The Distribution of US Published Comics in the UK (1959~1982) 15 15

[Get Marwood & I]

4 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

So is this still the Thorpe and Porter thread ??

Yes, anything relating to the UK distribution of original US produced content really

4 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

Spotted these under T&P at the Grand Comic Database. Possibly 1980? Never seen them.  Are they supposed to be like the Double Double comics only all with the same content. Or ??

Never seen them before either.

A quick eBay search brings up one solitary entry - 1988:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COMIC-COLLECTION-Book-2-1988-DC-Comic/230629801275?hash=item35b29b7d3b:g:v-kAAOxyrP9RZmhP

No detail in the listing

Lets pop over to the GCD and have a look...

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

eBay sold....definitely remaindered:

 

[Get Marwood & I]

another sale...

 

[Get Marwood & I]

I see a 1988 date in one of the pics so far too late for Thorpe & Porter. I wonder if they were 'illegal' compendiums so to speak. Good spot @themagicrobot - wonder how these escaped everyone's attention for so long  

 

[themagicrobot]

Yeah me too. Could someone produce "bootleg" bound comics? Perhaps it would be the ideal way for me to dispose of most of the cr*p I've accumulated. I could tout them round the newsagents. Six Image or similar modern rubbish comics but with an image of Spidey/whoever is hot on the cover.

PS It seems T&P already tried repackaging their old Classics Illustrateds.

 

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by themagicrobot

[Redshade]

22 hours ago, themagicrobot said:

Yeah me too. Could someone produce "bootleg" bound comics? Perhaps it would be the ideal way for me to dispose of most of the cr*p I've accumulated. I could tout them round the newsagents. Six Image or similar modern rubbish comics but with an image of Spidey/whoever is hot on the cover.

PS It seems T&P already tried repackaging their old Classics Illustrateds.

 

 

Published by a firm called Williams according to this site, I never saw any of these  in the wild being out of the hobby at the time but have seen them advertised on ebay from time to time. They are digest size and b/w. The infamous Mr Whitworth produced facsimile copies a few years later so caveat emptor.

[themagicrobot]

Thorpe and Porter used other names too. They called themselves General Book Distrubutors for their Adult stuff, They were Brown and Watson for hardback annuals. They were Williams or Warner Williams and Top Sellers for the childrens stuff that was licenced/printed here and in various other european countries (including Double Duo). 

[David Buck]

On 2/20/2021 at 8:25 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

I see a 1988 date in one of the pics so far too late for Thorpe & Porter. I wonder if they were 'illegal' compendiums so to speak. Good spot @themagicrobot - wonder how these escaped everyone's attention for so long  

 

I assumed they were fairly common and well known

they are random by the look of it as my volume 2 is completely different - It must have been Comag who produced these - the rebound issues in volume 1 include 40p stickered copies of New format titles - direct market only in the US but in the newsagents over here. The issues are trimmed into the format with all 3 edges recut - you can see diagonal marks from top to bottom where the blade has cut across the volume after binding. The Back cover advertises various DC and Comico titles available monthly from newsagents which is why I believe they were produced officially by the UK distributor as Wikipedia says Comico partnered with DC over distribution in 1989 so that removes the idea that it's an odd pairing that might hint at something unofficial . the inside covers are blank and there is no price, I don't recall seeing them on sale at the time, but then I don't recall seeing Comico titles in newsagents either.

The list of titles on the back of the 2 issues doesn't vary - Legion '89 is one so that's the time frame 

contents of my copies

vol. 1

Forever People #1, Firestorm #70, Flash #11, Green Arrow #3, Superman #16, Green Lantern Corps #223, World Of Krypton #2, Peacemaker #4, Flash #5, Blue Beetle # 23

Vol. 2

Wonder Woman #22, Justice League International #19, Flash #18, Starman #2, Suicide Squad #19, Power Of The Atom #10, Mister Miracle # 3, Adventures Of Superman #452, Superman #28, Firestorm #83

 

 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

The first 'earliest stamped DC by cover date' update in a long while - Tomahawk #66 (stamp number unclear, alas):

[Get Marwood & I]

Look at this lot! 

 

   

[themagicrobot]

You missed one. The printing plates are a nice thing to own but heavy and expensive postage!

 

 

[themagicrobot]

Another comic that T&P thought as it didn't sell at the original price why not increase the price and try again!

 

[Get Marwood & I]

Just now, themagicrobot said:

You missed one

Don't worry, it's on the list...

1 minute ago, themagicrobot said:

The printing plates are a nice thing to own but heavy and expensive postage!

Yes, this is my third set. I sent one in the post to a good friend in Canada the other year and it would've been cheaper to hire a private jet to take it there myself. The smile on his face was worth it though, I understand 

[Get Marwood & I]

6 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

Another comic that T&P thought as it didn't sell at the original price why not increase the price and try again!

 

We must spend all day looking at the same eBay listings Robot - I was looking at that one yesterday 

I like this one, that I did buy last year:

The Towers seemed to get quite a bit of stamping and sticker action as it goes. 

[themagicrobot]

Yes no one in the States has easy access to comic book cover plates.....although Israel Waldman owned a few.

[Get Marwood & I]

2 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

Yes no one in the States has easy access to comic book cover plates.....although Israel Waldman owned a few.

'Acquired', more like 

 

[themagicrobot]

I have renamed Emmerdale time as eBay time. I can have a peaceful half an hour saying "I'm just looking" whilst the others fry their brains with the mad antics of a village of crazy people and criminals.

Five days later another parcel appears and I get "I thought you were just looking?"

I'll change my ploy to "Doing important resarch for the good of the Interweb".

[OtherEric]

9 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

Another comic that T&P thought as it didn't sell at the original price why not increase the price and try again!

 

Clearly somebody eventually bought it and read the heck out of it looking at the condition, though!

"Fight the Enemy" has always been a bit of an eye-rolling title... what else are you going to do with the Enemy in a war comic?

[OtherEric]

2 minutes ago, themagicrobot said:

I have renamed Emmerdale time as eBay time. I can have a peaceful half an hour saying "I'm just looking" whilst the others fry their brains with the mad antics of a village of crazy people and criminals.

Five days later another parcel appears and I get "I thought you were just looking?"

I'll change my ploy to "Doing important resarch for the good of the Interweb".

Your noble sacrifice for the enlightenment of us all is greatly appreciated!

[themagicrobot]

I thought they were supposed to cost 1/6d (or even 1/9d or 2/-) not 10d?