Right, top: an original, signed front cover artwork by Dudley Watkins for a 1953 issue of Beano, featuring Biffo the Bear. Some of the panels show light colour wash runs, but the bidding reached £1550; D.C. Thompson story papers of the war years are always popular, and a complete set of 1942 issues of Rover, in average condition, made £440.
Right, middle: highlight of this sale’s portion of the ‘Uncle Stan Collection’ of Silver Age Marvel comics (formed for a relative by Stan Lee, the creator of Spider Man, the X-Men and other Marvel Comics superheroes – see Antiques Trade Gazette No.1458 for more detail – was Issue No.1 of The Amazing Spider-Man of 1963, which reached £1305.
Right, bottom: This original Giles cartoon of 1963 is captioned “Dr Beeching’s plan to streamline the railways don’t provide separate freight for Lady Ringboan’s ’orse” has a certain topicality in seeming to combine countryside
pursuits with overcrowded trains.
It sold for £1000.
Buyer’s premium: 10 per cent.
Biffo the Bear v Spiderman
UK: ILLUSTRATED here are examples of English and American comics and two pieces of original artwork from the Comic Book Postal Auctions sale which closed on December 12.
