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 Mask of Atacama (G180)

G180 Garth: The Mask of Atacama by Frank Bellamy

"The Mask of Atacama" story began in the Daily Mirror newspaper on 13 July 1973. The original art from one of the episodes is available from Heritage Auction and shows Garth, and Atacama herself  who in her own words was "created only for your pleasure"!

Heritage describe the piece:

Frank Bellamy Garth Daily Comic Strip G-180 Original Art dated 7-31-73 (Daily Mirror, 1973). This daily strip is titled "The Mask of Atacama." Fantastic chiaroscuro artwork from 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". Slight toning. In Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. 

This story ran from 13 July 1973 - 25 October 1973 (G165-G254) and was reprinted in The Daily Mirror Book of Garth London: IPC Limited, 1976 and then in Garth Book Two: The women of Galba Jim Edgar, London: Titan Books, 1985. It was also reprinted in the American 'stripzine' Menomonee Falls Gazette #157 (16/12/1974) - #184 (23/06/1975)- 6 daily strips reprinted in black and white, in alternative issues. The latest reprint was in the Daily Mirror running from Friday 14 September 2012 to - Monday 5 November 2012 as a 2-tier reprint coloured by Martin Baines.

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

Menomonee Falls Gazette reprints

WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121724
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:$320
ENDING PRICE:$525.80 includes Buyer's Premium =£412.91

No of bids: 9
END DATE: 11 June 2017

Original Art: Heros the Spartan and Garth at Heritage

Eagle 1 June 1963 Vol 14:22. Heros the Spartan

I'll keep this simple...another few pieces in a Heritage Auction from the Ethan Roberts Estate.

Heritage describe the first as:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine Vol-14 #22 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 13" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1963). Released in an issue cover dated June 1st, 1963. The two page spread featured this issue's installment of the on-going saga of "Heros the Spartan" as created by the fantastically talented Frank Bellamy in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.25". Signed by Bellamy in panel 14 (and what a great panel it is too!). The board is slightly toned, with edge/corner wear, and there is a crease running down the left side through all tiers of art. Overall in Very Good condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection. .

The piece is the 13th episode from the "Eagle of the Fifth" story  and the colour on this is visibly faded so, I doubt will fetch anywhere near the fantastic prices previously seen. having said that, what do I know!

Eagle 5 June 1965 Vol 16:23 Heros the Spartan

The second Heros spread is from their New York auction. The strip originally appeared in Eagle 5 June 1965 in the last Heros story that Bellamy illustrated, "The Slave Army". Heritage described it:

Frank Bellamy Eagle Magazine V16#23 "Heros the Spartan: Episode 15" Two-Page Spread Original Art (Longacre Press, 1965). Gorgeous colors and great detail made this serialized strip a great joy for readers in the UK. Frank Bellamy's fine line and keen draftsmanship excelled at this historical fiction tale. Created in ink and watercolor over graphite on a single sheet of illustration board with an image area of 25" x 15.5", matted out to 33" x 24". Signed by Bellamy in Panel 9. The board is slightly toned, in Excellent condition. From the Ethan Roberts Estate Collection.

It's interesting that the 'masthead' is on the piece, I wonder if this is a reconstruction, a fan did. But if one zooms in on the picture (thank you SO much Heritage for being so kind!) one can see additions to word balloons which look authentic rather than a later addition.

Garth, Daily Mirror G188

The third Bellamy for sale is a Garth strip, G188 which appeared in the Jim Edgar penned story "The Mask of Atacama" which ran from 13 July 1973 - 25 October 1973 (#G165-G254)in the national UK newspaper Daily Mirror. Heritage have sold two others in the past, to my knowledge, from this story and this example is lovely. This one is also a preview in anticipation of the coming auction. here's the strips on either side as reprinted in

Menomonee Falls Gazette 165

I'll update the prices they sell for after the auctions.

And just because I could, when checking the above Heros strip, here's Keith Watson's front cover to the Eagle comic from 52 years ago in which the latter Heros appeared! I'm feeling old!!

SUMMARY 

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 1 June 1963 Vol 14:22
WHERE?: Heritage Sunday Internet Comics Auction #121717
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID: $220
LOT NO: 14015
ENDING PRICE: $2629.00 = £1,985.16
No of bidders: 10
END DATE (Proxy bids):23 April 2017

WHAT?  Heros the Spartan, in Eagle 5 June 1965 Vol 16:23
WHERE?: 2017 May 18 - 20 Comics Signature Auction - New York #7163
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:Opens for bidding on 28 April
LOT NO: 93022
ENDING PRICE:$3107.00 = £2,346.10
No of bidders: 9
END DATE (Proxy bids): 20 May 2017

WHAT?  Garth G188 from "The Mask of Atacama"
WHERE?: 2017 May 18 - 20 Comics Signature Auction - New York #7163
SELLER:Heritage
STARTING BID:Opens for bidding on 28 April
LOT NO: 94390
ENDING PRICE:$406.30 = £306.80
No of bidders: 5
END DATE (Proxy bids):20 May 2017

New Story - The Mask of Atacama

© Daily Mirror

Once again that great guy Martin Baines, who adds colour to the Frank Bellamy Garth strips currently being reprinted in the Daily Mirror, has sent me the first of the new reprint: The Mask of Atacama. As a teenager I loved this story as it had lots of shots of ladies in a state of "natural beauty", shall we say! I didn't know at the time that Frank's wife Nancy was a model for him - as she was very fond of repeating!

The story was originally ran from 13 July 1973 - 25 October 1973 (G165-G254) and was reprinted in the Daily Mirror Book of Garth London: IPC Limited, 1976, Garth Book Two: The Women of Galba London: Titan Books, 1985 and the fan publication that ran reprints of the world's leading English language newspaper strips, Menomonee Falls Gazette #157 (1 December 1974) - #184 (23 June 1975)