CGC Registry

Australian Editions of US Sci-fi comics


Set Type: Australian Editions Sci-Fi (1950 - 1970)
Owner: Dikko
Last Modified: 1/23/2025
Views: 154

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Set Description:

AUSTRALIAN reprint editions of some US Sci-Fi themed comics.

Due to the post WW2 ban on importing US comics, Australia began printing our own comics, many of which were reprint editions of the US version. Printed on low grade newsprint, B/W inside, but a coloured front page.

The Australian reprint editions do not have as many issues as the US counterpart, and there are a lot of inconsistencies with the numbering of the Australian Editions in relation to the original US version.

OUTER SPACE.
Printed in Australia by New Century Press 1958. Each price 1/- (1 shilling)
Only 4 Australian Editions : AUST #1 = US #17; AUST #4 = US #19
NB Outer Space #3 (Aust.) cover image does not match any US edition (that I have so far been unable to find) and as such cannot be listed here.

BLUE BOLT.
Printed in Australia by Jubilee Press 1952. Each issue priced 8d (8 pence)
Only 4 Australian Editions : AUST #1 = US #109; AUST #2 = US #110; AUST #3 = US #107
Extremely rare and hard to find!

JOURNEY INTO UNKNOWN WORLDS.
Printed in Australia by Jubilee Press 1953. Each issue priced 8d.
Only 6 Australian Editions : AUST #1 = US #2; AUST #4 = US #6 ; AUST #5 = US#7 and AUST #6 = cover image of US#8 but title is changed to 'The Time Machine'.
Extremely rare and hard to find.

FLASH GORDON
Printed in Australia by Atlas Publications 1956-57. Each issue priced 1/-
There are only 3 Australian issues (out of 16 published) that match US cover versions: namely Aust. No. 1 = US Four Color #512; Aust. No. 2 = US Four Color #424 and Aust. No. 3 = Flash Gordon DELL #2
For the Australian editions No. 11 to No. 17, the series was re-titled to Flash Gordon Space Adventurer, published by Page Publications, 1964-66.

STRANGE ADVENTURES.
Published in Australia by Colour Comics Pty Ltd.
Issues: No.1 - 8 (Sept 1954 - April1955) priced 8d (8 pence)
Issues: No.9 - 22 (May1955- June 1956) priced 9d (9 pence)
Issues: No.23 - 43 (July 1957- April 1958) priced 1/- (1 shilling)
Only 43 Australian Editions.

The Australian versions of "Strange Adventures" were created between 1954 - 1958. The numbering of the Australian editions do not follow the US versions precisely and are a varied mix of some of the US versions, mainly from the US issues #40 - #80 but again not in any logical or chronological order.

Most Australian reprints have similar cover images to the US versions of 'Strange Adventures' but some have covers from the US versions of 'House of Mystery' ( Aust. No. 25 [US #48] and Aust. No. 32 [US #53] ) or 'Mystery in Space' ( Aust. No. 43 [US #38]).

This anomaly can be seen in my CGC Graded issue No. 32 [AUST. Ed] {listed below as Strange Adventures 32 Australian Edition SN4411309011} where CGC have labelled the comic HOUSE OF MYSTERY # 53, but sub-titled Strange Adventures No. 32 in keeping with the CGC Foreign issues policy. Thankfully , there are only two other issues with this problem.

Printed in Australia 1954 -58 on newsprint paper and B/W inside. A rare series, and difficult to find quality copies after nearly 70 years.

TOM CORBETT SPACE CADET
Printed in Australia by Larry CLELAND Pty Ltd 1954 - 57
Only 8 Australian editions printed

Issues: #1 - #6 [1954 - 56] priced 9d (9 pence) but oddly #2 is only priced 8d
Issues: #7 and #8 [1957] priced 1/- (1 shilling)
As usual, with Australian comics of this era, the numbering does NOT match the US versions in any logical order: AUST No. 1 = US DELL #6; AUST No. 2 = US DELL # 9; AUST No. 7 = US DELL #1 etc

PLANET COMICS.
Printed in Australia by H John Edwards Co. 1952 - 54
Issues: No.1 - 4 (Dec 1952 - Mar. l1953) priced 6d (6 pence)
Issues: No.5 - 24 (Apr. 1953 - Nov 1954) priced 8d (8 pence)
Only 24 Australian Editions : AUST #1 = US #60; AUST #2 = US #55.

Again, some cover images of the Australian versions of Planet Comic don't match any of it's US counterparts. An example is Issue No. 12, where the image of the Jet Fighter comes from US Jet Fighters #1, the Flying Saucers in the image are uniquely Australian.

Interestingly, 5 of the run of 24 Australian versions of Planet Comics have only PLANET as their title. This inconsistency is similar to the Australian CATMAN series where the title varies from The Adventures of CATMAN to just CATMAN.

For all of the Titles in this Set Collection, most of the Australian cover images may look similar to its US original, there are often varying degrees of differences. Almost ALL Australian Editions are B/W inside. Printed on cheap newsprint, it is difficult to find good quality copies after 70+ years.

Apart from being listed in alphabetical order, within each title, the comics are listed in the US numbered order, with the exception of the comics that were graded before CGC changed its policy on labelling International comics. For example: Strange Adventures 1 Australian edition is in fact US #44 but was graded in 2017.

More AUST. editions of these titles will be added in 2025, including Strange Adventures No. 25 [US House of Mystery #48] and Strange Adventures No. 15 [US#58].

If all goes well, I may get some Australian versions of Tom Corbett Space Cadet graded soon.
comic_silver_age_sm 2024

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