BATMAN

Before official distribution in the UK of original Batman comics from American in November 1959, one way to get your Batman fix was through Australian reprints which were then made available in the UK, cover priced 6d (Australian issues were mostly cover priced 8d or 9d. They tend to be newsprint quality covers while the UK editions tend to have glossy covers).

The first 20 issues were printed and published by KG Murray in Australia. From issue #21 in 1952, a UK version was printed in the UK with a 6d cover price. Thus you technically have two different cover versions from issues #21 through to #115. The Australian #21-115 have a 8d cover price, not 6d. These issues were not officially distributed in the UK at the time but some found their way over through relatives and service personnel. So it was possible to see the same Batman comic with two different cover prices!

Yep, I was really confused when I first started collecting these 30 or so years ago.

Stop Press! A copy of #1 sold for £3,050 at the Comic Book Postal Auctions auction in June 2020. That was the hammer down price so add 24% auctioneer's fee to that....

Aug 2024: Compal sold another issue #1 for £1,607 inc 19% Buyer's Premium, down on what might have been expected from the Jun 2020 sale. Just goes to show how a comic's worth is determined by factors on the day of sale.....