Eagle 14 November 1959 (Vol 10:39) |
***UPDATE February 2023***
This original is in beautiful condition and not at all faded, thanks to the owner storing this out of the sunlight. A more action-packed scene would be hard to find. It comes from Bellamy's first story "Terra Nova" for the Dan Dare strip in the Eagle from 14 November 1959.
The artwork appears in this quarter's Compalcomics auction ending 26 February and already two bids have bumped this piece (which I personally think has been under-valued), to £1,380.
As usual the listings for the auction appears at both Compalcomics and TheSaleroom with the latter showing current bids.
Lot #65 is described as:
Eagle/Dan Dare original artwork (1960) drawn, painted and signed by Frank Bellamy. From the Eagle Vol. 10, No 39 page 2. The missing panel texts are pasted to the back board. Anastasia zooms down towards the mound city of the fearsome Nagrebs… Bright Pelikan inks on board. 14 x 12 ins
The estimate is £1,500-2,000 but I predict, it will go for more, as the last one to appear (mentioned here) went for £2,050 and I'd say this was a lot more iconic.
Below are both pages from the story as printed in Eagle - and you'll remember the famed American artist Al Williamson borrowed one panel from this very strip. The cover page with the Eagle logo looks to me to be drawn by Gerald Palmer (and a bit of Don Harley) but the second page is definitely pure Frank Bellamy whose middle initial was A - for Amazing?, no, just Alfred!
If you want to see more of Bellamy's "Dan Dare" use the blog search box (or Google, please search Norman's blog for "Dan Dare")
Eagle 14 November 1959 (Vol 10:39) Page 1 |
Eagle 14 November 1959 (Vol 10:39) Page 2 |
UPDATE: Bill Storie provided this amazing Star Wars strip. Have you seen this explosion anywhere before? For more of Williamson's love of Bellamy start here.
Al Williamson "Star Wars" |
Anyway as Malcolm Phillips states:
Our UK artwork section continues with two action-packed Dan Dare boards, one by Frank Hampson, the other by Frank Bellamy. There’s also an iconic Daily Mirror piece from 1976 introducing the Garth comic-strip by Martin Asbury.
If anyone knows where the latter was published (if at all) I'd love to know as it's listed as having various art from the garth strip and being published in 1976 which is when Asbury took over from Bellamy, so seems unlikely to me, but who knows?
And don't forget there's a single Bellamy Garth strip on eBay that ends this weekend on the 12 February
AUCTION SUMMARY
DAN DARE: Terra Nova
WHERE?: Compal/Saleroom
STARTING BID: £1,360
ENDING PRICE: £2,650
END DATE: Sunday 26 February 2023