According to contributors, the magazine Comic Heroes has folded with its current issue. Launched by Future in 2010, it originally ran until 2014, and was then revived in 2015. Future also published a companion mag for younger readers called Your Comic Heroes but that only lasted for three issues.
It's a shame that not enough fans would support the only High Street magazine dedicated to the comics industry. People have often complained that the £7.99 cover price for 132 pages was too high, but those same people willingly pay £3.00 or more for a 20 page comic story. Personally, I felt that £7.99 for an informative quarterly magazine that took a few hours to read was quite reasonable.
I can appreciate though that if some fans only have an interest in certain areas of comics they don't want to pay for articles they're not going to read. The bane of publishing I guess.
Not that Comic Heroes was perfect of course. The latest issue has a heartfelt tribute to Leo Baxendale written by Leah Moore, but the images that editorial chose to illustrate it are Beano covers by Reg Carter and Dave Sutherland. Imagine a tribute to Jack Kirby being illustrated with art by Steve Ditko and Neal Adams. It just wouldn't happen, but humour comics don't get the same consideration.
Comic Heroes tended to learn heavily towards American comics, as might be expected, hoping that people who go to see superhero movies would be attracted to articles on Wonder Woman and Spider-Man. However, it did balance this somewhat with informative features on independent comics, European creators, advice from pros, and other non-superhero articles. I would have liked to have seen more features on the history of British comics but maybe I'm partly to blame for that. I contributed two historical features for the early issues but haven't bothered since. Too late now, sadly.
One big problem that I found with Comic Heroes was its availability in shops, or lack of it. I used to buy every issue from my corner shop, but then their suppliers decided my newsagent should try other magazines instead. (Why suppliers make such decisions for retailers seems crazy to me, but that's what my newsagent told me.) That meant a walk into town to buy it from WH Smith, until my local Smiths decided to stop stocking it. I bought the last few issues via mail order, but I imagine most readers would have just given up by then.
I'll miss Comic Heroes. It deserved to continue. I know most of us get our comics news from the Internet but it was good to have such info in a handy format. The final issue, No.32, is still available from newsagents and comic shops (if you're lucky).
Just a very quick heads up to say that the latest issue of the quarterly comics news magazine Comic Heroes is out now. I haven't seen a copy yet as my local shops no longer stock it, but I've ordered the issue via mail order from this site:
https://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/film/comic-heroes-back-issues/
I'll review it when my copy arrives in the post!
Also out this week from the same publisher (Future) is a new issue of SFX with features on Marvel's new Defenders TV series, the Valerian movie, and more.
I understand there's a new issue of Comic Heroes magazine out soon, possibly today. Sadly, my local newsagents stopped stocking it months ago, despite it selling. (Who can fathom the logic of suppliers and retailers these days?) Last time I bought a copy directly from the publisher via mail order and I urge you to do the same in your local shops won't stock it. Here's where to order it from:
https://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/film/comic-heroes-back-issues/
A quick look at the contents page for this issue. Click to see it larger.
My apologies for not updating my blog since Monday. Between work and having a heavy cold I haven't been online so much. Catching up today a bit with a quick rundown of a few recommended titles that are in the shops now.
Kicking off with The Phoenix No.263, this issue sees the conclusion of the John Blake serial by Philip Pullman and Fred Fordham. Other strips include Trailblazers by Robert Deas (who also drew the cover), Bunny vs Monkey by Jamie Smart, Pow! by Alexander Matthews, Corpse Talk by Adam and Lisa Murphy, and more.
The Phoenix is mainly subscription based, but you'll also find copies in selected branches of WH Smith and Waitrose.
(https://www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk)
The Beano No.3868 features an eye-catching Numskulls / Dennis cover by Nigel Parkinson relating to the story inside, and other contents include a four page Bash Street Kids tale, and all the regulars including my Pup Parade and Ivy the Terrible strips. Never Be Without A Beano; you know it makes sense.
https://www.beano.com
A journalist recently asked me if today's children's publications could even be called comics anymore. Well, the term "comic" has always been flexible, as even the first comics of the 19th Century such as Comic Cuts only had 50% comic strips (sometimes less) and that format lasted for 50 years with everyone referring to them as comics. British comics have always evolved, and today's magazines, with limited comics content, are kind of a modern equivalent of those early titles. Realistically though, I think publications like Toxic are most definitely "children's magazines" rather than "comics", but that doesn't mean those strips aren't part of our comics industry. Decide for yourselves in Toxic No.283 which features the regular strips Captain Gross, Ruined Ronaldo, and my Team Toxic.
http://www.toxicmag.co.uk
By the way, this issue of Toxic has a free full colour 16 page A6 sized mini-comic, Hilo, by Judd Winick, to promote the comic books published by Random House.
