SECONDHAND COMIC MEMORIES

ROY ROGERS · Post by **ROY ROGERS** » 02 May 2007, 20:40

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG LAD EARLY 60S I WOULD GO TO BORDWAY MARKET IN HACKNEY ARMED WITH THE 6D OF MY POCKET MONEY TO THE SECOND HAND BOOK STALL TO SEE WHAT WAS ON OFFER THAT WEEK . BRITISH COMICS WOULD BE HALF PENCE EACH ,1950S BRITISH REPRINTS EG MARVEL MAN ETC 1D EACH POCKET LIBRARYS 1D AND THE HOLY GRAIL AMERICAN COMICS 50S AND 60S 2D EACH AND YOU COULD TRADE THEM IN FOR HALF SELLING PRICE . MID 60S MOVED TO THE WILDS OF SEASIDE ESSEX SHOPS HAD SPINNER RACKS FULL OF US COMICS AND DAD STILL PAID FOR MY FIX OF HALF A DOZEN BRIT COMICS EACH WEEK. WENT BACK TO THE BOOK STALL A YEAR LATER ON A VIST TO FAMILY
ARMED WITH TEN BOB AND A BIG BAG SHOCK HORROR NO COMICS NO CALL FOR THEM SON ANY MORE SAID THE MAN , SULKED ALL THE WAY HOME ON THE X10 BUS

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 03 May 2007, 12:58

When I were a lad in the mid / late 60's in Glasgow we were lucky enough to have an ice cream van/ small van shop that seemed to be perminantly stationed outside our house - as this was in Baby boom time the owner of the van used to sell lots of UK and British comics - he also had an exchange scheme where you could trade in your prevoiously read comic and get a new one 1/2 price (he probably made lots outta that but seemed good to us) for his good customers (like my borther and myself) he would give any tattered 2nd hand comics away free - he also sold Mars attack, America civil war etc bubble gum and sweet cigarette cards -a proper little Forbiden Planet on wheels - There also used to also be a second hand shop in East end of GLasgow that sold lots of old US comics really cheap (and movie stuff) I have no idea ho he managed to get so many comics but the shop was stacked to the roof with them all titles and companys Tower, Marvel , DC Australian reprints, Disney, Harvey , Gold Key etc fantastic day out for me rooking thro' the piles of books all for less than a UK comic as well (altho then I was more into SMASH than Batman) - When I moved house to the country (in mid 70's) I was lucky enough to find a newsagent that had a back room devoted entirely to comics (horror , superhero , old UKs etc) no idea how he managed to make money as I seemed to be his only customer - he sold the shop about 2 years later. Now theres nothing like that available (it seems) so sad loved the buzz of searching through old musty smelling shops as a kid drooling at the possibility of findign a great new comic - everything so flashy now .

Shaqui · Post by **Shaqui** » 03 May 2007, 13:22

When I was young, maybe 8 or so, my Dad bought home a HUGE box of comics. I forget the title (might have been 'Victor' or "Hotspur' but others here can confirm). My sister and I helped him sort out these into order to read, and the strip which caught my eye was 'The Voice From Mars' where humans are controlled by a commanding voice to build a matter transmitter. The twist in the tale was once built, the first Martian (a dark dome-headed humanoid) to materialise dies instantly in our atmosphere!

I've had my own successes - a batch of 'TV Comics' from late 1973 (straight after the merger with 'TV Action') to early 1975 when Tom Baker took over. These came into the OXfam where I worked, and comics couldn't be sold then I made an offer and was told I could just have them! Result!

There was even a mint condition flyer for 'Dr Who and the Seven Keys To Doomsday' in one. Chuffed or what!?

