1998-2003 : A transition period for the Beano?

[Digifiend]

Strange... I don't have any trouble finding it, although the shops have less copies now than they did before Christmas.

[Lew Stringer]

They managed it with Toxic, and DCT had to persuade many retailers who'd discontinued the Dandy to start stocking it again last year when they relaunched it. It's difficult but not impossible.

I didn't say it was impossible. Strip Magazine is coming this October for example, but you can ask John Freeman about how hard it's been to get that launched.

Egmont sold Toxic to the trade on the basis that it ties in with various new films, DVDs, games etc. So in that way it is license-based. (And it was launched nine years ago when the situation wasn't quite as bad as it is now.)

Dandy was already a long established brand, not a new title.

So to repeat: "it's very difficult getting a new non-licensed comic into the shops these days". That's not my opinion. It's how things are. Ask any editor or publisher. I don't make this stuff up for fun you know.