While humour and political comment magazine Private Eye is celebrating another modest increase to its circulation this week, some British comic publishers may be scratching their heads after a mixed bag of sales results were announced – but there’s still plenty of… Read More ›
The Beano
The Story of British Comics So Far opens at Woking’s Lightbox
Yesterday saw a new exhibition open at The Lightbox gallery and museum, Woking that we highlighted earlier this year, which will take visitors on an interactive journey through the past, present and future of sequential art. The Story of British… Read More ›
All Aboard for The Beano! Free DFDS Giveaway comic released
A special DFDS Seaways Beano is now available free on board DFDS ships. Ace writer Nigel Auchterlounie tells us he wrote the scripts the Dennis and Gnasher, Billy Whizz, Gnasher and Gnipper, Minnie the Minx,Calamity James, Bash Street Kids, Numskulls,… Read More ›
Beano Studios Launched, revamp on the way for comic, web site and new Dennis the Menace TV show in the works
DC Thomson – publishers of The Beano, Commando and other comics, as well as newspapers and magazines – has just launched a new creative company called Beano Studios, which aims to become the number one choice for seven to ten year olds… Read More ›
Answers in Blood: An Interview with “Vikings” comic writer Cavan Scott
Cavan Scott counts himself lucky to work in the worlds that first sparked his imagination as a kid. He writes the Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor comic for Titan, is one of the writers of the Star Wars: Adventures in… Read More ›
New Comics Out Now – Shocks Galore in 2000AD and Cosplaying Canines! (w/c 18th April 2016)
As British talent invades the US (again – and yes, we’re aware only older readers might get this reference*), here’s our quick list of new comics on sale in newsagents and comic shops this week, skewed toward creators from the UK… Read More ›
Dennis the Menace, Celebrated at 65 with New Official Screenprints of First Ever Strip
To celebrate The Beano‘s Dennis the Menace‘s 65th birthday, print maker John Patrick Reynolds has produced an edition of officially-licensed screenprints featuring the very first strip, published in the issue dated 17th March, 1951. Dennis doesn’t yet have his trademark red and… Read More ›
New Comics On Sale This Week: Goldtiger, Burning Bright for 2000AD and Giant Days Delight
Here’s my pick of this week’s list of British creator and British publisher-skewed new comics, including new comics on sale in UK newsagents. This feature covers all titles released from Monday 4th April onwards with most new US comics released… Read More ›
Bananaman Musical Set to Slip onto Stage, Casting Call Reveals Show Clues
First, there was news of a movie starring a much-loved hapless superhero published in Nutty, The Dandy and The Beano. Now, for the first time ever, Bananaman will soon be live on stage. Created by Steve Bright and writer and editor Dave Donaldson (best… Read More ›
The British Comics Industry: Looking Back on 2015, Looking Forward to 2016
With the festive season upon us and 2015 racing to a close, over on Comic Book Resources, staff writer and comics retailer Brian Hibbs, in an article titled “Tilting at Windmills: Trouble on the Horizon?“notes we’re in an extremely odd… Read More ›
The British Comics Industry: Still Alive and Kicking, Despite Troll Claims to the Contrary
Phil Boyce runs the Oink! blog, dedicated to the original, cheeky, innovative comic that once featured the best of British talent, as well as extra posts on every aspect of the world’s greatest comic, creator info, behind-the-scenes shenanigans and more. He recently posted… Read More ›
Lew Stringer Begins Annual Countdown to Christmas Celebration With 2000AD and More
Over on his always brilliant Blimey! It’s Another Blog about Comics blog, focusing onBritish comics past and present, top cartoonist Lew Stringer is counting down to Christmas with a series of celebratory posts of past Christmas covers, including the first 2000AD… Read More ›
“Holly Wood” debuts in The Beano Today
Today sees the debut of an all-new character in The Beano – wannabe star Holly Wood, the creation of Tommy Donbavand, with art by Steve Beckett. Lancashire-based author and actor Tommy Donbavand is the man who wrote popular 13-book Scream Street series… Read More ›
Beano Seeking Digital Content Creators for “Top Secret” Project
The Beano, Britain’s weekly humour comic published by DC Thomson, is on a recruitment drive for new staff for what looks like being a hugely ambitious new digital push for the title. Announcing the recruitment drive on their official web site… Read More ›
Mags In Bags: comic creator Alexander Matthews call for “VAT on Tat”
Following up on John Freeman’s post expressing joy at seeing a child ignore all the “mag in a bag” comic/ young persons magazines in favour of the cheaper, non-bagged Beano, comic creator Alexander Matthews very kindly gave us permission to re-post… Read More ›
Despite the Odds, Child buys Beano in Supermarket Shock; the perils and pitfalls of UK news stand distribution
Here’s a couple of snapshots of a typical British supermarket display of teen and young children’s magazines taken yesterday, which I occasionally post for discussion and dissection on my Facebook Comic Con page as we ponder the state of our native… Read More ›
DC Thomson recovers Beano web domain from “internet squatter”
DC Thomson, publishers of The Beano, have taken control of the thebeano.co.uk domain name from a Norfolk businessman. The Dundee-based company, which has been publishing The Beano for decades, took action against Stephen Fisher from Ellingham, who had registered the domain name. Internet… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2015: An Interview with Beano artist Zoom Rockman
Last year, in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, downthetubes brought you a number of interviews with creators attending the event – and we’re delighted to be able to run a series in the run up to their… Read More ›
Beano celebrates record-breaking run as a weekly comic, and Toytopia aims for another!
‘ Thanks to Guinness World Records, this week’s Beano (Issue 3800), on sale now in all good newsagents and sporting a new logo, confirms the comic’s status as the longest-running comic published weekly. The Beano is officially a record breaker! We’re the longest-running… Read More ›
British Comic Sales Figures: Winners and Losers (January – June 2015)
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) sales figures for titles registered with the organisation were published this week and overall, despite an overall decline in magazine circulation figures – down an average 5.5 per cent – comics and children’s magazines continue… Read More ›