What comics did you buy today?

[Nagorama]

While I have heard of these cards and the company, Bamforth and Co, is apparently still going, I've never ever seen a single one at seaside resorts

[Phoenix]

BAMFORTH COLLECTION: SAUCY POSTCARDS, by Marcus Hearn
This is a small-scale hardback book , 7 inches by 7 , that goes over the naughty seaside postcard Industry, an aspect of British Life I have dearly loved for many years. Contains many real-scale reproductions of the postcards themselves---some familiar but this has more than enough rare material to appease the true enthusiast.

Having been brought up about four miles from Morecambe, I became very familiar with seaside postcards. I loved their humour then, and I still do. A few years ago I 'did' the Isle of Wight in one day, which I finished off in the Donald McGill Postcard Museum in Ryde. Before leaving I bought three pamphlets, A Guide To The Donald McGill Postcard Museum, The Art Of Donald McGill by George Orwell, and Double Entendre by Ivor Biggun. Oh, and a pack of Donald McGill's Saucy Seaside Playing Cards. Over the years the humour varied from the innocuous, via what we might describe as standard humour, to more risque innuendo. See below.

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

Thanks for your interest, Nagorama: yes, even in a major seaside resort like Brighton, I never saw many Bamforth-style cards during my last visit there, other than going into the collector shops: as Phoenix will surely attest to, these cards enjoyed huge sales during the last Century---and were a common sight even as late as the 70s: but they seem to have died down a lot since the 80s onwards: there is a huge interest in this material on ebay and elsewhere, though.


Phoenix: I am glad to hear you appreciate this sort of material, many thanks for adding these welcome examples, and I do have one of the books that reproduce a lot of McGills' work: I personally prefer Arnold Taylor and Fitzpatrick's artwork, and my bathroom is adorned with scores of framed seaside postcards: really colourful, everyone comments on this decor after visiting the rest room.
During the 70s, some of the material became more explicit, presumably to combat falling sales. The most tasteless ones were often from rival companies other than Bamforth.

Korky artist Charlie Grigg also done a lot of these for Bamforth of course, which reflect his usual high artistic standards.

[Phoenix]

I do have one of the books that reproduce a lot of McGills' work

I also have a couple of books about McGill's life and works, Rab. The earliest is a hardback with dustwrapper from 1966 called Wish You Were Here : The Art Of Donald McGill, and the other is ''Please, Lord, Excuse Me A Minute While I Kick Fido!'' The latter is a Javelin paperback from 1985 but I think I'm right in saying that the previous year it had appeared as a much larger hardback with dustwrapper. See below for their front covers. I've also posted the rear cover of the paperback because the postcard seems to encapsulate everybody's dual attitude towards them.

[stevezodiac]

I'm pretty sure Scotland's own Phil Millar of DC Thomson fame drew some saucy postcards under the name of Pedro. So there is a comics connection.

[philcom55]

...Not to mention Korky the Cat artist Charlie Grigg who made a second name for himself as the postcard artist 'Chas'. As ever Lew covered this a while ago on his indispensable blog:

http://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2007/ ... -next.html

[geoff42]

Judy annual 1978 - the only item I've bid on Phil's Auctions this month. I had an eye on Bunty comics 1977 and the other separate issues with free gifts but their prices shot out of orbit for me to consider placing a bid. I know these can/and will be obtained at a lesser price

[geoff42]

As a side note, the Bunty comics were seriously marred with an almighty newsagent name scrawled in the margin with not only ink but felt tip pen. I know this as I obtained Debbie comics from 1977 from the same owner. Surprised they eclipsed £75. For that price, one would require almost mint condition, which means no ugly defacement of the cover.

[geoff42]

Action comic, dated March 5th 1977; just three more to complete its 1977 run before it joined Battle. Another Walt Disney Fun Time issue, no.7, to give me almost 50% completion; and a Planet of the Apes issue that leaves about a third of the series to collect. Slowly but surely, all will be complete. I have remarkable patience

[big bad bri]

Not british i know but i had to buy the gorgeous looking Looney tunes variant covers on the superman and Batman Titles, 6 in total,which i don't really collect anymore (amazing spiderman being the only american title i collect now and also gonna get the deadpool variant comic covers)but would love to get all that months Dc variants which i may well do if i have money after xmas.Also 2000ad xmas prog.

[big bad bri]

Today i got my first ever issues of Buzz as i was 2 when it came out lol i got issues 1,4,5 64.65 & 85.do you guys leave the broad sheet size comics folded or laid flat out.i may have to invest in a set of bags and boards that size now as im nearly done bagging and boarding my american stuff its gonna be expensive doing my british ones

[Adam Eterno]

Today i got my first ever issues of Buzz as i was 2 when it came out lol i got issues 1,4,5 64.65 & 85.do you guys leave the broad sheet size comics folded or laid flat out.i may have to invest in a set of bags and boards that size now as im nearly done bagging and boarding my american stuff its gonna be expensive doing my british ones

I bagged that exact comic only this week!

I bagged and boarded mine flat, not folded. I finished off most of my bags and boards this week so called Comic John and bought loads more. He told me he travels down to London every few weeks to do deliveries which could save you a packet on postage if you speak to him about when he's next down.

[philcom55]

I picked up a copy of Buzz #1 for just £1 a couple of months ago. Presumably there's not so much demand for it as some other first issues?

[big bad bri]

Today i got my first ever issues of Buzz as i was 2 when it came out lol i got issues 1,4,5 64.65 & 85.do you guys leave the broad sheet size comics folded or laid flat out.i may have to invest in a set of bags and boards that size now as im nearly done bagging and boarding my american stuff its gonna be expensive doing my british ones

I bagged that exact comic only this week!

I bagged and boarded mine flat, not folded. I finished off most of my bags and boards this week so called Comic John and bought loads more. He told me he travels down to London every few weeks to do deliveries which could save you a packet on postage if you speak to him about when he's next down.

Thanks for that i wanted to order some bags and boards last week for my knockouts and krazy but postage was way too much so i will message him after chrimbo that would be useful being dekivered.

[blaing]

I ended the year of purchasing and bidding by winning the elusive (to me) No. 1 of Cor!!

This marks the final regular purchase/bid by me for a while, until sometime next year.