Friday, October 16, 2015

Yet another new comic on UK newsstands

This week has seen the launch of no less than four new comics / comics magazines in UK newsagents! I reviewed Thunderbirds Are Go the other day, and The Flash yesterday, and there's also a new Transformers comic out (which I haven't bought but Down the Tubes has it covered here). There's also Cartoon Network Magazine No.1 from Panini.

 I never see Cartoon Network because a) it's not on Freeview, and b) I'm a 56 year old man. Therefore I was completely unfamiliar with the characters in the mag. However, I thought I'd give it a go, and was pleasantly surprised to find the contents are actually funny! 

The 36 page magazine has two strips; an 8 page Gumball Halloween strip and a two page Uncle Grandpa strip. I suspect they may be U.S. reprint although I hear there may be new material in upcoming issues. There's also a third strip, taking up two pages, which is incomplete and readers are invited to add their own characters to it. 

There are also a number of features and activity pages of course, but they're very funny and in places self mocking. (Eg: "Are you aware of the rules of the game 'pooper sneakers'? YES or NO? Please note, this game does not actually exist".) 

 There's a fun free gift in the form of plastic 'Spy Spex' with huge wing mirrors attached. ("Hint: Sit in front of the lass cutie, not a wall".) 

 I don't have kids but if I did, I'd definitely buy this mag for them. Even though those hypothetical kids would be about 30 years old now. 

 Cartoon Network Magazine No.1, out now, £3.99.
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5 comments:

  1. PhilEdBoyceFriday, 16 October 2015 at 16:52:00 BST

    Just had a read of John's Down the Tubes post you linked to. Twenty pages of strip in the new Transformers comic sounds great!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFriday, 16 October 2015 at 23:46:00 BST

    Cheers Lew, bought 2000AD after you promoted it on your site a few weeks ago, now will head to wh smith tomorrow to purchase the Cartoon Network comic(if they stock it)! Your marketing works!
    (Vlad)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lew StringerFriday, 16 October 2015 at 23:57:00 BST

    I should be on a commission for this! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Double Vision ComicsSaturday, 17 October 2015 at 11:33:00 BST

    Actually looks pretty inventive. But... £3.99??? I could buy a small island for that! Admittedly, an unlicensed, small Tracy Island cardboard macquette, mass-produced in greymarket Taiwanese sweatshops- which I wouldn't. But still.

    You recently mentioned rising production costs as the reason for these spiraling, searing, astronomical comics prices- I'm wondering if you could elaborate on that, Lew?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Lew StringerSaturday, 17 October 2015 at 16:25:00 BST

    Print costs, distribution, wholesalers, retail charges, stuff like that really.

    ReplyDelete

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