Old-fashioned Comics

Monday, 26 October 2026

Battler Britton and the Menace of The M-Men & the Sword of Ram-Ka from Knockout (1962-1963) - Compiled and edited by H. C.

"The Menace of the 'M' Men" and "The Sword of Ram-Ka" are two classic, serialized comic storylines featuring the iconic British World War II flying ace, Wing Commander Robert "Battler" Britton.

Originally published in the UK weekly comic magazine Knockout during the early 1960s, these specific adventures represent a unique "purple patch" for the character, where his traditional realistic military exploits dipped into more fantastic, pulp-adventure territory.

1. The Menace of the "M" Men

Original Publication: Knockout (serialized from November 3, 1962, to January 5, 1963).
Plot Details: Shifting away from standard historical dogfights, this story leans into sci-fi and speculative pulp elements. Battler Britton encounters a bizarre, advanced threat dubbed the "M-Men," which involves robotic or mechanical monstrosities ("La menace des robots").
Collected Editions: This 20-page story was later reformatted and reprinted in the Valiant Annual 1969 under the title Battler Britton Fighting Ace.

2. Battler Britton and the Sword of Ram-Ka

Original Publication: Knockout (serialized from #12 January 1963 to #16 February 1963).
Plot Details: In another departure from gritty historical realism, this adventure sends the RAF hero on an exotic, high-stakes quest centered around a legendary artifact—the Sword of Ram-Ka.
Collected Editions: The story was famously repackaged and reprinted as a 16-page strip in the Valiant Annual 1970.

[AI Overview]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battler_Britton

https://www.letsgocommando.co.uk/battler-britton-fighting-ace-of-land-sea-and-air/

https://www.comics.org/series/61203/

http://www.encyclo-bd.fr/encyclocs/Imperia/battler/battler2/battler2.html

44 pages

Compiled and edited by H. C.

We thank H. C. for his courtesy in offering our reader

this magnificent compilation.

The Secret World Of Sally Maxwell from Misty (1978-1979) Brian Delaney & ?? - Compiled by A. Wallace

The Secret World Of Sally Maxwell

Written by ?? , Drawn by Brian Delaney

No. 48 (December 30th, 1978) / No. 60 (March 31th, 1979)

Episodes: 12

Sally and family on holiday, drive past a MoD building, inside it is

revealed there is a leak in Lab 9 and their car drives through thick

fog which sends them off a cliff. Govt men find them and have

them taken to a nearby hospital in secrecy. Sally wakes up

and realises she can hear people’s thoughts.

53 pages

Material from Misty

https://comics.bournemouth.ac.uk/publication.php?publication=Misty

Compiled by A. Wallace

Starhawk from The Crunch & Spike (V1-V2) 1979 - Compiled and edited by H. C.

Starhawk is a British sci-fi adventure comic strip character

published by DC Thomson, originating in the weekly

anthology comic The Crunch in July 1979.

Character Profile

• Real Name: Sol Rynn (a normal human adventurer, distinct from

the Marvel character of the same name).

• Creators: Ian Kennedy and David Taylor (with art also featured by Terry Patrick).

• Companion: A loyal robot named Droid.

• Spacecraft: The Space Rider, a self-designed advanced starship.

• Setting & Mission: Roamed the 26th century during the decline of the Terran Empire,

acting as a lawbringer and adventurer against chaos and alien threats like the Krell.

• First Appearance: The Crunch #35 on July 15, 1979.

[AI Overview]

http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/s/starhawk.htm

The adventures of Starhawk ran from 1979 to 1988 in DCT's Crunch, Hotspur, Spike,

Buddy (as Young Starhawk) and Victor and the artists were Ian Kennedy,

Isidro Monés, Terry Patrick and Mike White. There were strips also in

Hotspur Book for Boys 1984-85 and 1988.

[Additional information by Luis Miguel]

Compiled and edited by H. C.

We thank H. C. for his courtesy in offering our reader

this magnificent compilation.

Megax the Warrior from Spike (1983) - Compiled and edited by H. C.

Art : Isidre Monés

"Megax the Warrior" was a British comic strip published in the weekly
boys' anthology Spike by DC Thomson

between August and December 1983 (issues #30 to #46).

• Concept: It was created as DC Thomson’s sci-fi/fantasy answer to popular

barbarian-style heroes like Sláine.
• Setting: It followed adventures set in a distant land stranded in time

with a medieval yet fantastical atmosphere.
• Publication History: Spike ran for 67 total issues from

January 1983 to April 1984 before merging into Champ.

The original creators of Megax the Warrior are currently unknown.

In the British comic industry of that era—particularly with DC Thomson

publications like Spike—it was standard editorial practice not

to credit the writers or artists in the magazine.

Because of this anonymity, comic historians and reference

databases (such as the British Comic Companion) have not been able

to identify the specific creative team behind Megax's adventures in Braxas.

[AI-generated content]

In France, Megax the Warrior was published in the review En Garde! (Mon Journal)

issues 89 to 92 (april 1985 - january 1986) (reported by Doc Mars)

https://bdmagexhumator.blogspot.com/2025/10/megax-warrior.html

Spike No. 46, dated 3 December 1983.

Megax the Warrior cover, artist unknown

54 Pages

Compiled and edited by H. C.

We thank H. C. for his courtesy in offering our reader

this magnificent compilation.

Ruse 05 & 06 The Complete Series (2001 - 2004) - Compiled by Voltaire57

Ruse is a Victorian-era detective comic series created by CrossGen Comics

that ran for 26 issues from November 2001 to January 2004.

Series Overview

Creators: Written primarily by Mark Waid (issues #1–9) and

Scott Beatty (issues #13–26), with interior art by Butch Guice.

Premise: Follows Simon Archard, a Sherlock Holmes-esque master detective in a

fantasy-Victorian setting, and his assistant Emma Bishop, who harbors

secret magical abilities.

Completion: The original CrossGen series concluded prematurely at issue #26

due to the publisher's bankruptcy.

Revival: Marvel Comics later published a 4-issue miniseries revival in 2011 written by Mark Waid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruse_(comics)

More information about "Comics Compilations made by Voltaire57" HERE

Thanks to Voltaire 57 for these magnificent albums

Kelly's Eye from Knockout & Valiant (1962-1973) V1 - V6. Compiled and edited by H. C.

Kelly's Eye is a classic British adventure comic strip about an ordinary man made completely indestructible by a mystical gemstone.

Overview & Publication

Debut: July 21, 1962, in the British magazine Knockout.

Transfer: Moved to Valiant in February 1963 when Knockout merged into it, running until May 1974.

Creators: Written by Tom Tully and originally drawn by Argentine artist Francisco Solano López.

Later Runs: Reprinted in the short-lived comic Vulcan and briefly revived for a short serial in 2000 AD.

Story & Premise

The Origin: Adventurer Tim Kelly travels to South America to claim an uncle's inheritance. After saving a native man from piranhas, he is gifted the Eye of Zoltec (also called the Eye of Everlasting Life).

The Power: The diamond-shaped crystal, worn on a chain around his neck, renders Tim completely invulnerable to any form of harm or death.

The Vulnerability: While Tim himself cannot be hurt, the amulet must remain securely on his neck; if it comes loose, he becomes mortal again. Furthermore, his clothes were not protected, meaning he regularly found himself getting shredded or blasted out of his garments in every peril-laden episode.

Time Travel Expansion: In later storylines, Tim partnered with Professor Diamond and his experimental "Time Clock" device, leading to sci-fi adventures across different eras.