Story House Egmont and SEGA Europe Limited have announced their plans to launch a Sonic the Hedgehog magazine across the UK, GSA, Nordic, and CEE regions.
Hot on the heels of the upcoming Sonic X Shadow Generations game release, the magazine will launch October 2024, and will be aimed at Sonic fans aged five to seven. Interactive, exciting content, including a comic strip, will bring Sonic’s fast-paced world to life. Layers of varied difficulty levels (an appreciative nod to the levels of past and present Sonic games), will have readers wanting to come back for more and conquer new heights.
The magazine will be packed with facts and information about Sonic, his pals, and foes, to bring readers deeper into his world. Every issue will come with an exclusive Sonic toy that is linked to the magazine content, but also designed to be enjoyed and played with off-the-page.
Laura Adnitt, Publishing and Brand Management Director at Story House Egmont, who completed the deal with SEGA Europe Limited said; “We are delighted to be launching Sonic across our regions. Sonic is an evergreen brand with a broad appeal in gaming and beyond. We can see the Sonic the Hedgehog magazine being a huge hit with young fans across the world, and we are looking forward to working with SEGA Europe Limited on the successful activation of each market.”
Gemma Daniels, Senior Licensing Manager at SEGA Europe Limited said, “The brand licensing team at SEGA Europe are thrilled at the continued success of the Sonic IP, and its expansion into new product categories and channels of distribution. The launch of the regular magazine is an exciting milestone for the brand, and we are extremely happy to be working with Story House Egmont, who bring their expertise in market-leading magazine publishing to the Sonic licensing programme.”
Unfortunately, we’re told licensing restrictions mean Egmont aren’t planning collections of the fondly-remembered Sonic the Comic, published in the 1990s, edited by Deborah Tate and Richard Burton, whose creative lineup included artists such as the late Nigel Dobbyn, Richard Elson, Mick McMahon, Lew Stringer and others. The stories are, we’re told, no longer considered “on brand”.
Since the first movie released in 2020, Sonic the Hedgehog continues to take shape as one of the most popular IPs in the world. The highly anticipated Sonic the Hedgehog 3 releasing in cinemas across Europe later this year, will further amplify the momentum for the magazine launch and ensure that Sonic is front of mind for young fans and their families everywhere!
Story House Egmont is a market-leading publisher of children’s magazines creating licensed and own brand titles for all ages and stages. Their licensed portfolio includes much-loved evergreen brands Disney Princess, Paw Patrol, My Little Pony and Thomas & Friends, as well as the latest bestsellers Ryan’s World and L.O.L Surprise.
Through their own brand titles, Toxic and Go Girl, the publisher aims to bring together the very best and most desirable content for pre-teen boys and girls. Magazines are a valuable and affordable “treat with benefits” which play a vital role in learning, and we are committed to creating product that is loved by children and valued by parents.
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Games, Licensing, Magazines, Other Worlds
Peppa Pig and Sparkle World publisher Redan lands magazine publishing deal for Toikido’s Piñata Smashlings property