Comics UK

Well, since the press release is out today, someone's got to break the news on the forums... The DFC is no more. Given the current economic climate and the slower than expected growth of subscriptions, Random House are withdrawing funding. Unless a new financial backer is found in the next few weeks, it'll end with issue 43.

Gutted

such a shame, The DFC was such a success in what it was trying to do, it just chose the wrong time to do it. But in its time on sale, it can be proud of the exceptional issues it produced.

And it was an honour to be working with such great artists. here's hoping something can come out of it!

jamie

Very sorry to hear this. I know how you guys must feel. The DFC's enthusiasm reminded me very much of Oink's, and I felt gutted when that closed. You'll bounce back though. Talent always survives and you two are among the best in the business!

Lew

Hold your horses cowboys.

Just when the DFC was getting better...the adventure stories were a lot better and the humour pages...surely schools... kids and parents can be found to subscribe..
what is wrong with kids today...such a shame they don't like comics so much..
lets hope a new company continues with DFC...might be a chance yet..

I'm certain the problem wasn't that kids didn't like it Peter, it was more the dual issues of making them aware that it existed in the first place (very hard without a MASSIVE marketing budget), and then persuading the parents to part with the cash for it. That's a big disadvantage of the subscription model for a kids' product - the purchasing power is taken out of the kids' hands Oh, and the little matter of the massive economic meltdown...

It's a pity the Tesco experiment couldn't have been extended. During the month DFC was available there it seemed to fly off the shelves locally.

Hopefully some of the series can still be completed and collected as graphic novels - in fact I'm rather surprised that Philip Pullman's strip hasn't already been released in that form!

- Phil R.

LauraH wrote:I'm certain the problem wasn't that kids didn't like it Peter, it was more the dual issues of making them aware that it existed in the first place (very hard without a MASSIVE marketing budget), and then persuading the parents to part with the cash for it.

I'm with Laura on this. I gave copies to god-children and friends' kids and they really liked the comic (for the most part - I suppose no-one likes all strips in an anthology) but their parents are out of the habit of buying comics for their off-spring, and any pocket money the children get is going to go on books, etc., rather than a subscription. Something they can by while down the shops, rather than wait a week or so for.

I don't know what the answer is, but the model they used really relied on parents being interested enough to seek the comic out, which is a big ask once the original advertising is out of the way.

George

If I wasn't on this forum I wouldn't be aware of the DFC. So I would agree with lauras second comment If the kids would have got hold of it some other way it would have been much better its a shame to see whats happening to art these days, the same things been going on with animation for years I hope someone sees sense to invest in this comic and let it flourish as it should have

It ain't the last to go either. Wallace and Gromit Comic has folded (BeanoMAX issue 26 {the curent issue} says it's the only comic starring the TV duo) and I think Kraze Club might be gone too. It doesn't seem to be in my local shops any more.

You are so right. If it had been in the shops, DFC might have survived. Better than that licenced tat any day, that's one reason why I guess The Beano remains so popular. DFC's absence from the shops is the main reason I've never read it. I wasn't aware of Tesco selling it at the time.

I don't think shop stocking was the answer due to the huge budget it needs but they were certainly other options to pursue. I had a thought about taking over the DFC but it was all too soon, too costly and not quite the right time. Some thoughts were:
- now that the subscribers had signed up, probably ok to move to an issue-by-issue model
- pay via PayPal
- distribute to comic shops via Diamond
- bring out another comic(s) with slightly different interest/age ranges and promote them to your current readers (maybe as monthlies?)
- make digital downloadable versions available
- summer/winter specials
- graphic novels
- employ KevF and get him to use his comic art classes to promote
- switch from weekly to fortnightly
- have ads in it (I've never minded the odd few)

A few other technical things too, such as, having the credit card company pay in to your bank account before paying creators to improve cash flow (this may well be the case but who knows).

Come to think of it I haven't seen any new copies of the Classics Illustrated reprints for ages. Does anyone know if this has folded as well?

- Phil R

philcom55 wrote:Come to think of it I haven't seen any new copies of the Classics Illustrated reprints for ages. Does anyone know if this has folded as well?

- Phil R

I saw a new one a couple of days ago - Les Miserables. I haven't seen a new edition of the 'Junior' version for a while, though.

Digifiend wrote:It ain't the last to go either. Wallace and Gromit Comic has folded (BeanoMAX issue 26 {the curent issue} says it's the only comic starring the TV duo) and I think Kraze Club might be gone too. It doesn't seem to be in my local shops any more.

You are so right. If it had been in the shops, DFC might have survived. Better than that licenced tat any day, that's one reason why I guess The Beano remains so popular. DFC's absence from the shops is the main reason I've never read it. I wasn't aware of Tesco selling it at the time.

Kraze has folded.

Raven wrote:

philcom55 wrote:Come to think of it I haven't seen any new copies of the Classics Illustrated reprints for ages. Does anyone know if this has folded as well?

- Phil R

I saw a new one a couple of days ago - Les Miserables. I haven't seen a new edition of the 'Junior' version for a while, though.

They're still around. The FPI blog has reviewed them recently:

http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/?p=12329

Lew