Comics UK - About Me

ABOUT ME (and the site)
Email me here for a general query or question, or click one of the links below to Email me about something in particular. PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT reply to emails asking for valuations of comics or annuals. Please do what the rest of us do, and that's interrogate eBay (or other auction sites). Type in your comic title and follow that auction. If you're already an eBay member, then look at the Completed Listings for said comic. Click here for eBay UK. I will also not reply to Emails asking, "Where is the best place to sell my collections". If this is your question please refer to the section within my Links page that detail dealers, here. This is also an excellent list to BUY British comics.
SCANS (Annuals, Specials, Earlier Issues, Better Images).	OVERVIEWS Write an Overview about a character. Obtain your Username and Password via the link. Click here for more details.	GALLERY DETAILS Send details of a publication within the Gallery section, which are missing.	PAGE-BY-PAGE Become A Page-By-Page Contributor.

ABOUT ME (and the site)

Email me here for a general query or question, or click one of the links below to Email me about something in particular.

PLEASE NOTE: I will NOT reply to emails asking for valuations of comics or annuals. Please do what the rest of us do, and that's interrogate eBay (or other auction sites). Type in your comic title and follow that auction. If you're already an eBay member, then look at the Completed Listings for said comic. Click here for eBay UK.

I will also not reply to Emails asking, "Where is the best place to sell my collections". If this is your question please refer to the section within my Links page that detail dealers, here. This is also an excellent list to BUY British comics.

SCANS
(Annuals, Specials, Earlier Issues, Better Images).

OVERVIEWS
Write an Overview about a character. Obtain your Username and Password via the link. Click here for more details.

GALLERY DETAILS
Send details of a publication within the Gallery section, which are missing.

PAGE-BY-PAGE
Become A
Page-By-Page Contributor.

Hello there, my name is Alan Notton and I set up this site for two reasons really. One, back in November 1999, I was told (along with 50-odd other people) that I was to be made redundant on 6th April 2001. I decided soon after that announcement, to learn how to program for the Internet, and Two, I wanted to create a site that used some form of database as well as being relatively interesting to the hobbyist or surfer (and me!). I decided to build a site that listed my modest collection of British comics. Each comic would have a brief description and some images of each title, along with a little piece of cross-referencing. However, as research for the site progressed, I realised that my subject knowledge and collection wasn't up to scratch. So I did what every good researcher does, I consulted books and talked to people. I then started to buy some of the comic titles which I didn't have, read up on those and added them to my ever growing collection. Time spent on the hobby started to overtake the reason for the sites inception. I found the hobby fascinatingly absorbing, but I think I've got it under control now (flinch!). It's a good job I have an understanding wife! I used to read comics as a lad back in the 70's, and being a bloke, I never threw any of them away. Although I came across the American superhero comic-books, I'm afraid they just didn't do anything for me. Maybe it was because I started reading British comics first, and used the likes of Battle Picture Weekly and Action as a benchmark. Who knows, had I started reading DC and Marvel comics first, I might have thought that British comics were a bit bland. I'd like to think not.

