Forbidden Planet and Titan Entertainment Group co-owner Nick Landau is the focus of an in-depth three-part interview on the comics retailer news site, ICV2.
Nick Landau was one of the co-founders, together with Mike Lake and Mike Luckman, of the comic store chain Forbidden Planet, and he also co-founded Titan Distributors, which was sold to Diamond in 1993 and became Diamond UK.
Nick and his wife, Vivian Cheung, now own Titan Entertainment Group, which includes a publishing company and nine Forbidden Planet stores across the UK.
For ICv2’s Comics Direct Market 50th Anniversary celebration, former retailer and DC Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing Bob Wayne talked to Nick about his years in the business.
In Part One, Landau talks about starting the Comics Media fanzine and his own distribution company. Part Two covers his time at the publisher IPC, where he edited 2000AD, and the opening of the first Forbidden Planet store in 1978.
In Part Three, Nick discusses the shift to graphic novels, the sale of the distribution company to Diamond and the formation of the current company, as well as his part in the stage production of Thunderbolts: FAB.
• PART 1 On Comics and Conventions in 1970s London
• PART 2 Editing ‘2000AD’ and Opening the First Forbidden Planet Store
• PART 3 The Rise of the Graphic Novel, and the ‘Thunderbirds Go’ Onstage
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: 2000AD, British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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