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While comic art can be traced back far into history, the earliest comic books in their modern form are generally considered to be those produced in the mid-19th century.

The ‘Golden Age’ of comic books came in the 1930s with the emergence in the US of characters such as Batman, Superman, Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman and Captain America. In Britain, many of the biggest names in the collectable market emerged slightly later, such as The Beano and The Dandy, while in 1954, Tiger comics released Roy of the Rovers.


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Comics sale was a knock-out success

16 May 2022

The six lots described here are drawn from a hugely successful sale of comics and comic art held in Dallas by Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) over four days, from April 7-10.

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Koppitz dancers show the right moves

09 May 2022

'Bewegungsstudie', or ‘Study of Movement’, by Rudolf Koppitz, is the most famous of six tipped-in photogravures, each with a protective glassine sheet, that make up Pictures from the Tyng Collection, a 1931 publication of the Royal Photographic Society.

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Frank Bellamy Eagle artwork flies highest to beat Buster and Dandy

28 March 2022

Billed as the star lot in a sale that ended on February 27, a scarce copy of the 1937 first issue of Dandy made a high-estimate £3450.

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Comics at auction: A truly super set of prices

28 February 2022

A four-day US sale of comics and comic art produced some extraordinary results – with 4900 would-be buyers registered and every one of the 1333 lots sold to bring a premium-inclusive total of $23.76m (£17.34m).

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Time to launch the haggis!

10 January 2022

In a world in which American superhero comics featuring Superman, Batman and other characters regularly sell for substantial six and seven-figure sums, it is really quite refreshing to be reminded of more modestly priced British rarities.

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Spider-Man flies high at Heritage

08 November 2021

Spider-Man became the most expensive comic book superhero in a Heritage (20% buyer’s premium) sale this autumn.

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Tiger burns bright at £2200

27 October 2021

Complete year runs of Beano from the years 1958 and ‘59 that sold at £3050 and £3550 topped the bidding in a Comic Book Auctions (20% buyer’s premium) timed online sale that ended on August 29.

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John McLusky's 007 comic strip drawings offered at Abbott and Holder

27 September 2021

Coinciding with the new (and long-awaited) release of James Bond film 'No Time To Die', Bloomsbury gallery Abbott and Holder is holding an exhibition of original drawings made for the serialisation of Ian Fleming’s novels in the 'Daily Express'.

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Comics fulfil auction promise

06 September 2021

Collection now up for sale was owned by soldier killed in Korea but kept safe by his brother

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Buyer’s Noble intention pays off

06 September 2021

Having secured his prize for a notably higher than estimate sum, the buyer of a ‘Fireball XLV’ artwork told Malcolm Phillips of Comic Book Auctions (19% buyer’s premium) that very few artworks by its creator, Mike Noble, ever come to auction.

First Roy of the Rovers comic

Rare comic featuring first appearance of Roy of the Rovers stars in our weekly pick of five auction highlights

03 September 2021

ATG’s weekly selection of items that caught bidders’ eyes includes a copy ‘Tiger’ weekly that made over 25-times estimate at Comic Book Auctions.

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Captain America socks it to Hitler

22 February 2021

A copy of the very first issue of Captain America soared to £320,000 (£235,640) at Heritage Auctions.

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Holy smoke and blistering barnacles – comics set records at auction

15 January 2021

A Tintin comic cover in France and a Batman number 1 issue in the US have sold for multi-million-pound sums at auction.

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Crude and rude for more than 40 years – Viz No1 comic comes to auction

09 November 2020

Fat Sod, Skinhead, Colin the Amiable Crocodile and Victor Pratt the Stupid Twat were introduced to the public in the form of a comic offered in a Newcastle pub in December 1979. Forty-one years later that comic is still going strong: Viz.

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Rupert makes his debut in annual form

02 November 2020

A selection of children’s books and annuals offered recently by British Bespoke Auctions (22% buyer’s premium) included among the comics a great many bound volumes of Dandy, but the star turn was always going to be 'The New Adventures of Rupert' shown here.

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Comics: Spider-Man and Fantastic Four thrill bidders

02 November 2020

Spider-Man has made a couple of successful appearances in recent UK sales.

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Dr Who and Ninjak originals sold at Comic Book Auctions

02 November 2020

Shown here are two of the higher-priced lots from a timed online Comic Book Auctions (19% buyer’s premium) sale.

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Avengers venture out for a debut

08 June 2020

Long run of the comics includes very first issue introducing The Hulk, Iron Man et al

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Cartoons by late Astérix creator Albert Uderzo to be auctioned for charity

06 May 2020

Cartoons by the late Albert Uderzo (1927-2020) will be offered by his family at a charity auction hosted by Artcurial in Paris.

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Spartan artwork sparkles at £5700

06 January 2020

As in its September auction, a double-page Frank Bellamy artwork featuring ‘Heros the Spartan’ proved a star turn in the latest Comic Book Auctions (19% buyer’s premium) online sale on thesaleroom.com.