There seems to be hundreds of sites dedicated to the American comic-book, but just a handful dedicated to their British counterparts. I aim to redress the balance a little. American comic-book history appears to have been well-documented, while British comic history remains virtually untouched. There's a whole world of discovery out there and I'm looking forward to exploring it. I, for one, do not want to see the British comic fall by the wayside and get totally lost in the mists of time. I want to remind people out there, young and old, that British comics were once a great and thriving industry, with great characters, great stories and great artwork. They really are, too good to be forgotten..
British comics have long been the Cinderella of the comic world. Especially when compared to their counterparts across the pond. Love them or loathe them, American comic books can fetch big bucks. Issue #1 of Action Comics (where Superman made his first appearance), did fetch £120,000 a couple of years ago. The Americans are very enthusiastic when it comes to collecting 'comic books', and I think it's about time the British caught up!
	In comparison, the first issue of the Beano (left) was auctioned for £12,100 in March 2004 and Dandy's first issue with the free gift went for £20,350 in September 2004. A Dandy without the free gift went for £7,261 in June 2004. The 1973 Rupert Annual, with the very rare brown face, was auctioned for £16,000 in May 2000. However, you're not here for the money, are you? You want to find out more of the history of the British comic. Which comic characters were around before you were born, and what happened to them? Who were the publishers, the artists, the writers? Read other peoples memories. As time goes by, this site will attempt to list as much of that information as possible
Children of today are a different breed from the ones that existed 20+ years ago. The choice of leisure activities is huge and street-cred is very important. The word 'comic' conjures up an image of children's literature and not illustrated stories which can contain excellent artwork and scripts. Maybe the word 'comic' needs to be changed to something which teenagers would like to be associated with. Megazine, Comix and Sequential Art have already been tried with moderate success. In the end, it comes down to story content. If the story subject or image of the character is 'cred'ible, associated merchandise will be successful. As for the comic's longevity, that's another matter. Fads do not last as long as they used to.
Talk to enthusiasts about a comic and they'll discuss the stories, the characters and even the ideas behind the story. And if they're really into it, the writers and artists as well. Comics were part of our conditioning on the rocky road to adulthood. They are now being studied by historians with reference to popular culture, media and the use of this type of material with respect of youth culture. There doesn't seem to be too much interest from the British people about British comics. But talk to anyone about the subject, and they'll all start to suddenly remember famous British comic characters. Roy Of The Rovers, Dennis The Menace, Dan Dare, Desperate Dan, and of course Judge Dredd. Peoples lives inevitably move on, as do their general interests and personal lives. Their comic reading days get firmly locked away in the area of their brain labeled *nostalgia.* However, when they get older (35ish) they start looking for the key which will unlock all those wonderful memories.
The reason why British comic characters were great was the bond that we all built up with them. Read a story like The Bootneck Boy from Battle Picture Weekly, and you can't help but get on the side of Danny Budd as he strives to become a British marine against all the odds. Compare that to The Silver Surfer, The Incredible Hulk or even Superman himself and you start to see the differences in the two comic cultures. The Americans like their characters to be super-heroes, with fantasy powers that save the world. The British characters were more believable and realistic. We felt that their deeds and heroics were possible This made them more acceptable.
Of course, the British comic also excelled in humour. We loved The Bash Street Kids, Mickey The Monkey, Fuss Pot, The Joker, Biffo The Bear and more recently, Cheeky and the Krazy Gang. The fun was harmless and amusing. Some of the jokes even made you 'chortle' out loudly. Even now, when you read an old copy of Sparky, the dry humour of Barney The Bulldog is still funny.. So why haven't we embraced this subject, this hobby, this unsung part of our heritage with more vigour? I tell you why. It's because we're British and we don't realise what a good thing is until it's taken from us. British comics were a great institution and art form. It should be treated as such. This site aims to relive those halcyon days, relive the history, and let everyone know what an enjoyable pastime comic reading was. Al In case you got to this page via a search engine, click here for Home page

Hello there, my name is Alan Notton and I set up this site for two reasons really. One, back in November 1999, I was told (along with 50-odd other people) that I was to be made redundant on 6th April 2001. I decided soon after that announcement, to learn how to program for the Internet, and Two, I wanted to create a site that used some form of database as well as being relatively interesting to the hobbyist or surfer (and me!).

I decided to build a site that listed my modest collection of British comics. Each comic would have a brief description and some images of each title, along with a little piece of cross-referencing. However, as research for the site progressed, I realised that my subject knowledge and collection wasn't up to scratch. So I did what every good researcher does, I consulted books and talked to people.

I then started to buy some of the comic titles which I didn't have, read up on those and added them to my ever growing collection. Time spent on the hobby started to overtake the reason for the sites inception. I found the hobby fascinatingly absorbing, but I think I've got it under control now (flinch!). It's a good job I have an understanding wife!

I used to read comics as a lad back in the 70's, and being a bloke, I never threw any of them away. Although I came across the American superhero comic-books, I'm afraid they just didn't do anything for me. Maybe it was because I started reading British comics first, and used the likes of Battle Picture Weekly and Action as a benchmark. Who knows, had I started reading DC and Marvel comics first, I might have thought that British comics were a bit bland. I'd like to think not.