The latest issue of Comic Heroes has been out for a couple of weeks now but it was impossible to find in the towns and cities near me. Therefore I bought a copy directly from the publisher. It only took a few days to arrive second class and I'd recommend that option rather than trudging around the newsagents (and a certain comics shop that refuses to stock it). It's post-free if you buy it direct too. Here's the link:
https://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/film/Comic-Heroes-Print.html
This issue of Comic Heroes (No.30) is another bumper 132 pager designed to pass the time over the next three months until the next issue. Contents include features on 2000AD's 40 years, Commando's upcoming 5,000th issue, a tribite to Steve Dillon, and numerous items on American comics such as the all-new Iron Man, Ironheart. (I'm enjoying some of the changes that Marvel have implemented in their comics. It keeps things fresh and unexpected and I look forward to reading Ironheart's adventures when she appears in Marvel Legends.)
That's just a handful of titles that may interest you. If you have any thoughts about any of them, drop a comment below.
Here's a quick look at some of the British comics that were published this week. There are of course more titles than this, but in this post I'm only focusing on the ones available in newsagents and supermarkets, not the numerous independent comics available in comic shops or at conventions...
We start with Count Duckula (cover above), in which... hang on! There's a Count Duckula comic now? No, it's just a trick flip cover to the latest issue of Danger Mouse (see below). Issue 4 contains an all-new Danger Mouse strip written by Alex Collier, plus loads of fun features. Well worth any kid's £3.99.
Danger Mouse is published every four weeks by D.C. Thomson, who also publish Thunderbirds Are Go! which is up to No.13 this week. It contains a comic strip adaptation of the episode Legacy drawn by Martin Baines. All good stuff, although 8 pages is too cramped for adapting a full episode and I'd prefer to either see more pages of strip or each episode split across two issues (ie: 16 pages) to give the story more breathing space.
This issue of Thunderbirds Are Go! comes with a free mask of The Hood. It could be said that some of us don't need it...
Also from D.C. Thomson this week is Beano No.3856 which leads with an extra-length Roger the Dodger story, and is packed with comic strips. All new material too! Don't miss it!
The Beano Christmas Special is also out now, with 68 full colour pages of all-new material and a free set of stickers inside. I'm very proud to say I drew the four page Bash Street Kids story in this issue, which was written by Andy Fanton.
For older readers there's 2000AD No.2002, which continues the new stories that began in the previous issue. 2000AD has consistently been a great comic for nearly 40 years now and shows no sign of weakening. A must-buy!
Marvel Legends No.3, from Panini UK, has 76 pages reprinting recent Marvel material of Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America. Big changes have happened to the Marvel Universe over the last few years and this is the place to keep up with it.
Last but not least, Viz No.260 is another 52 pages of adult satire with loads of strips from top UK cartoonists. You'll find it on the top shelves of the finest newsagents in the country.
Also out now, although you might struggle to find it in newsagents, is Comic Heroes No.29, with 132 pages of comics news and views. I bought mine from Nostalgia and Comics in Birmingham yesterday, as WH Smiths still don't have it in stock.
That's just the comics that have arrived in newsagents this week. They join the titles from previous weeks that are still on display such as Toxic, Doctor Who Adventures, Commando, and more of course. Support UK comics, and Never Be Without A Beano - or any of the others!
Apparently there's a new issue of Comic Heroes, the magazine about comics, out today. It exists, as I know people who have copies, but unfortunately, after spending five hours trying to track a copy down in three different towns, I've been unable to find one. Coventry's Forbidden Planet tell me they won't stock it, which is crazy when customers are willing to buy it, and WH Smith were completely clueless, saying they hadn't seen a copy for months (even though I'd explained twice that it was a quarterly and I always buy it from there).
Anyway, there's the cover above. My thanks to journalist Sean Egan for sending me the image along with a PDF of the article he's written for the issue, which is a lengthy feature on the history of Marvel UK. (A good read, although it is strictly about Marvel UK so don't expect to find any info on the period where Panini UK were creating brand new Marvel superhero material. It's also solely about superheroes, so no mention of Combat Colin or the numerous non-superhero strips that used to be read by 200,000 readers a week.)
No doubt there's lots of other good features in the mag too, and if I had a copy I'd tell you about them. Happy hunting!
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The poor distribution of this magazine highlights a very important issue about comics in this country. A comic or mag can only reach its potential readership if shops are willing to stock them. The cancellation of a title isn't always down to content. You can have a great comic/mag but if no one can find it, it's doomed. My questions are; how are publishers addressing this very serious problem? Are they addressing it? What sort of PR do they send to shops to encourage them to order copies? (Do they send any PR out, or do they just hope a retailer might glimpse a little mention of it in their copy of trade mag Retail Newsagent?) Are copies actually reaching the shops when they are ordered, or are they sitting in a warehouse undistributed?
