Original art on Heritage: Thunderbirds from TV21 #146

Thunderbirds from TV21 #146 by Frank Bellamy

Heritage have had so much Bellamy for sale recently, but this is a beautiful example of Bellamy's colour work, design and composition - and this is only one age of the two he will have done for that issue of TV21 (#146)

It comes from the story, which appeared in issues #141 - 146 (30 September 2067 - 4 November 2067)  and has been called "Mr Big - The Earthquake Maker".  It's been reprinted so many times so easy to get hold of if you're curious to read it (Check out my reprint page) but due to my generous nature here are the two episodes from the comic. It's interesting to note how clear the colour came across in print but still Bellamy's original has much more subtlety that was lost - even in photogravure printing! Obviously the scan below shows some of the 'bleed through' from the previous page but still the original just 'pops' as the youth say!

Heritage's description:

Frank Bellamy TV Century 21 #146 Page 18 Thunderbirds Original Art (IPC, 1967). Things are not "F.A.B." for Brains, Virgil, and Scott on this page, but since they are British, "Thunderbirds are GO!" by page end. Gerry Anderson's International Rescue team created legions of fans on both sides of the Atlantic (and around the world as well), and Frank Bellamy's art style for this series was a bold and brilliant choice. Bellamy decided to do the strip with a more comic book/realistic style instead of drawing the puppets from the Supermarionation TV series. This also features a couple of great panels of Thunderbird 2, the fan-favorite craft from the beloved series. Signed under the image area, it is ink and watercolor on illustration board with an image area of approximately 12" x 16.25". There is production tape in the margins, however the image area is in Excellent condition. 

Of course all Bellamy's Thunderbirds work was ink not watercolour at all, but I'm still grateful to Heritage for sharing large scans!

SUMMARY

• WHERE?: 2017 August 10 - 12 Comics Signature Auction - Dallas #7166
• SELLER:  Heritage
• STARTING BID (starting on 21 July 2017): $ 
• ENDING PRICE: $2629.00 (inc. Buyer's Premium) = £2033.66
• END DATE: 12 August 2017
• No of bids:4

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - The Bride of Jenghiz Khan (H230)

H230 episode of  "Garth: The Bride of Jenghiz Khan" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

Heritage have another Garth for auction, this time from the story "The Bride of Jenghiz Khan"
Heritage describe this piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip Original Art dated 1-10-74 (Daily Mirror, 1974). A landslide has our hero in a heap of trouble on this high contrast thriller, numbered H230. Frank Bellamy is one of the celebrated titans of British comic strip art. This daily has an image area of 20.5" x 5.25", and the art is in Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

The whole story ran originally in the national UK newspaper the Daily Mirror from 28 September 1974 - 14 January 1975 (H228-J11). It was reprinted in Garth: Bride of Jenghiz Khan by the now-defunct All Devon Comic Collectors Club (No.1 [No date]), in Garth: Bride of Jenghiz Khan  (Daily Strips No. 1). London: J. Dakin, P. Hudson & G. Lawley. and latterly in the Daily Mirror from  Tuesday 19 February 2013 to Wednesday 10 April 2013 -  coloured by Martin Baines.

Want to read more? Here are the 6 strips from the series taken from the above-mentioned Dakin reprint

Drawn by Frank Bellamy

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121730
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$
ENDING PRICE:$454.10 inc. Buyer's Premium = £348.34
No of bids: 4

END DATE: 23 July 2017

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - The Wreckers (G274)

G274 episode of  "Garth: The Wreckers" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

Heritage have another Garth for auction, this time from the story "The Wreckers"
Heritage describe this piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip G274 Original Art dated 11-17-73 (Daily Mirror, 1973). This daily strip displays the fantastic chiaroscuro artwork of Frank Bellamy, from the end of his career. Produced in ink over graphite on illustration board with an image area of 20.5" x 5.25". Slight edge toning and a crunched bottom right corner, away from the image area; otherwise in Excellent condition.

