Brands With Influence to rep Egmont comics and characters

By John Freeman on November 21, 2011

Brands With Influence, a merchandising and Intellectual Management company, has been appointed to represent Egmont UK’s archive of classic comic and magazine titles that includes Roy of The Rovers, Battle, Misty and Whizzer and Chips.

The collection spans the 40 years since the 1970s.

“We feel this is just the right time to bring these titles and brands back to life through a strategic licensing program,” says David Riley, managing director, Egmont Publishing Group.

“The nostalgia market remains buoyant and our brands will have a real affinity with those children, now adults, who grew up with them. We are looking forward to working with Brands With Influence to bring these classic brands back to the high street.”

Whether this signals the potential revival of some of Egmont’s strips in print – alongside Titan Books publication of series such as Charley’s War and Johnny Red, and STRIP Magazine‘s publication of Hook Jaw – is not clear from this initial press notice.

IPC has a deal with a similar company, Drawn Ink, who have been actively pushing many of the company’s comic characters for potential use on clothing and other merchandise.

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “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.