Comics and magazines can only be saved if publishers and retailers work together to ensure they benefit each other and their readers.
The latest issue of the quarterly comics feature magazine Comic Heroes should be in the shops today. It's another chunky issue packed with features including items on the new Scarlet Traces series in 2000AD, a tribute to Captain Britain, an interview with Doctor Who comic artist Rachael Stott, another Ka-Punch! strip by Marc Jackson, and much more. Here's a screen grab of the contents...
Copies should be available now in WH Smith, selected newsagents, and comic speciality shops. (I say "should", because the newsagents I was buying it from have decided to no longer stock it. Their loss!) Alternatively you can subscribe, or download a digital version from the Comic Heroes app.
https://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/film/Comic-Heroes-Print.html?gclid=CMTLq47K480CFbEW0wods8AI4w
(Not to be confused with the junior version, Your Comic Heroes, which is also available from the same publisher. Reviewed here last week: http://lewstringer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/your-comic-heroes-new-magazine-launched.html )
The latest issue of Comic Heroes has just been released from Future Publishing with another 148 big pages of news, reviews, and features on contemporary comics. Although the emphasis is on American comics there are a few features that should also interest fans of UK material. One such item is a look back at forgotten British indie comic The Savior, which was Mark Millar's controversial debut. As a bonus, the article includes pages drawn by Nigel Kitching of the never-published seventh issue of the title.
There's also a nice lengthy feature on IPC's Action weekly with comments from Pat Mills. Anyone well versed in the comic's history won't really find much new information here but it's still an important article for readers who are unfamiliar with the title. It's good to see Comic Heroes again devoting some space to covering UK comics history as it really is in danger of being forgotten.
There's an interesting six page article on UK independent comic Beast Wagon, which I confess I'd never heard of but it looks fantastic. There's also two pages of a new Beast Wagon short story by Owen Michael Johnson illustrated by the brilliant Jay Gunn.
There's also the second episode of Ka-Punch! the great superhero spoof by Marc Jackson.
There are tons of other features in this issue of course. As the cover shows, the X-Men are quite prominent inside, and there are articles on Attack on Titan, the revamp of Archie comics, interviews with actor/comics writer Noel Clarke, Daredevil writer Charles Soule, Civil War 2 writer Brian Michael Bendis, and much more.
It's just a shame that Comic Heroes is only published quarterly, as there's so much going on in the comics industry that it really needs a more regular magazine to keep up with everything. Yes, websites have supplanted print news mags for the most part, but personally I still find print a more comfortable experience for long term reading. Whether Comic Heroes ever increases its frequency again is down to sales of course (it used to be bi-monthly) and sadly I've noticed less shops are stocking it now. My local newsagents and WH Smith have dropped it, despite it selling, and I had to travel ten miles out of town to buy a copy, where it was still in short supply.
Comic Heroes No.27 is in shops now at £7.99. If you have problems finding a copy, you might consider subscribing at:
http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/CHSUB
Future Publishing's quarterly Comic Heroes magazine has a brand new issue out today, with 148 packed pages of news, reviews, and features. Admittedly the emphasis is on American comics but there's a fair few items about modern UK comics and creators too.
There's a feature on Electricomics, the great new digital comics venture from Leah Moore, Alan Moore, and others.
There's a lengthy interview with Dave McKean on his remarkable work.
And there are interviews with artist Emma Vieceli, writer Simon Spurrier, 2000AD editor Matt Smith, and much more. Plus a brand new comic strip, Ka-Punch! by The Beano's Marc Jackson makes its debut with a two page story.
Tons of features and artwork in this issue. A must for anyone interested in the world of comics. Comic Heroes No.26 is available from today, in WH Smith and all good newsagents and comic shops for £7.99
In 2010 Future Publishing launched Comic Heroes, a bimonthly newsstand magazine dedicated to the world of comics. Cynics predicted it would bomb, citing its £7.99 cover price as too expensive. However the magazine proved to be successful enough to maintain a good run of four years, albeit changing frequency to quarterly towards the end. Its final issue, No.24, was in July 2014.
And that was that. Until today.
Comic Heroes is now back on the shelves of newsagents, with a quarterly frequency and a redesign but continuing the numbering with issue 25. The relaunch issue is a large size 148 page glossy mag and its declaration is that it's "Serious about comics". Hopefully not too serious.
The issue is packed with a variety of features. Here's a few examples:
• Interviews with UK comics creators such as Grant Morrison, Paul Cornell, Jessica Martin, Mike Carey and Mike Perkins.