I don't know if it's an oversight but this one does not say from the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.

The whole story ran originally in the national UK newspaper the Daily Mirror from 26 October 1973 - 18 February 1974 (G255-H41). It was reprinted in Garth: The Wreckers by the now-defunct All Devon Comic Collectors Club (No.23 [No date]), in Menomonee Falls Gazette #184 (23 June 1975) - #202 (27 October 1975)  and latterly in the Daily Mirror from Wednesday 13 April 2011 - Tuesday 7 June 2011 coloured by Martin Baines.

Want to read more? Here are the 6 strips from the series taken from Menomonee Falls Gazette #187

Jim Edgar and Frank Bellamy from

Menomonee Falls Gazette#187

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121729
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$
ENDING PRICE:$501.90 (inc. Buyer's Premium) = £387.67
No of bids:5

END DATE: 16 July 2017

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - The Beast of Ultor (H91)

H91 episode of  "Garth: The Beast of Ultor" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

Here's another of the Ethan Roberts Collection to be auctioned on Heritage this time from the Garth story "The Beast of Ultor".  Heritage Auctions decided not to hide this behind a sing-in verification despite the art's explicit drawing (very common in the early seventies on TV and newspaper strips!)
Heritage describe this piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip Original Art dated 4-18-74 (Daily Mirror, 1974). Astra "suspends" two blood-thirsty assassins in this high contrast thriller, numbered H91. Frank Bellamy is one of the celebrated titans of British comic strip art. This ink over graphite on illustration board daily has an image area of 20" x 5.25", and the art is in Excellent condition, with pinholes in the corners. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

The whole story ran originally in the national UK newspaper the Daily Mirror from 19 February 1974 - 5 June 1974 (H42-H131). It was reprinted in The Daily Mirror Book of Garth (London: IPC Limited, 1976) and the American stripzine, Menomonee Falls Gazette #202 (27 October 1975) - #218 (16 February 1976)  and re-published in colour in the Daily Mirror from Thursday 11 April 2013 to - Saturday 1 June 2013 coloured by Martin Baines

Want to read more? Here are the 6 strips from the series taken from Menomonee Falls Gazette #211

Jim Edgar & Frank Bellamy from
Menomonee Falls Gazette#211

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121728
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$1
ENDING PRICE:$501.90 (inc Buyer's premium) = £387.92
No of bids: 5

END DATE: 9 July 2017

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - The Mask of Atacama (G176)

G176 "The Mask of Atacama" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

This is the second of the Ethan Roberts Collection to be auctioned on Heritage in the last month from the Garth story "Mask of Atacama".  Heritage Auctions are trickling out the Bellamy parts of the collection one by one.  Interestingly they decided to 'hide' this behind the login process as it is deemed to have "adult content". So I've done you a favour and shown it here

Heritage describe this piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip G-176 Original Art dated 7-26-73 (Daily Mirror, 1973). This daily strip from the storyline "The Mask of Atacama" is done in fantastic chiaroscuro style by Frank Bellamy, at the end of his career. Produced in ink over graphite on illustration board with an image area of 20.5" x 5.25", there is very slight toning and a corner bend. In Excellent condition. Adult content. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

Want to read more? I showed these previously when the other strip from the story sold for $525.80 with 9 bids

So for extra added value here are the next 6 strips in the series taken from Menomonee Falls Gazette #163

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121727 (Sign-in required to see image)
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$1
ENDING PRICE:$382.40 = £295.79 inc. Buyer's premium
No of bids:4

END DATE: 2 July 2017

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - The Orb of Trimandias (F100)

F100 "The Orb of Trimandias" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

"The Orb of Trimandias" story began in the Daily Mirror newspaper on 28 January 1972. The original art from one of the episodes is available from Heritage Auction.  This is a really interesting story that one day I might research a bit further (although I did some work earlier) as it concerns Leonardo Da Vinci and the Borgias. The start of the adventure is when Garth and Professor Lumiére are visiting "Count Giovanni Cometti in the magnificent Palazzo Livorno in Venice". The Count shows Garth an interesting drawing by Da Vinci which is an exact likeness of Garth, but was allegedly of Lord Carthewan, an English adventurer and soldier of fortune from the 16th Century.

