SMASH!

This is increasingly becoming a very hot collectable title for its variety, consistent quality and Silver Age (1960s) Marvel and DC American comic book reprint content. Later issues have some nice strips and artwork like Simon Test and Janus Stark. And look out for classic grotesque comedy art from Ken Reid in earlier issues.

After the success of Wham! comes this second onomatapoeic title to be completed by Pow! in 1967. Very collectible title, especially the early issues with the Batman strip on the front cover from issue #20. The later issues in 1971 are also hard to find as publication was patchy partly owing to shortages and strikes at the time.

Watch out for issue #38 with an original UK Hulk story, not reprinted in the USA. The free gift with issue #1 Big Bang Gun I would say traditionally adds £50-£75 to the value. Having said that a copy of #1 with this same gift sold for a mind-boggling £420 on eBay UK in Feb 2008. £420!

An example of the gun alone sold on eBay UK for £157 in Apr 2008. Another Smash #1 in VG/VG sold for £122 May 2008. Mar 2010 saw an original owner Smash #1 with free gift achieve £355, the 2nd highest price that I know of.

Stop Press: the record for a Smash #1 + gift has been broken. A price of £504.25 was achieved on eBay UK and the comic looked to be barely a VG/FN. Amazing! But then Smash is an under-rated title and maybe people are seeing its true worth. Smash is a title to watch!!

Watch out for Odhams 1960s material in the near future - this is a very hot area of British comics' collecting, take my word for it! Wham, Pow, Smash, Fantastic and Terrific are all titles on the move.With thanks to Mark Arrand and Steven Adamson for some great pictures in the Smash listing by the way.

Smash #17 with the Incredible Hulk #1 cover is hot. In 2019 a copy fetched £134 and it was only in GD+ condition.