• A preview of the new Johnny Red comic.
• A look at Marvel's all-new, all-different relaunches.
•Joel Meadows looking at the new range of Vertigo comics.
• Stephen Jewell previewing Dynamite's new James Bond comic.
• Paul Gravett on the Frech artist François Boucq.
• Leah Moore reporting from a convention in Mexico.
• David Barnett looks at Aces Weekly.
Plus reviews and tons more stuff.
I think there's a certain joy for anyone interested in comics to be able to wander into a newsagents and buy a magazine dedicated to the medium. I hope Comic Heroes is here to stay this time. Although a British magazine, its content is mainly American-focused because that's the stuff that its target audience is following and America is generating more comics than the UK. That said, it's clear that the mag is definitely willing to cover the UK and international scene as well.
All in all, it's great to see Comic Heroes back and it's a magazine that anyone with a genuine interest in modern comics should be reading.
Comic Heroes No.25, 148 pages, £7.99. Out now!
Issue 24 of Comic Heroes is now on newsagent's shelves and, as reported here the other week, sadly it's the final issue.
From the sounds of things, its demise was not only due to low sales but to company restructuring at Future Publishing. However, many fans have often stated that it was the £7.99 cover price that put them off. Even though that was approximately the same price as three flimsy comics and that Comic Heroes contained more to read than three comics.
Comic Heroes tried valiantly to be all things to all fans, with articles covering a diverse range of comics. Unfortunately, this may have gone against it, as some fans only have specific interests. So someone who's a big Marvel/DC fan might have thought £7.99 was too much to pay when half the mag was taken up with other themes, or vice versa.
A few issues back Future abandoned the £7.99 format of mag plus extras in a packet and redesigned the mag as a chunky 164 page bookazine at £9.99. The frequency switched from bi-monthly to quarterly, presumably with the notion that surely fans wouldn't think ten quid every three months was too much to pay for a nice long read? Didn't work.
Personally, I've always been interested in the whole world of comics, so Comic Heroes was ideal for me to read about Marvel, DC, European comics, British comics, interviews with creators, advance previews of comics, etc. This last issue has a good variety of content too. Although dubbed 'The sci-fi issue' it covers more than that. There's a feature on Charley's War for example...
A six page preview of Bryan Talbot's new Grandville book...
A look at Titan's new Doctor Who comics...
Paul Gravett choosing his top ten items from the Comics Unmasked exhibition...
Walt Simonson on his new Ragrarok comic...
Plus an interview with Dave Gibbons, features on Superman, John Constantine, cosmic Marvel, and much more.
I get the impression that the fate of Comic Heroes hadn't been determined while most of this issue was put together. The only mention of its demise is a quickly designed half page notice on the inside back cover stating 'Comic Heroes 2010 - 2014 Thank you for reading!'
It's a shame that yet another comic feature magazine has closed. Even its digital companion weekly, Comic Review, is gone now. I'll miss buying Comic Heroes from my corner shop. It was a good mag. Not every item interested me but that's the nature of such magazines.
I suppose most fans get their info from the Internet, which is understandable as it's 'free' and constantly being updated, but personally I still feel it's more comfortable to read longer articles in paper format. And Comic Heroes never needed plugging into the mains to recharge.
Comic Heroes No.24. 164 full colour pages. £9.99. Available in newsagents, WH Smith, comic speciality shops and other retailers.
Bad news in the comics industry today. Future Publishing's Comic Heroes magazine is set to close, with the soon to be released issue 24 to be the final one.
The slick news and feature magazine was launched in early 2010 but had criticism from the outset for its high cover price of £7.99. (£9.99 for recent issues.) Yet for a chunky, professional, full-colour, niche magazine packed with information this wasn't particularly expensive at all. (Especially when one considers a standard 32 page American comic costs around £3 these days.)
One of the good things about Comic Heroes is that it was available in High Street newsagents (even my corner shop stocked it) so it was a good entry point for new comic fans who didn't have access to a comic shop in their town. Although the magazine focused primarily on high profile superhero comics (usually to tie in with the latest Marvel movie release) it also accommodated features on all areas of comics, including British titles.
I believe that Future Publishing is currently undergoing some company restructuring so at present I'm not sure if it was only the sales figures that have caused the magazine's demise. Some fans have expressed hope that the mag might continue in digital format but it seems unlikely considering that Comic Heroes' sister publication Comic Review (a weekly digital mag) has also closed.
Subscribers to Comic Heroes have been informed that their subs will be transferred to SFX magazine if they choose not to opt out.
Comic Heroes had a lot going for it, but from a strictly personal viewpoint this will always be the high point for me:
