Digital publishing technology company Picsean has partnered with Egmont to create the first digital Ben 10 magazine.

One of the biggest media franchises in the world and a much-loved children’s brand, the print Ben 10 Magazine is the best-seller in the UK’s primary boys’ sector. Each issue features comic strip, alien facts and more covering all the Ben 10 series, including the Ben 10 Omniverse series.

Issue 1 of the “must have” digital Ben 10 Magazine is available to download now for iPad and includes an animated comic strip story and interactive activities such as a build your own alien, Ben 10 crossword, a hero test and a “cool interview” with Ben 10 villain Khyber the Huntsman.

The app is full of interactive elements, games and puzzles, including an animated comic strip story and interactive activities such as build your own alien, a Ben 10 crossword and hero test. With animations, video content and device features such as an accelerometer on iOS devices, it’s full of high-end technical wizardry.

“Ben 10 is a hugely popular children’s brand and we’re thrilled to see our partnership with Egmont UK come to life via an exciting new interactive gaming and reading experience,” said Arjun Narayan, Picsean CEO.

Although Ben 10 is Egmont’s first branded digital magazine the comapny has invested heavily in digital for the magazine’s target age group over the last 18 months. The company’s own brand comic-feature magazine TOXIC also has an interactive issue, produced in partnership with ‘Aurasma’ last year, as well as the launch of the TOXIC bespoke website and two  entertainment apps (see news story).

“2013 was definitely the year of the tablet,” enthuses Gillian Laskier, Managing Director of Egmont Magazines, “with usage doubling Year on Year for the primary boys’ age-group. Making magazine content accessible digitally, by bringing Ben’s adventures to life using exciting interactive content, provides fans with an additional platform where they can be part of Ben’s world.

“We offer a complementary experience for current Ben 10 Magazine readers as well as reaching additional fans who might not read traditional books or magazines. With the right brand, the right content and the right digital platform, we view the extension of print publishing into digital as a key factor in our strategy to get boys reading.

“The digital Ben 10 Magazine complements our extremely successful Ben 10 print magazine, which after five years, still has a loyal and engaged readership and is currently the bestselling magazine in the primary boys’ sector.

“Almost 10 years on and Ben 10 is still proving to be a licensing hit, added Victoria Saint, Head of Category Publishing & Video Games EMEA, Turner CN Enterprises.

“Egmont is a perfect example of a licensee who has enjoyed sustained success and is extending its commitment to the brand by evolving to market trends, listening to consumers and developing the products that they demand. We’re extremely proud to count Egmont as a partner and as we start making plans for the 10th anniversary of the brand in 2015, we look forward to developing licensing partnerships and forging new deals that take the brand into new and exciting product categories.”

• The digital Ben 10 Magazine is available now for iPad (UK and Eire only), for £1.99 from the newsstand in the app store. This will be followed by Issue 2 and 3 in spring and summer 2014

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. Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Explorer (previously known as Star Trek 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.

Categories: British Comics, Digital Comics, Featured News

Tags: Adventure Comics, Ben 10, Egmont UK, Gillian Laskier, Picsean, SF Comics