Heritage describe the piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth #F.100 Daily Comic Strip Original Art (Daily Mirror, 1972). Frank Bellamy had a long and rich career before he took over the long-running comic strip Garth (1943-97) in 1971. He handled the art for this UK series until his death in 1976. Previously Bellamy had illustrated tales in Mickey Mouse Weekly, Swift, Boy's World, Look and Learn, Eagle, and TV Century 21 (where he illustrated many Gerry Anderson creations including the Thunderbirds). This daily from the "Orb Of Trimandias" storyline is wonderfully detailed in ink over graphite on illustration board with an image area of 20.5" x 5.25". In Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

This story ran from 28 January 1972 - 22 May 1972 - (F24-F121) and was reprinted several times. The first time was in The Daily Mirror Book of Garth, (London: IPC Limited, 1975) in Bellamy's lifetime. Then it appeared in the American stripzine Menomonee Falls Gazette #67  (26 March 1973) - #83 (16 July 1973) - 6 daily strips on a page. The next time was by Titan Books , Garth Book One: The cloud of Balthus (1984)  and lastly Daily Mirror Monday 3 June  2013 to - Monday 29 July 2013 as a two tier reprint coloured by Martin Baines.

Want to read more? Here's a set of strips from this story featuring Garth's friend Sir John Mordant, showing the scene just before the one on sale!

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121726
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$12
ENDING PRICE:$549.70 inc. buyer's premium) = £431.68

No of bids: 7
END DATE: 25 June 2017

Original Art: Garth on Heritage - Ghost Town (G106)

G106 "Ghost Town" Drawn by Frank Bellamy

"Ghost Town" story began in the Daily Mirror newspaper on 11 April 1973. The original art from one of the episodes is available from Heritage Auction and shows a lovely panoramic shot of a saloon!

Heritage describe the piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip G.106 Original Art dated 4-5-73 (Daily Mirror, 1973). This science fiction strip had a time-travel element to it, which is why today's episode looks more like a traditional Western than the typical spy/adventure-stories of the series. Bellamy really laid on the detail in that fantastic first panel! Crafted in ink over graphite on Bristol board with an image area of 20.5" x 5.25". In Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

This story ran from 11 April 1973 - 12 July 1973 (G87-G164) and was reprinted several times. The first time was in The Daily Mirror Book of Garth, (London: IPC Limited, 1975) in Bellamy's lifetime.

However when Bellamy died in July 1976 he was drawing the story "Manhunt" which had yet to appear in the Daily Mirror. Conveniently for the Editor, Mike Molloy, "The Spanish Lady" story in the newspaper was drawing to a close. He decided to run Bellamy's favourite Garth story again - giving him time to see who he could get to replace Bellamy. His successor turned out to be Martin Asbury who was with the strip until its demise many years later

Interestingly, when the Daily Mirror published all the Bellamy stories coloured by Martin Baines, this story ran not only from Saturday 24 September 2011 to 8 November 2011 but again from Friday 25 September 2015 to - Monday 9 November 2015!

"Ghost Town" was also reprinted in Garth Book Two: The women of Galba Jim Edgar, London: Titan Books, 1985. It also appeared in the brilliant stripzine Menomonee Falls Gazette #131 (17 June1974) - #157 (16 December 1974) - 6 daily strips reprinted in black and white.

Want to read more? Here's a set of 6 strips from this story

Menomonee Falls Gazette reprints

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121725
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$260
ENDING PRICE:$478 inc. buyer's premium [£373.92]

No of bids: 8
END DATE: 18 June 2017