Classics to end next month

[tony ingram]

I wonder if the forthcoming relaunch of the Beano Club as beano.com has anything to do with this? Could they be offering classic strips by download, for a fee, instead?

I'm really disappointed with this news, I've been buying every issue for several years.... but I only know one shop I can get it from, so I think distribution has been a real problem. However, on Monday, two days before the new issue came out, WHSmith still had TEN copies! This is why Classics is ending no doubt. They should've printed less copies and sold them in more outlets.

Why did they bother to relaunch just a few months ago only to end it now though? I hope they at least bring the adventure strips to a proper conclusion.

DCT are having financial problems at the moment (heavily reported in the news awhile back, lots of job losses) so cuts are being made in a lot of areas. Classics is being axed before they move over to their new printer, as I understand it, since they can no longer afford to print their own material. No doubt more magazines will go too, though Commando seems to be safe.

[felneymike]

Well this is sudden! Like somebody else said they could have tried putting the price up (the Megazine is about £5 now isn't it? £3.50 would have easily been justified IMO) or kicking the distributors into gear... I bought this from issue 1, then "took a break" for many years but later got back into it with a religious fervor.

[Lew Stringer]

Why did they bother to relaunch just a few months ago only to end it now though?

The decision to axe it wasn't made until this week.

[Raven]

Why did they bother to relaunch just a few months ago only to end it now though?

The decision to axe it wasn't made until this week.

I wonder if there'll be any mention of it being the last issue in the last issue itself, then. It depends on how far in advance they're printed, I suppose.

[Digifiend]

They'll probably mention it on the letters page (removing the contact details as well for obvious reasons) and where the advert for the next issue would usually go.

DCT are having financial problems at the moment (heavily reported in the news awhile back, lots of job losses) so cuts are being made in a lot of areas. Classics is being axed before they move over to their new printer, as I understand it, since they can no longer afford to print their own material. No doubt more magazines will go too, though Commando seems to be safe.

What about the Fun-Size Beano and Dandy? And I wonder if this new printer move means a relaunch for all of their surviving publications, since it may mean some titles changing paper quality and size. Beano happens to be launching a new website soon (Beano.com, as a Club replacement), and Dandy could do with a relaunch anyway. People's Friend has looked the same for years, as has the Weekly News.

[AndyB]

Fun Size Beano and Dandy crossed my mind as well, as I'm sure their sales are atrocious. They might be saved as they are (pretty much) the same format as Commando, though, whereas Classics was DCT's only remaining A4 newsprint title.

I'm extremely sorry that Classics is being axed. It started out as a very good publication, but in the last few years it has become excellent in content, regardless of tiny inaccuracies. I will miss it.

[Digifiend]

Classics could've been saved by switching to the same glossy format as Beano, BeanoMAX, and Dandy Xtreme then, although obviously keeping it's larger page count (but this would also mean a price increase). It's format can't be the only reason for its demise. This was why I mentioned the possibility of other titles relaunching.

The Fun Sizes don't have quite the same distribution problems as Classics any more. I've seen them in WHSmith, Asda and Tesco, although not in smaller newsagents. Sometimes, I notice that there's only one or two copies, or they're even missing, indicating they've sold out. Are the shops just not ordering many in the first place, or is it doing better than you think?

[Sabreman]

Nooo!

I only discovered Classics (by pure chance) around issue 155 & have been buying (& loving it) ever since, so this is sad news indeed. I don't know how I came to discover it, because at the time I wasn't reading comics, just getting The Broons/Oor Wullie annuals & extra compilations each year. I must've just glanced at the comic section in my local WHSmiths & seen it peeking out from behind the other comics I suppose. I've never seen it in another newsagents & I visit many to feed my magazine habit. I've been relying on WHSmiths & hunting for it at the very back of the rack each month.

Having discovered it late, I'm now going to have to hunt down some back issues on eBay (which I've been doing for a while) to feed my need every month. The fact that I've missed 150+ issues will at least keep me busy, assuming I can find them at all.

Probably a silly question, but why do so very few old issues appear on eBay? And does anyone know of any online stores that might stock them?

Cheers.

[tony ingram]

I think the main reason for the title's axing (and I doubt it will be the only one going) is simply that Thomson's are outsourcing their printing rather than printing their own material, now. While they obviously couldn't afford to keep the print works open, Using an outside firm will likely have raised printing costs for the individual titles, meaning that mags which were viable under the old system no longer are under the new one. Classics never had great distribution, and if you can't actually place the mags in shops, then you can't commit to a large enough print run to keep the unit costs down to a manageable level. That was why Crikey! folded, and I'd guess the same principle applies here. Just a guess, mind.

[Digifiend]

Odd. They haven't removed Classics from the subscriptions section of the website.
http://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/Product- ... (359).aspx

[STARBOY]

If "Classics" is indeed "finished" the only reason is that it didn't sell enough - DCT have done a great job with this book over the years editorally and through revamping it, taking account of readers comments etc - theyve kept a reprint comic on the shelves for years 9via Best of Beezer, Topper then Classics etc)the format contnet are sadly not what kids want today - but is it definately going if subs etc are still being advertised ???

[The Hornet]

Odd. They haven't removed Classics from the subscriptions section of the website.
http://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/Product- ... (359).aspx

And you can still take out a subscription, with the website listing a start issue date up until April 2011 Strange if the comic has been cancelled!

[tony ingram]

If "Classics" is indeed "finished" the only reason is that it didn't sell enough - DCT have done a great job with this book over the years editorally and through revamping it, taking account of readers comments etc - theyve kept a reprint comic on the shelves for years 9via Best of Beezer, Topper then Classics etc)the format contnet are sadly not what kids want today - but is it definately going if subs etc are still being advertised ???

Classics was aimed at the nostalgia market more than it was at kids, though. As for your last question: yes, it is definitely going, at least according to Garry Fraser, who emailed both Lew and myself with the news. Given that he's the editor, he probably knows what he's talking about, and he has stated that the cancellation is happening because of the changes DCT are currently undergoing.

[Digifiend]

If "Classics" is indeed "finished" the only reason is that it didn't sell enough - DCT have done a great job with this book over the years editorally and through revamping it, taking account of readers comments etc - theyve kept a reprint comic on the shelves for years 9via Best of Beezer, Topper then Classics etc)the format contnet are sadly not what kids want today - but is it definately going if subs etc are still being advertised ???

Classics was aimed at the nostalgia market more than it was at kids, though.

That might have been part of the problem. It was stocked with the kids comics. Yet WHSmith don't do likewise with 2000AD. Since it wasn't primarily aimed at kids, Classics from the Comics should've been stocked in the same section as 2000AD, the Marvel/DC Collectors Editions, and Classics Illustrated. A lot of adults who aren't buying for their kids wouldn't think to look at the kids comics section.

[Raven]

Since it wasn't primarily aimed at kids, Classics from the Comics should've been stocked in the same section as 2000AD, the Marvel/DC Collectors Editions ...

It is in my nearest big WHSmith.