walked over to the piles of Marvels. The girl followed me. I looked up and she said, in a soft silky voice, "Would you like to come upstairs?". Imagine my surprise! Well, falteringly, I said "Yes", (who could have refused such an offer) and followed her to the back of the shop, and up a short flight of stairs.

     We  entered what was obviously her bedroom, and she showed me to a chair. "I've got something to show you" she said. What could I say? I was struck dumb! She went into another room, and for a few minutes I sat there, not able to believe what was happening. A short while later she returned. Imagine my surprise when I saw her carrying a large suitcase, which she put on the floor in front of me. My surprise was even greater when she opened it - it was full of comics! DCs going back to the 1940s, hundreds of them!

     She explained that her father, the owner of the shop, had asked her to show me the comics while he was away, since he knew I was a keen collector. Needless to say, a price was negotiated, and I left the shop with some of the best comics I'd got in ages. And at a bargain price! I wonder if any of your readers have had similar experiences? 

  

I think that date of the fanzine might give us a clue.

The letter is a lovely pastiche of those letters in Penthouse only comics replace the sex element. The mention of a duffel bag is a nice touch. 

 

Edited July 30, 2023 by themagicrobot

[Albert Tatlock]

On 7/27/2023 at 7:26 PM, themagicrobot said:

The Westerns have Len Miller 6d ink stamps which would have been correct for when those comics rocked up in the UK in the late 1950s/early 1960s. But Jungle Comics published in the  same period appears to have a 1/- stamp bottom right putting it into circulation here years after it was printed.

 

 

While we are on an IW kick, although I am sure I have posted this before somewhere, I make no apologies as it is such a stunning cover, and as if that were not enough, it is enhanced by the application of a Miller stamp.

 

[Malacoda]

On 7/30/2023 at 10:33 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

While we are on an IW kick, although I am sure I have posted this before somewhere, I make no apologies as it is such a stunning cover, and as if that were not enough, it is enhanced by the application of a Miller stamp.

Nice.  You have to love a space suit that is both skin tight and comes with a belt. 

[themagicrobot]

And another letter asks:-

Did Sandman Number 1 come over to Britain? Are T&P planning to bring over any more DC Famous First Editions?

Alan replies:-

Sandman Number 1 wasn't officially distributed, but as is often the case, one or two did turn up. Asking what T&P are planning is like asking for the timetable of the 277 bus route. They don't seem to have any kind of organised system when it comes to distributing comics - often they'll jump ahead and miss a couple of months' issues, then we'll get the missing ones later. However the large size issues such as the Action Number 1 reprint have been delayed so long that I doubt if we'll ever get any from T&P, and as for future issues, who knows?

I did have a C26 Famous First Edition at the time but may have bought it either from a comic shop in London or perhaps a Comic Mart. I also owned a Winter 1974 Sandman 1 which I'm pretty sure I just picked up at my usual newsagents. What I didn't know is that there was a purple variant of Sandman 1.

 

 

Edited July 31, 2023 by themagicrobot

[Albert Tatlock]

Purple one worth 50% more according to comicspriceguide.com.

I picked these up at the time, just thought one of them was a printing fault, kept both of them just out of curiosity.

[Malacoda]

I like the date stamp on the purple one.  Has the year too.  According to Mike, this went out on Jan 2nd, so Jan 4th looks right. 

[themagicrobot]

From the Charlton Compendium book, here is a pic of a Gladys or possibly an Ethel happily working in the comfortable and glamorous surroundings of the Derby Connecticut factory. Perhaps she stacked the pallets with individual sheets. Or perhaps she specialised in collating the pages and stapling them slightly off-centre so that the comics had that special wonky look so beloved by those six people who collect Charltons. Gladys (or Ethel) usually left work early on Fridays to get a top-up of hair lacquer.

[Kevin.J]

On 8/3/2023 at 9:57 AM, themagicrobot said:

so beloved by those six people who collect Charltons

Count me in 

[Get Marwood & I]

Mrs Slocombe worked at Charlton!? 

[Albert Tatlock]

On 8/3/2023 at 11:52 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Mrs Slocombe worked at Charlton!? 

She only took the job after being assured that management would attend to all the needs of her Tiddles.

(they redacted the original word)

Edited August 3, 2023 by Albert Tatlock
add 1 line

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/3/2023 at 4:56 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

She only took the job after being assured that management would attend to all the needs of her Tiddles.

(they redacted the original word)

I got points and a warning for that once 

[Albert Tatlock]

On 8/3/2023 at 5:57 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

got points and a warning for that once 

What? For looking after cute little Tiddles?

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/3/2023 at 5:58 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

What? For looking after cute little Tiddles?

I only stroked her, your honour!

[themagicrobot]

They may well be related.

 

[Get Marwood & I]

On 8/3/2023 at 6:16 PM, themagicrobot said:

They may well be related.

 

 

That's Sherrie Hewson isn't it? Where's Mollie!

[themagicrobot]

DELETED

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by themagicrobot

[Get Marwood & I]

I did quite well at the fair today boys 

I didn't buy this one, but here's another ASM #42 with a shilling stamp - this time in a square box:

 

I did buy this Charlie though - it's the first copy of a 10d oblong stamp that I've seen with ink transfer to the rear:

 

All good fun 

[Malacoda]

On 8/6/2023 at 7:57 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I didn't buy this one, but here's another ASM #42 with a shilling stamp - this time in a square box:

Nice. 

Though I suppose I should say "Face it, Tiger, you just hit the jackpot"

[Malacoda]

A while back I posted a TTA #55 which was a UKPV at 9d which had been re-stamped (by T&P) at 10d, presumably during the 1st hiatus. 

Here's a TOS #53, same scenario.  What caught my eye was that this is the same cover month (May 64) and same on sale month (Feb 64) and they both got re-stamped with a 4 stamp. Looks they shared the same strange journey.