stevezodiac · Post by **stevezodiac** » 03 May 2007, 21:41

I used to visit Swan's bookstall in Deptford High Street from when I was a kid in the late 60s right up until about 1990. He had hundreds of paperbacks at the front of the stall and the comics were on a shelf at the back and you had to ask him to pass them to you. I remember having to write out a cheque when I was in my thirties and asking if he needed to see my guarantee card "No" he said "I think i know you well enough" as he'd watched me grow up from a boy. sadly he said he had to close up as his stall was under railway arches which were going to be developed. Nearly twenty years later they still haven't and the space where his stall was is still there. I go past it almost every week. My cousin's boyfriend borrowed Daredevil 16 from me once in the early seventies and, a few weeks later, there it was on Swan's Bookstall so I had to buy it again. Trouble was it now had a big 6 written on the front cover (6p quite cheap I suppose) and that was the trouble - all the comics had a big number written on the cover for the price. not just in biro but a bleedin' great magic marker! Bloomin' Ada! (I always figured Alf Tupper was a cockney like me - was he? My Dad was a welder too so I figured all welders were Londoners also Alf's language read like a Londoner - trouble is I thought the same about Andy Capp until I found out he came from Hartlepool).

Kremmen · Post by **Kremmen** » 04 May 2007, 12:16

I lived in Hardwick from 1965 to 1984 and for me the highlight of the week was Saturday, market day in Stockton, where there was a comic/book stall outside the Town Hall. The new American comics (mainly Marvel and DC) were laid out at the front, and at the side was a box with back issues for 6d. Occasionally there'd be some rare bargains to be had - if I had the money!

But you know what they say about all good things... sadly the stall is no more... but it was nice while it lasted...

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 04 May 2007, 16:21

Every Saturday morning around 1967/68 when I was eight, my best mate Dave Bird and I would go the "ABC Minors" matinee at the local Ritz to see the Buster Crabbe Flash Gordon serial, a bunch of Warner Bros cartoons and an always-boring CFF movie. After which, we'd go to the market bookstall and either buy second hand Marvel comics for 6d each (or new ones for 1/-) or swap two for one.

I imagine the same scenario was happening across the UK. No more, sadly. Do they even have Saturday matinees now? (Or have they been totally replaced by hyperactive children's television? No Saturday morning tv for kids back then.) The market bookstalls now only sell colouring books for kids. Another victory for dumbing down.

Rant, grumble, etc.

Lew

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 04 May 2007, 16:49

Lew, there are still Saturday matinees, but now you drive the kids to the multiplex on the outskirts of town, get in very cheap but spend a small fortune on fizzy drinks and popcorn which you slurp an munch through a family film that may have been a new release less than six months before. There is even occasionally today's equivalent of the talent contests of old at the Saturday morning clubs, whereby the group of kids that can shout the loudest wins more popcorn.

Then it's off to Burger King for a healthy lunch before driving home. Not a comic in sight...unless you count the freebie brochures advertising the forthcoming Spiderman 12 movie.

No Old Mother Reilly either. Who'd be a kid today?

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 04 May 2007, 17:29

Steve Bright wrote:Lew, there are still Saturday matinees, but now you drive the kids to the multiplex on the outskirts of town, get in very cheap but spend a small fortune on fizzy drinks and popcorn which you slurp an munch through a family film that may have been a new release less than six months before. There is even occasionally today's equivalent of the talent contests of old at the Saturday morning clubs, whereby the group of kids that can shout the loudest wins more popcorn.

Then it's off to Burger King for a healthy lunch before driving home. Not a comic in sight...unless you count the freebie brochures advertising the forthcoming Spiderman 12 movie.

No Old Mother Reilly either. Who'd be a kid today?

He he. They actually showed an Old Mother Riley movie one week at our ABC Minors club and we hated it.

Don't the kids go to the matinees on their own anymore? If a parent came with us we'd have been mortified.

Lew

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 04 May 2007, 17:49

Thanks for the subtle spell-checking, Lew!

Kids don't go anywhere on their own any more, not until they're 16 (and then you have to bribe them to disappear). They're far from mortified about this - who'd buy the fizzy drinks and the popcorn if they went on their own?

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 04 May 2007, 18:56

Steve Bright wrote:Thanks for the subtle spell-checking, Lew!

Kids don't go anywhere on their own any more, not until they're 16 (and then you have to bribe them to disappear). They're far from mortified about this - who'd buy the fizzy drinks and the popcorn if they went on their own?

Blimey. Is this because they've been scared to death by media perv stories or just that they're more dependent?

Let's hope it doesn't spread to comics. Imagine Dennis' Dad accompanying him everywhere! You'd have no story.