Weary Willy and Tired Ted from Illustrated Chips

The 'polite' and 'quite' Captain Hurricane from Valiant

There seems to be hundreds of sites dedicated to the American comic-book, but just a handful dedicated to their British counterparts. I aim to redress the balance a little. American comic-book history appears to have been well-documented, while British comic history remains virtually untouched. There's a whole world of discovery out there and I'm looking forward to exploring it.

I, for one, do not want to see the British comic fall by the wayside and get totally lost in the mists of time. I want to remind people out there, young and old, that British comics were once a great and thriving industry, with great characters, great stories and great artwork. They really are, too good to be forgotten..

British comics have long been the Cinderella of the comic world. Especially when compared to their counterparts across the pond. Love them or loathe them, American comic books can fetch big bucks. Issue #1 of Action Comics (where Superman made his first appearance), did fetch £120,000 a couple of years ago. The Americans are very enthusiastic when it comes to collecting 'comic books', and I think it's about time the British caught up!

In comparison, the first issue of the Beano (left) was auctioned for £12,100 in March 2004 and Dandy's first issue with the free gift went for £20,350 in September 2004. A Dandy without the free gift went for £7,261 in June 2004. The 1973 Rupert Annual, with the very rare brown face, was auctioned for £16,000 in May 2000.

However, you're not here for the money, are you? You want to find out more of the history of the British comic. Which comic characters were around before you were born, and what happened to them? Who were the publishers, the artists, the writers? Read other peoples memories. As time goes by, this site will attempt to list as much of that information as possible

Children of today are a different breed from the ones that existed 20+ years ago. The choice of leisure activities is huge and street-cred is very important. The word 'comic' conjures up an image of children's literature and not illustrated stories which can contain excellent artwork and scripts. Maybe the word 'comic' needs to be changed to something which teenagers would like to be associated with. Megazine, Comix and Sequential Art have already been tried with moderate success. In the end, it comes down to story content. If the story subject or image of the character is 'cred'ible, associated merchandise will be successful. As for the comic's longevity, that's another matter. Fads do not last as long as they used to.

Talk to enthusiasts about a comic and they'll discuss the stories, the characters and even the ideas behind the story. And if they're really into it, the writers and artists as well. Comics were part of our conditioning on the rocky road to adulthood. They are now being studied by historians with reference to popular culture, media and the use of this type of material with respect of youth culture.

There doesn't seem to be too much interest from the British people about British comics. But talk to anyone about the subject, and they'll all start to suddenly remember famous British comic characters. Roy Of The Rovers, Dennis The Menace, Dan Dare, Desperate Dan, and of course Judge Dredd.

Peoples lives inevitably move on, as do their general interests and personal lives. Their comic reading days get firmly locked away in the area of their brain labeled nostalgia. However, when they get older (35ish) they start looking for the key which will unlock all those wonderful memories.

Danny Budd (The Bootneck Boy) from Battle Picture Weekly

The reason why British comic characters were great was the bond that we all built up with them. Read a story like The Bootneck Boy from Battle Picture Weekly, and you can't help but get on the side of Danny Budd as he strives to become a British marine against all the odds. Compare that to The Silver Surfer, The Incredible Hulk or even Superman himself and you start to see the differences in the two comic cultures. The Americans like their characters to be super-heroes, with fantasy powers that save the world. The British characters were more believable and realistic. We felt that their deeds and heroics were possible This made them more acceptable.

Of course, the British comic also excelled in humour. We loved The Bash Street Kids, Mickey The Monkey, Fuss Pot, The Joker, Biffo The Bear and more recently, Cheeky and the Krazy Gang. The fun was harmless and amusing. Some of the jokes even made you 'chortle' out loudly. Even now, when you read an old copy of Sparky, the dry humour of Barney The Bulldog is still funny..

So why haven't we embraced this subject, this hobby, this unsung part of our heritage with more vigour? I tell you why. It's because we're British and we don't realise what a good thing is until it's taken from us. British comics were a great institution and art form. It should be treated as such.

This site aims to relive those halcyon days, relive the history, and let everyone know what an enjoyable pastime comic reading was.

In case you got to this page via a search engine, click here for Home page