- The most surprising news of the month came from Portugal. Actually I just thought to mention that the pictures for all the Meuselos can now be found on the Internet, but then I noticed that another postmark for the Justice League was announced. A quick look in the official stamp programme showed that such an issue was now listed there as well. I was really looking forward to this issue, but when images finally became available on issue date, I was rather disappointed. Unlike the Meuselos, which show characters in comic style, the official issue deals with the movie from 2017. I really wonder, why would you issue six sets with wonderful personalised stamps as teasers for an issue about a three year old movie without visible connection to your country that was a box office flop and that received mixed reviews? In total there are six stamps showing the members of the Justice League in the movie plus a souvenir sheet showing all of them together. For Henry Cavill as Superman it will already be the second philatelic appearance and for Cyborg I think it will be the first time on a stamp. Personally I like the Meuselos much more, although I usually do not collect personalised stamps. However all of them can now be bought on WOPA as collectors' sheets (not sure what they include). On the website of the Portuguese Post you can also buy just the stamps, but for some reason Batman seems to be not available anymore.
- Another much newer superhero team will make a philatelic appearence on a stamp set from Singapore: the Soaper 5. This team was created by the Ministry of Education to guide the young inhabitants of Singapore through the Covid-19 pandemic and there was even already a show created with them. There will be one stamp for all five team members and one showing all of them together. Date of issue is the 4th September.
- The pictures of the Rupert Bear issue from Royal Mail also are available since Monday. Eight stamps will be issued and surprisingly no additional souvenir sheet. Somehow these stamps were available somewhere in the UK much earlier than intended. I saw a used version of one of the 1st class stamps on Instagram as early as the 18th August. Still I have not decided whether I want to have the set from Guernsey or the UK. I kinda like both, but actually Rupert is no hero of my childhood.
- In Germany this year a new stamp series will start called "Sagenhaftes Deutschland" (might be translated to legendary Germany, but also as amazing Germany). The stamps will show famous legends from Germany. The start will make a stamp of Loreley in October, followed by the Pied Piper of Hamelin in December and the Heinzelmännchen and the Waldfrau in 2021. Some characters shown in the series will surely show childhood heroes, while others will more or less be unknown to younger persons. This year for example the Pied Piper I would definitely call a childhood hero, Loreley not. For my own collection I will however get all of them. The image of the Loreley stamp became available this month, hence I mention it now. I am still not sure if I like it or not. I like that it has a touristic aspect, but the colours are a bit strange.
- As of the 10th August the Bugs Bunny stamps can be ordered in the eBay shop of USPS. Just in case somebody wants to buy them for face value and is not from the USA.
- For September Hungary planned another souvenir sheet about Fairy Tale Heroes after Süsü the Dragon in 2019. However the issue was now postponed for unknown reasons.
- Just recently I realised that I overlooked an issue from the Netherlands. Apart from the souvenir sheet planned for October, a golden stamp about the 65th anniversary of Miffy was issued in June. I do not collect such expensive metallic issues, but for everyone who likes it, it is still available on WOPA for 50€. Also I have added some British issues to the list above, which I so far did not really considered, but which others might like for the sake of completeness.
- Actually I do not want to deal with special postmarks too much, as I also only collect them sporadically, but in Germany one about the Fairy Tale Festival in Buxtehude will be used soon. In case someone is interested I can offer to send it.
- For everyone who likes philatelic YouTube videos like me Philatelythings recently uploaded two nice ones. One is about Animal Crossing and Stamps and the other deals with the new Bugs Bunny stamps
New Issues there were not so many this month. Only the Mascots from Singapore and the Justice League in Portugal came out in August.
New Additions to my own collection however I had quite a few. Of the newer issues I got the French booklet about the Raving Rabbids, the Mascots from Singapore and the new Bugs Bunny stamps from the USA, which I all got directly from the postal administrations. Through a swap I also got the wonderful US Star Wars stamps on covers plus the old Bugs Bunny stamp and Road Runner in mint condition and Scooby-Doo on a cover. A mint Scooby-Doo sheet I also bought while ordering the new Bugs Bunny. From Poland I also got the cartoon sheet of 2018 in mint condition and as FDC.
