Today is the launch day of our modest attempt to set up an online database of Canadian comic books from the WECA period (1941-46), better known to collectors as The Canadian Whites, at canadasowncomics.com. We were approached early on in our project to avoid the difficulty of creating an online index of these comics from scratch and simply upload our information to the Grand Comics Database. However, we felt it of utmost importance that the first real indexing of these comics be based in Canada. I’m sure that the information we put up there (and remember that this is the first real setting down of comprehensive data about a unique, rare, and arcane set of comic books) will often have holes and need amendment and tweaking, but this first effort is important. I’m sure that a lot of our information will be mined by sites such as the Grand Comics Database, I just hope that whoever ends up using our findings as published material will link back to our site or, at least, credit their find appropriately.
Read MoreCanada’s Own Comics: a WECA database
On July 6th I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Comic Book Show (TCBS) for the first time. This was the second TCBS after its inaugural show in May. You won’t see any cosplay or signings at TCBS—the show’s organizers are 100% focused on serving those who just want to get their hands on books (both raw and graded). The admission person I spoke with said they expected over 400 people throughout the day. While that’s a far cry from some of the bigger Toronto shows or US shows, it’s a pretty respectable number considering TCBS is a collector-first show.
Read MoreToronto Comic Book Show Report
A completely different take on the end of the world, Snowpiercer Volume 1: The Escape delivers a harsh look on society in a frozen hell.
Read MoreReview | Snowpiercer Vol 1: The Escape
For this column I’ve chosen to step outside of my normal mandate and talk a little about that period that came after the WECA Period (Robin Hood Comics Vol. 1 No. 1 and Better Comics Vol. 1 No. 1 in…
YOUNGBLOOD #1 (Image Comics, April 1992). This week’s pick came to me as I was examining recent Direct Market numbers. Slowly but surely Image Comics is cementing a dominant and distinctive 3rd place in our industry. At their current rate, Image’s share of the market may top 10% real soon and this is significant news.
Read MoreUndervalued Spotlight #206
A coloured reprint of early work, Paul Pope's Escapo is a gripping look into the heart and mind.
Read MoreReview | Escapo
I’m up at the archives again, flipping original Bell Features art pages and have just had time to put together a patchwork column this week. First of all, I’d like to share with you some dates and geography. My…
Orb #2, Punk Publications, July 1974 I tried to post this on Canada Day July 1st but alas the best made plans are often messed up by sorties into Quebec. Anyway rather than wait until next year I thought I’d post…
Because it's Canada Day week I want to do a bit of a more involved special column about the figurehead of the Canadian Whites this time--Nelvana. This mini-skirted, semi-mortal, maid of the Arctic skies has firmly become the totem (the chosen emblem) of the Canadian war-time comics.
Read MoreNelvana
The WECA period had its share of capes, masks, and tights, but the most common heroic habit for the super-styled Canadian crime-fighter of the period was far more reserved fashion statement. This was the simple combination of jodhpurs and riding boots with a variety of top halfs.
Read MoreJodhpur Jockeys
A sumptuous collection of amazing British 1960s strips by Tom Tully and Frank Bellamy, Heros The Spartan is a must for comic art fans.
Read MoreReview | Frank Bellamy’s Heros the Spartan
IDW has garnered a significant amount of fans and industry awards for its Artist’s Edition line of books that reprint original comic art full size, utilizing colour scans of the original penciled and inked comic art boards. They’re beautiful giant…
By the time Name-It Comics came out, Maple Leaf’s first title, and Canada’s first comic book, Better Comics had already had eight issues out and its second title, Lucky Comics (at that time known as “Union Jack – Lucky Comics”) had had half that. The other title that came out concurrently with Name-It Comics was Bing Bang Comics with its lead and cover feature being the adolescent, Denis the Menace type of trouble maker, Pinky.
Read MoreName-It Comics
Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1, First Funnies Inc., April 1939 Please don’t yell. I’ve been called out in the past for picking books that are impossible to find and I’ve been real good about it for such a long time…
In a recent Financial Analysts Journal article authors Elroy Dimson and Christophe Spaenjers provide an excellent analysis of the historical performance of artwork, stamps, and antique violins. The authors label these collectibles “emotional assets.” No, the authors did not include comic books in their study. However, the article offered a few interesting insights that apply to us comic book collectors.
Read MoreComics as Emotional Assets
On the front cover of Canada’s first comic book, Better Comics No. 1 (March, 1941), Vancouver’s Maple Leaf Publications chooses a stylized maple leaf containing the words “Canada’s Own” to be its logo. These words broadcast the mission mandate…
Daredevil #53, Marvel Comics, (June 1969). When I think of Daredevil comics to invest in I usually don’t go back to the sixties in my search. The Daredevil we know now was really born, like the X-Men in the bronze age of comics. The Black Widow team-ups, Death Stalker (formerly, The Exterminator), Bullseye, Elektra, and the Kingpin weren’t part of his life back then. Neither was Frank Miller...
Read MoreUndervalued Spotlight #203
Few people know, however, that Clayton Dexter is a pseudonym for Howard Buchanan Cowan; thanks to Howard’s son Glen for this information and other biographical details. He was born in 1918 in Toronto to a well-known Dentist Father, William A. Cowan, who practiced on Bloor Street. Howard received some art training at Humberside College and after graduating in 1939 wanted to pursue further art studies but received no support from his father who seemed not to see much of a future in this and ideally wanted his son to become a dentist.
Read MoreClayton Dexter
Comic Link May Featured Auction The comic book portion of ComicLink’s May Featured Auction ended Wednesday May 28th and there were some very interesting results. There was something for everyone in this auction, it was fun to watch. I must…
I’ve already discussed the work of Sid Barron, one of Educational Projects main artists, elsewhere and in this post I’d like to look at another, Joseph Hillenbrand, even though there is little information available about him apart from the comic book work he left behind.
Read MoreJoseph Hillenbrand