Editorial Note — Soraya Alcalá
The release of the largest private collection of British comics to ever reach the market represents a significant moment for graphic culture. Archives of this scale not only preserve artistic history, they also reveal how illustrated storytelling has shaped generations of readers. The depth, rarity, and preservation of this collection position it as a reference point for scholars, collectors, and anyone who understands the documentary value of comics as cultural heritage.
© Soraya Alcalá · Original Editorial Note
A historic archive of rare British comics is set to be offered to collectors and cultural institutions
UK. MAY, 2026
Excalibur Auctions is excited to present part II of the largest and most comprehensive private collection of British comics ever to come on to the market. This extensive archive represents a lifetime devoted to celebrating the creators, characters and cultural impact of British comic publishing and includes thousands of popular comic books, rare free gifts, original cover artwork, advertising ephemera, licensed toys, merchandise and fanzines. It was amassed by passionate private collector Peter Hansen, who has generously loaned items from his collection to a range of institutions over the years, such as the Cartoon Museum and the National Centre for Children’s Books.
So vast is the collection that it was necessary to appoint the two largest comics auctioneers in the United Kingdom: Anderson & Garland and Excalibur Auctions to collaborate on a series of sales throughout 2026. Following the huge success of the first instalment at Anderson & Garland auctioneers in March, Excalibur Auctions is delighted to offer Peter Hansen Part II on May 9, 2026.
Pop Culture, Movie and Music specialist at Excalibur Auctions, Tom Barker says: “Hundreds of man hours are being invested in sorting, researching, photographing and cataloguing the material, an exercise in archiving for posterity as much as preparing for auction. It is with considerable pride that this extraordinary pedigree collection is being brought to market for the first time and it is set to captivate collectors, historians and pop culture enthusiasts alike.”
In a 2019 interview with downthetubes.net Peter Hansen discussed how he began collecting in his home town of Byker, in Newcastle, he said: “I started actively collecting comics in the early 1960s at about six years old. My favourite comics were the Beezer and Topper, which were broadsheet comics costing four pence each. I started renting my old comics to my friends at school (who only got 3d a week pocket money) for a halfpenny, for a day or two and soon had enough to buy the Beezer and the Topper and the Beano! I also read the DC Thomson comics, I picked up my first American comic, Adventure #304, containing the teenage ‘The Legion of Super-Heroes’ at the age of eight years old, which featured the death of Lightning Lad and for the rest of my life American comics also became part of my world.”
Among the highlights of the Excalibur Auctions portion of the collection is POW! number 1, published on 21 January 1967 by Oldhams Press under the Power Comics imprint. The issue retains its original and highly coveted Spider Matic Gun and all six Spider Disc Bullets, still housed in the original press out card. The comic famously reprints the first story from Amazing Spider Man number 1 for British readers.
British comics of the 1960s frequently included inventive free gifts, but surviving examples in good condition, especially unused, are exceptionally scarce. Complete copies such as this routinely command significant premiums at auction. The last recorded auction price was £1,920. It is estimated to fetch £500-£800.
Among thousands of pages of original comic art is the painted cover artwork for Eagle Holiday Special number 6 from 1988, featuring the iconic British hero Dan Dare. Created in gouache on board by celebrated British comic artist Ian Kennedy (1932-2022) and inscribed “To Peter, Thanks for the memories”, the piece measures 13 by 18 inches. Ian Kennedy’s prolific career spanned titles such as 2000 AD and Commando, as well as Eagle and The Hotspur. The estimate is for this artwork is £2,000-£4,000.
Another significant highlight is original artwork by British comic artist Frank Bellamy (1917-1976) for Eagle volume 9 number 47 from 1956, The Shepherd King, Episode 11, measuring 56 by 42 centimetres. Bellamy was widely regarded as one of Britain’s most influential comic artists, celebrated for his vibrant colour work and realism across titles including Eagle, Thunderbirds and TV Century 21. His original artworks regularly achieve four figure sums at auction. The estimate for this artwork is £2,000-£4,000.
The collection also extends beyond print, into rare, licensed toys, including a boxed and complete Dan Dare Planet Gun, licensed by Eagle comics and manufactured by J and L Randall in 1953. Surviving examples in original condition are exceptionally difficult to source. The estimate is £200-£400.
TV Tornado number 1, published on 14 January 1967, is offered with its original Batachute parachute toy (free gift). The issue features stories with Batman and Robin, Superman and Flash Gordon, reflecting the era’s blend of American reprints and television inspired strips. Copies retaining their original free gifts are scarce. The estimate is £80-£120.
The international scope of the archive includes American, Australian and Canadian material, notably Better Comics volume 3 number 1 from December to January 1943-1944, published by Maple Leaf Publications. This wartime Canadian comic features striking propagandistic cover art depicting a baby tying Adolf Hitler and Hideki Tojo in a duffel bag, emblematic of the bold political imagery common during the Golden Age of comics. The estimate is £200-£400.
