Excalibur auctions - 14th Feb 2026 - highlights

Some of the lots in the recent sale by Excalibur auction (here) were truly amazing and I'm recording them here for posterity. Congratulations if you were the winning bidder on any of these.

Action comic cover #1 - at by Carlos Ezquerra, hammer price of £5,000

Hook Jaw art; lot description as follows; hammer price of £400

Believed to have been completed 'pre-ban' and unpublished as notations on the page edge mention 'Action 39' & 'Nov. 6th 1976' - Action was pulled from circulation after the 16th October issue was published and only returned in a more sanitised form on the 4th December 1976. One panel has been removed and replaced with a photo-copy which has been taped underneath. Artwork measures 41.5 cm by 52.5 cm (V)

Hook Jaw art; lot description as follows; hammer price of £3,800

ORIGINAL HOOKJAW SPLASH-PAGE ART FROM ACTION #1 by RAMON SOLA - The very first page of Action's flagship title - the iconic Hookjaw strip. Inspired by 'Jaws', this page highlights its first appearance and how it came to get its name. A notation on the page edge says 'Action76' - The original title for the comic. Pen and ink on paper - Artwork measures 36.5 cm by 51 cm (V)

Evidence of the original comic title - Action 76

Original title - Jaws of the black gold

UPDATED: undated annuals

As it's Christmas time it must be time to look at undated annuals, I  recently picked up my second undated Eagle annual as I know they're pretty uncommon - either as a mis-print or as a deliberate act. 

And now with some further examples...

c/o Paul Richardson

c/o Simon Werrett

c/o Alan Marshall

Care of friend of the blog Michael Carroll I can add this undated 1977 Action annual to the listing...

and c/o Wayne Harris I can add my first example of an undated Battle annual

Now (c/o Scott Bartlett on the '77-2000AD Facebook group) I can add a 2000AD annual to this listing... 

Previously I just has an undated Eagle annual for 1972 (below) - the front cover and spine are undated...

Here's what it should have looked like...

The Eagle annuals of 1971/2/3/5 all seem particularly set-up to have the date removed (if necessary) as it's a different colour to the rest of the cover...

...and now I have an undated 1971 annual too

The date has also been removed from the spine

...and now I have an undated 1975 annual too

So now I'm just after undated annuals for 1973 - if you can help me out with these just let me know...

I've read a theory that it was done so that the annuals could be shipped overseas where, because of the time taken to get them there by boat, they'd need a longer shelf-life to sell and if the annual was dated people wouldn't buy it as the year was already well under way.

Here are some other examples - anyone else got any other examples or theories about undated annuals? 

and now, c/o Chris |Young...

Action cover (1976) - Colin Wyatt

This auction lot (here) caught my eye some months ago...it was described thus...

Action Comic 4th Of December 1976 With Front Cover Concept Drawing By Colin Wyatt. 

This was the first issue of the re-launched Action comic. Never seen a rough cover sketch for Action before. I'm unclear who drew the published cover. 

Boom! sells for £120 + fees

Hookjaw's gold! The original art

From a recent auction (here) were these pre-production pieces of artwork for the Hookjaw's gold! game from June 1977. Artwork by Colin Wyatt.

Boom! sells for £110+fees

UPDATED: undated annuals

As it's Christmas time it must be time to look at undated annuals, I  recently picked up my second undated Eagle annual as I know they're pretty uncommon - either as a mis-print or as a deliberate act. 

Care of friend of the blog Michael Carroll I can add this undated 1977 Action annual to the listing...

and c/o Wayne Harris I can add my first example of an undated Battle annual

Now (c/o Scott Bartlett on the '77-2000AD Facebook group) I can add a 2000AD annual to this listing... 

Previously I just has an undated Eagle annual for 1972 (below) - the front cover and spine are undated...

Here's what it should have looked like...

The Eagle annuals of 1971/2/3/5 all seem particularly set-up to have the date removed (if necessary) as it's a different colour to the rest of the cover...

...and now I have an undated 1971 annual too

The date has also been removed from the spine

...and now I have an undated 1975 annual too

So now I'm just after undated annuals for 1973 - if you can help me out with these just let me know...

I've read a theory that it was done so that the annuals could be shipped overseas where, because of the time taken to get them there by boat, they'd need a longer shelf-life to sell and if the annual was dated people wouldn't buy it as the year was already well under way.

Here are some other examples - anyone else got any other examples or theories about undated annuals? 

and now, c/o Chris |Young...