Preview: ‘The Treasury Of British Comics Annual 2024’ — Something Special For Xmas From The Past And Present Of Brit Comics

Bringing together the then and the now in a glorious mix of everything Brit comics, The Treasury Of British Comics Annual is packed with wonders…

 

Arriving on 9th November in the traditional hardcover, the Treasury of British Comics Annual will arrive just in time for the festive period – take your pick from a retail edition with a cover by Henry Flint and an edition exclusive to the Treasury of British Comics webshop featuring a cover by David Roach.

It’s a book that taps into the long tradition (here in the UK at least) of the Christmas annual. Millions of children (myself included) would always get excited by the hardback book shaped present under the tree on Christmas morning, knowing that that was our Christmas afternoon sorted. I remember getting The Beano and Dandy annuals for years before moving onto the repackaged Marvel comics artwork in various Grandreams annuals for many, many years.

But I have to admit, when I first heard about this one, I couldn’t quite get my head round why they were doing it. Surely everything that the Treasury need to do gets done by the collections? And then I read it and realised what a masterstroke it was.

 

You see, the Treasury of British Comics is the grand repository for the huge archive of British comics owned by Rebellion. And although that includes a huge amount of material that’s been repackaged and collected over the years to bring such classics as Bella at the Bar, Leopard From Lime Street, Faceache, and Trigan Empire back into print, it also includes a huge number of one-off strips that can’t get that collection thing going. And that’s a lot of what we see in this Annual, itself collecting a lot of material from various comic annuals and specials over the years.

Inside, there’s a practical who’s who of comics, including Leo Baxendale, Brian Bolland, Steve Dillon, Garry Leach, Dave Gibbons, Pat Mills, Tom Tully, Joe Colquhoun, Cam Kennedy, Enric Badia Romero, Ken Reid, and many more.

 

And it’s not just old material that delights here either, there are three special new strips included – The Leopard From Lime Street meeting The Spider by Simon Furman, Mike Collins, and David Roach; Alec Worley and DaNi returning for more tales of Black Beth; and Kek-W and Staz Johnson give us something fittingly bizarre and brilliant in Gustav of the Bearmacht.

 

And it’s all restored and packaged quite beautifully, as we’ve come to expect from anything the Treasury puts out.

This really will be a festive treat for all. The mix of old and new, the mix of comedy and adventure, the stunning array of artistry on display – I can see this being one that’s perfect for all-ages, and it would be wonderful to think of three generations or more of families sharing the book and delighting in the variety of great comics from the rich history of British comics to be found inside.

 

Written by Simon Furman, Alec Worley, Pat Mills, Kek-W, E. George Cowan, Leo Baxendale, Tom Tully, Alf Wallace, Mike Brown, Walter Thorburn, Derek Cribbling, Ken Armstrong.

Art by David Roach, Leo Baxendale, Dave Gibbons, Brian Bolland, Joe Colquhoun, Cam Kennedy, Garry Leach, Staz Johnson, Carlos Guirado, Brian Lewis, Mike Collins, Enric Badia Romero, Ken Reid, DaNi, Steve Dillon, Mike Western, Mike Brown, Tom Paterson, Juan Arancio.

Covers by Henry Flint (standard cover) and David Roach (web shop exclusive cover)

Originally serialised inSMASH!April-May 1966, Wham! Annual 1966, Wham!Nov 1967-Jan 1968, Lion & Valiant Holiday Extra 1969, Pow! Annual 1971, The Buster Book of Scary Stories 1975, Action Summer Special 1976, Valiant Book of Mystery & Magic 1976, Action Annual 1979, Battle Holiday Special 1979, Misty Annual 1980, Starlord Annual 1982, Scream!12 May 1984, Monster Fun Halloween Special 2021.

The Treasury of British Comics Annual 2024 is out on 9th November 2023 from The Treasury of British Comics.

 

 

And now, a rather huge preview of all you can find inside…

 

THE SPIDER VS THE LEOPARD FROM LIME STREET – by Simon Furman, Mike Collins, and David Roach, colours by Gary Caldwell, letters by Annie Parkhouse – NEW

 

GRIMLY FEENDISH – by Leo Baxendale and Mike Brown. Originally published in Wham! 25 Nov 1967 and 15 Jan 1968

MOON MADNESS – by Alf Wallace and Brian Lewis. Originally published in Smash! April-May 1966, reproduced from original art archive scans.

 

THE EXTERMINATOR – art by Garry Leach, writer unknown. Originally published in Starlord Annual 1982

 

THE GHOST PILOT – art by Dave Gibbons, writer unknown. Originally published in The Buster Book of Scary Stories 1975

 

FRANKIE STEIN – by Walter Thorburn and Ken Reid. Originally published in Wham! Annual 1966

 

 

SPINBALL – by Tom Tully and Brian Bolland. Originally published in Action Annual 1979

 

BLACK BETH – by Alec Worley and DaNi, letters by Oz Osbourne – NEW

 

THE FINAL VICTIM – by Pat Mills, Derek Cribbling, and Joe Colquhoun. Originally published in Valiant Book of Mystery & Magic 1976

 

THE HAND OF VENGENCE! – art by Carlos Guirado, writer unknown. Originally published in Misty Annual 1980

 

BEWARE THE WEREWOLF – by Simon Furman and Steve Dillon, letters by Jay Cobb. Originally published in Scream! 12 May 1984

 

CHARLEY’S WAR – art by Cam Kennedy, writer unknown. Originally published in Battle Holiday Special 1079

 

ROBOT ARCHIE – by E. George Cowan and Mike Western. Originally published in Lion & Valiant Holiday Extra 1969

 

ESPER COMMANDOS – Art by Enric Badia Romero, writer unknown. Originally published in Pow! Annual 1971, reproduced from original art archive scans.

 

GREAT WHITE DEATH – by Ken Armstrong and Juan Arancio. Originally published in Action Summer Special 1976.

 

GUSTAV OF THE BEARMACHT – by Kek-W and Staz Johnson, colours by Barbara Nosenzo, letters by Simon Bowland – NEW

 

GAH! THE GOBBLIN’ GOBLIN – by Keith Richardson and Tom Paterson, letters by Simon Bowland. Originally published in Monster Fun Halloween Spooktacular 2021