It’s been a ghoulishly good time, featuring all kinds of monster mayhem from Gums, Helly, Peaches’ Creatures, Rex Power, and more. But, sadly, Rebellion has announced this December’s issue of Monster Fun will be the final issue of the publication, as the comic comes to a close at the end of the year.
First returning to shelves in 2022, the last two years have seen all kinds of monstrous chaos across the pages of Monster Fun, and everyone involved from the writers and artists through to the colourists, letterers, and designers have created comics for younger readers which we’re truly proud to have brought to life.
And although Monster Fun will be ending as a serialised monthly comic with Issue 26, it will live on in the form of the Monster Fun graphic novel range, which includes brilliant new versions of beloved characters including Steel Commando and The Leopard From Lime Street. 2025 will bring more beloved series into the range like Rex Power and Kid Kong – so, say Rebellion, “Monster Fun will be ending on the highest of highs!”
December’s issue includes a message from its current editor, ‘Helly’, wishing readers farewell:
Hello Monster Funsters! ‘Tis the season to be jolly, so I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but with a very heavy heart (yes, I have got one!), it falls on me to tell you that this will be the final issue of Monster Fun. It has been a privilege to entertain you for the last few years and I would like to thank you so much for joining us every month, sending in your marvellous pictures for our Gruesome Gallery and leaving some insightful feedback, which helped bring the comic to new creative heights – we couldn’t have done it without you all.
I would also like to thank our creepy creators both past and present who have produced some brilliant stories. They will now be unshackled and set free from the Rebellion dungeons – Keep doing what you do, my talented terrors! Finally, thanks to the guys, girls and goblins who have helped to put the comic together, especially the diabolical design demon, Oz Osborne.
Scream you later!
Rebellion had already begun soliciting orders for Issue 27 in Diamond Previews, planned to see in the New Year with “Gums”, “Captain Zom”, “Witch Vs Warlock”, “Martha’s Monster Make Up”, “Sir Render” and the cast of the “Fright Shift”, along with “Crabbe’s Crusaders” and “’Peaches’ Creatures” to provide some tantilising action – now not to be.
With the final issue of Monster Fun due for release on 4th December, all current subscribers will be contacted shortly with details on refunds for incomplete subscriptions.
For any queries about subscriptions, contact subs@monsterfun.co.uk
• Monster Fun is online at monsterfun.co.uk
Cover by Tom Paterson 
Cover by Neil Googe 
Cover by Neil Googe 
Cover by Neil Googe 
Monster Fun #4 – Cover by Ash Branic 
Cover by Edward Whatley 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Derek Fridolfs 
Cover by Abigail Bulmer 
Cover by Mike Hartigan 
Cover by Mike Hartigan 
Cover by Abigail Bulmer 
Cover by Chris Garbutt 
Cover by Lee Robinson 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Chris Garbutt 
Cover by Dan Boultwood 
Cover by Abigail Bulmer 
Cover by Stephen Webster 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Chris Garbutt 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Chris Garbutt 
Cover by Matt Baxter 
Cover by Ruari Coleman (Unpublished)
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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.
Categories: British Comics, Comic Previews, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
In Like Flint: Warlord returns in another new Commando adventure 
Crowdfunding Spotlight: LOLZ no. 2, from The77 Publishing 
Scream! stalks again, all-new Special out this week 
British Comics Ephemera: Dave Gibbons Early Gigs and The Price Sticker Book, coming soon from Dark & Golden Books
Sad news indeed although I’m not too surprised if it’s treatment in my local newsagent/book store Easons is anything to go by – they never knew where to put it and more often than not it was placed on the top shelf with Scream and the Dark Side magazines!
Like me, Lew Stringer bought every issue of Monster Fun to support it, because he wanted it to succeed. Commenting on its closure on the “Sequentially British” Facebook group he notes “I’m sure the contributors must be very upset by its closure and I hope they’ll quickly find new projects for their talents.
“I think the blame is almost entirely down to the modern environment of publishing,” he continued. “By which I mean these factors:
1) Today’s kids don’t go out on their own to investigate and buy comics. They’re bought by parents, and we’re at the period now when even parents aged 25 to 30 may never have even read comics when they were young so they’re not even going to think about buying them for their kids.
2) Most newsagents are now convenience stores that have chosen to cut back on periodicals or stop stocking them altogether.
3) Since the first issue, some branches of Smiths have been putting Monster Fun on the top shelf next to Viz and H&E! It never stood a chance in those towns.
4) Kids that do like comics tend to prefer the A5 book format now such as the phenomenally successful Bunny Vs Monkey graphic novels. So if they actually go into Smiths and Tesco they’re heading to the book section not the comics section.
5) Comics of the past had the benefit of television advertising. Far too expensive to do that today.
“So basically,” he concludes, “it’s such a difficult task for publishers to reach an audience that doesn’t even know the comics exist!”
A very pertinent analysis, I think.
A very depressing development. I really enjoyed the revived Monster Fun and hoped it would lead to more revivals.
At the risk of sounding churlish, I do wonder about the choice of art styles on these books. The covers look busy but unfocussed, and the design work is often overpowering.
A successful newsagent title like Disney Princess has a very clear cover style–pretty Princess smiles to reader to invite them in, plus maybe a smaller insert image of a horse, castle or tiara. By contrast, Monster Fun has “geometric shape” art and a lot of writing so it looks more like a catalogue than a comic. Art’s very subjective, and I’m not knocking the craft on show, but I can’t imagine kids copying this art in their own hand.
(And yes, I admit I may be biased here as writer on Disney Princess)
Interesting – I’ve added a gallery of published covers, what do other readers think?
Awful news… my children and I, loved this comic…I used to read the original,so it was lovely to pass these characters on to another generation…