Comics UK

Well the Christmas issue did use gold gloss...

I'm not keen on the huge cover either - partly because it does make them more difficult to keep and collect (and I think kids are natural comic collectors) if they're not a uniform size, but mainly because the tops of the ones I saw on sale were indeed quite badly creased; I managed to get one from WHSmith with a slightly less scrunched top than the others, but they were all a bit mangled.

For grabbing attention, I think the thing would be to go for really eye-grabbing covers: the best, most loony, most striking, outlandish, compelling images possible. The Harry Hill ones have become quite samey again of late, rather like the first few issues where it wasn't always immediately obvious a new issue was on sale. The break in this with the likes the Arena of Awesome cover made the comic stand out more. Of course, for all we know, there may be a contractual obligation to have Harry Hill on the front most weeks, but the one with the Easter Island statues at least was a more interesting variation.

There's a knack to appealing and striking cover images - pictures specially designed to sell a publication to browsers. Sparky did it well for its day with the strong single image Barney Bulldog visual gags. 70s US Marvel comics are often a good demonstration of how striking covers can sell a comic.

I also agree more cross-promotion would be good: maybe even a Dandy 'guest star' page in The Beano and vice versa over a few weeks, like those kind of cross-comic promotions you used to get in the IPC comics? Or a couple of Beano characters invading Dandy strips one week and Dandy's revenge in The Beano. It's surprising a little more isn't made of the fact that they're brother/sister-type comics.

Btw, I forgot to mention - I really didn't mind the larger cover and the kids both seemed (strangely?) quite excited about it!

Raven wrote:I'm not keen on the huge cover either - partly because it does make them more difficult to keep and collect (and I think kids are natural comic collectors) if they're not a uniform size, but mainly because the tops of the ones I saw on sale were indeed quite badly creased; I managed to get one from WHSmith with a slightly less scrunched top than the others, but they were all a bit mangled.

For grabbing attention, I think the thing would be to go for really eye-grabbing covers: the best, most loony, most striking, outlandish, compelling images possible. The Harry Hill ones have become quite samey again of late, rather like the first few issues where it wasn't always immediately obvious a new issue was on sale. The break in this with the likes the Arena of Awesome cover made the comic stand out more. Of course, for all we know, there may be a contractual obligation to have Harry Hill on the front most weeks, but the one with the Easter Island statues at least was a more interesting variation.

There's a knack to appealing and striking cover images - pictures specially designed to sell a publication to browsers. Sparky did it well for its day with the strong single image Barney Bulldog visual gags. 70s US Marvel comics are often a good demonstration of how striking covers can sell a comic.

I also agree more cross-promotion would be good: maybe even a Dandy 'guest star' page in The Beano and vice versa over a few weeks, like those kind of cross-comic promotions you used to get in the IPC comics? Or a couple of Beano characters invading Dandy strips one week and Dandy's revenge in The Beano. It's surprising a little more isn't made of the fact that they're brother/sister-type comics.

Even on the weeks when Arena of Awesome and Desperate Dan had the cover picture, Harry Hill was still shown on the cover (under the logo on the Dan one, and on the "also starring" strip on the AoA one). So yeah, I think he has to be there, but I agree, more variety needed. The ones in the run up to Christmas, with individual headlines (i.e. Jungle Fever, Simon's Revenge) were the best Harry covers, IMHO. And the Arena cover really did stand out, you're right.

I did finally find an almost undamaged issue yesterday. The same shop I'd initally checked had put out more copies - obscuring The Beano in the process (I moved the offending copy to where the other Dandys were)!

Raven wrote:I'm not keen on the huge cover either - partly because it does make them more difficult to keep and collect (and I think kids are natural comic collectors)

I can't see that somehow. They might be natural hoarders, but if the majority were bothered about condition we wouldn't be seeing so many tatty 70s/80s/90s comics on eBay. (The comics they always claim have creased/stained/ripped "due to age".)

And to think, 118 years ago Chums shortened their covers! (Mind you the extra bit of space wasn't really being used, and bulky bags 'o doom didn't exist then!)

Lew Stringer wrote:
I can't see that somehow. They might be natural hoarders, but if the majority were bothered about condition we wouldn't be seeing so many tatty 70s/80s/90s comics on eBay. (The comics they always claim have creased/stained/ripped "due to age".)

I'm not talking about condition there, though - I'm talking about collecting them/keeping them together - in the same drawer, on the same pile, in the same box, on the same shelf: tricky when they're all different sizes as suddenly a big one won't fit into the space and has to be kept separately.

In terms of the creased covers though, I don't think many people like to *buy* new things - especially quite expensive things - in a tatty state.

While they're still actual kids, I think they like to keep their comics together well enough - it's mostly when they're adults or away from home as students, that the things get bunged in the attic or out of sight as "childish things are put away" and get damp, rusted, and creased.

Raven wrote: In terms of the creased covers though, I don't think many people like to *buy* new things - especially quite expensive things - in a tatty state.

True enough. I must say I'm surprised that people have found damaged issues in their areas. I've looked in a few newsagents around here and The Dandy was displayed well with the top bit upright and undamaged.

Raven wrote:While they're still actual kids, I think they like to keep their comics together well enough - it's mostly when they're adults or away from home as students, that the things get bunged in the attic or out of sight as "childish things are put away" and get damp, rusted, and creased.

It's not natural aging I was referring to, but rather copies that had obviously been heavily handled when first read (pages turned back, stains inside the comics, folded in half, etc.) Some sellers describe such items as "excellent" just because all the pages are there. Anyway, I'm getting off-topic, sorry.

Lew Stringer wrote: True enough. I must say I'm surprised that people have found damaged issues in their areas. I've looked in a few newsagents around here and The Dandy was displayed well with the top bit upright and undamaged.

The one I spotted in a Sainsbury's this afternoon had a crumpled cover top.

Craig, my subscription copy was absolutely fine. It was in a larger bag folded over this week due to the extra height - expect the one I'll get on Monday will be the same!

Anyone see The Dandy get a full-page ad in The Beano this week? They printed a full-page Desperate Dan, pretty cool!

It's about time!

nooooo! its a bloody big cover again this week and they were all damaged in morrisons.hopefully back to normal size next week and also the return of harry & his hippo but if it comes to votes to stay in the comici have a feeling phils finger will win.Also when did they start calling them comics rathers than strips or stories if i saw the ad maybe 20 years ago i would expect 4 new comics or the return of topper,victor nutty & beezer

Little Squelchy Thing wrote:Anyone see The Dandy get a full-page ad in The Beano this week? They printed a full-page Desperate Dan, pretty cool!

Not being a Dandy reader, I'm not especially familiar with Jamie's work, but having seen it I am impressed - the ideas in his strips are very funny and his artwork adds to the sense of madness.

big bad bri wrote:nooooo! its a bloody big cover again this week and they were all damaged in morrisons.hopefully back to normal size next week and also the return of harry & his hippo but if it comes to votes to stay in the comici have a feeling phils finger will win.Also when did they start calling them comics rathers than strips or stories if i saw the ad maybe 20 years ago i would expect 4 new comics or the return of topper,victor nutty & beezer

We covered this last week. The abbreviation to "comics" (instead of stories or comic strips) has been around for a few years now and is also used by Toxic, Doctor Who Adventures and other titles.

As for damaged copies, again, ones in my locality seem fine, and to prove it, here's one I bought earlier:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3-6L9Hi7LmQ/T ... DY3523.jpg