Lew

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 04 May 2007, 21:13

Lew Stringer wrote:
Steve Bright wrote:Thanks for the subtle spell-checking, Lew!

Kids don't go anywhere on their own any more, not until they're 16 (and then you have to bribe them to disappear). They're far from mortified about this - who'd buy the fizzy drinks and the popcorn if they went on their own?
Blimey. Is this because they've been scared to death by media perv stories or just that they're more dependent?

It's both. As a parent, you are made to fell inadequate if you don't do a stalker thing on your kid. On the other side, kids seem to expect the world to fall into their laps as soon as they turn 18.

Lew Stringer wrote:Let's hope it doesn't spread to comics. Imagine Dennis' Dad accompanying him everywhere! You'd have no story.

Lew

Unfortunately, in today's current climate, the main story would be Dennis shaking off his dad so that he {Dennis} could get up to mischief in that precious time before he was located.

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 05 May 2007, 11:58

'Windfall' comics, they were the best. Those that you got gratis and for nowt from some more developed child who was grudgingly forced to downsize his collection of childhood detritus by his mother. I discovered the delights of 'The Hotspur' and 'Rover & Wizard' in just this way when a lad named Mervyn Spicer was strong-armed into passing on his collection of both to me. Mind you I always felt he got some sort of revenge by somehow sabotaging the handover and holding on to key issues which made it impossible to read a story from start to finish. Indeed one such 'unfinished' story in 'The Hotspur' 'The War Gong of Kashgar' so burned itself into my mind that I have always credited it with fuelling my interest it tracking down comics in later years. The very genesis of my collecting frenzy and the main reason that I chose 'Kashgar' as my moniker in this forum.

grumpy old man · Post by **grumpy old man** » 05 May 2007, 12:59

My warm memory of early comic collecting involves a ?shed? that was rather bizarrely located in Nottingham?s old Central Market in the fish and meat section! Not only did they have all the usual Brit stuff but the Alan Class (?) stuff and Marvel and DC imports.

What a revelation those US imports were - in colour (or should that be color) and you got a whole story not a collection of episodes. I?m afraid they seduced me away from homegrown comics.

Sadly when the market was redeveloped in the early seventies the stall vanished never to be seen again and to get my fix I had to wait for those annual trips to Mablethorpe/Skegness etc were my parents couldn?t understand why I was spending a fortune on old comics on some dusty old display rack

brisey · Post by **brisey** » 06 May 2007, 08:25

Seems from the postings we South London boys were spoilt for choice.

Plus Books in Tulse Hill,Wandsworth and South Wimbledon.Popular Book Centre in Tooting and Balham.Swans Books in Tooting Market

Then there was one in the Arndale Centre in Wandsworth(whose name escapes me).I used to walk to school and spend my bus fare on a comic a day.Sometimes I would save up to buy an Airfix kit at Jannnawares toy shop in the centre-but I digress

They all mainly had Commando sized comics and US stuff.Bring it back and get half your money in credit-great days.

Also people didn't confuse old with valuable-turnover was the name of the game.

Brian

brisey · Post by **brisey** » 06 May 2007, 08:49

Second post on same topic-but thought best to seperate them.

As a child I used to tour London on a Red Bus Rover from about 7.With our Bus Maps obtained from the Tube Station my brother and I would travel round town.Visit the Science Museum and like in South Ken.The Railway Museum when it was in Clapham-curse you York for taking it away etc.

But I was very wary about my own children-it was not the fear of dodgy geezers but traffic in London was my concern.Remember when you were not supposed to cross the road near parked cars.Find a bit of road that has no parked cars nowadays.The tube is not the relatively pleasant ride it was,seemingly crowded all day round.

Secondly things aren't cheap any more.To go out for a day is expensive relative to what it was.Like it has been said we went to the picture show on Saturday morning and it cost a tanner(the price of about 2 comics).Two films and a serial.One of the films was from the Children's Film Foundation(interesting link http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Revie ... Y/CFF.html ).All this in one of the most impressive cinemas in the Country-Tooting Granada-now a bingo hall.Now it is ?5 for a child ?2.50 for a drink and ?2.50 at least for a snack-no wonder they want there parents to pay.

brian

Slight ramble there

Comics UK