Comics UK

Hi all,

Would anyone have any knowledge of the rarity of the "Rocket" comic from 1956, the comic edited by the RAF hero Douglas Bader? I have a full set of the 32 issues.

I have seen single issues sell on past eBay sales, however, I have not seen a sale with several issues or indeed a full set.

Assuming that I am correct in thinking they are a rare set of comics, I was looking to sell them as a full run of issues rather than splitting them?

I know its horrible trying to discuss prices with fellow collectors but I'm a bit uncertain on these ones. I've had the pleasure of reading them and loved them. The colours in the comics, particular the front covers with almost fluorescent yellow and deep dark blues reflecting outer space are a real treat for the eye!

Any suggestions?

Cheers,

Adam

That's a very nice collection Adam, and while the material in Rocket wasn't in quite the same league as its main rival Eagle (Mac Raboy's Flash Gordon and Frank Robbins' Johnny Hazard were American reprints of course) I'd guess that it's a much rarer title today. I'd love to buy them myself, but I suspect they'll go for rather more than I can afford on ebay!

no idea how much they'd go for (sorry!) but keep us posted if you decide to sell them (or send me a PM) as I'd be interested as they were a rival to Eagle (albeit a shortlived rival that I could find room for on my shelves!) and fit into my general 'boys adventure comic' area of interest

cheers

The Comic Book Price Guide 1998 (the latest one I could find) gives a guide price of £25 for the first issue, £12.50 for the second, £7.50 for the third, a fiver each for issues #4-10 and three quid each for #11-32, totalling £146, and of course that's now quite a few years ago. However, a guide price is often a wild overestimate, and while these are quite rare, that doesn't ncessarily mean they're in demand. If I were putting them up on ebay as a collection, I'd either put them in at auction with a starting price of £75 and take a chance on them going up significantly, or put them up with a BIN price of £100.

Hi Adam,

Looking at the comics a Buy It Now of a £100 is maybe a tad low (although I'd certainly buy them at that price).
Comic Book Postal Auctions have sold a few sets over the years, the latest being 2013 for £271 (missing issue 16). They've also sold other sets (some were bound copies and gained a higher price) at £286, £411 and £484!
So you could always contact them as an additional option as they seem to sell them fairly easily. Yours look in quite nice condition so Malcolm might be able to give some extra advice.

Good luck whichever way you go though.

I can't add to the suggestions made by others re. price but I can say that the Douglas Bader name on the cover should add some value as it opens the market up to other sorts of collectors. The art on the American strips is very good, of course, and I am a fan of Mac Raboy, who was well known for his lovely work on Captain Marvel Junior and Green Lama, the latter currently available in a hardback reprint from Dark Horse.

Stingray wrote:Comic Book Postal Auctions have sold a few sets over the years, the latest being 2013 for £271 (missing issue 16). They've also sold other sets (some were bound copies and gained a higher price) at £286, £411 and £484! So you could always contact them as an additional option as they seem to sell them fairly easily.

It is probably worth pointing out that although Stingray's auction prices are no doubt accurate, the amount received by the vendor is far less than that because as well as taking 10% of the 'hammer price' from the buyer Malcolm also takes 20% from the vendor. So although the successful £484 bidder will have had to pay an extra £48.40, the vendor will have had £96.80 deducted from his share, leaving him with £387.20.

Hi guys! Really grateful for your comments and suggestions. I had noticed the ones on Compal over the weekend, I wonder if they were the same set of bound issues?

I've always held the preference of having unbound comics even if they are a full year run.

As for the Rocket Comics, I am looking out for comic covers for them (you know the type you often see American comics in, the stiff cardboard with plastic wrapping) but turns out they do not make them this size (i.e. Beezer / Topper size).

As for selling them, I might just have to part with them sooner than I had expected, in the next few weeks I am going to be getting a final confirmation as to whether I can officially move to China to teach English!

As much as I would like to, turning up with a load of old comics in China is a bit impractical so I will have to get getting brutal with my comic stash and downsize!

Hello one and all! I am temporarily back in the UK, on holiday from my job in China.

After much internal debate, I have decided to downsize part of my collection, including this lot of Rocket comics. I have placed them up for auction and they are scheduled to start at 19:10 this evening (February 10th 2016). Could be good timing considering this April will mark Rocket's 60th anniversary?

Web link is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311545067963.

There is no reserve, however, I have placed starting bid at £200.00 which I feel is a fair price reflecting their condition and scarcity.

booksandcomics wrote:Web link is http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/311545067963. There is no reserve, however, I have placed starting bid at £200.00

I don't see anybody buying this lot as clicking on the link produces the message this listing has been removed, or the item is unavailable.

I just clicked it at 19:26 and it is working. Just in case anyone is having problems, the lot title is "Rocket Comic 1956 Full Set of 32 High Grade Issues"

Working fine for me too.

Phoenix, it may be that you clicked on it too early as your post is at 7:07 pm and the item was scheduled to go live at 7:10 pm.

It's that delay on eBay again. I'd selected 19:00 but was told it would be listed at 19:10:20

Well it's now nearly 8.25, and I'm still getting the same message. Perhaps it got sold, or maybe it isn't scheduled to go on sale until tomorrow.

Must be your browser? Here's another link;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rocket-Comic- ... SwDuJWu1zH

Alternatively if you search "Rocket Comic 1956" it's the second result.