No.5?

[SID]

It seems like an eternity since the last issue of Strip Magazine came through my door. Nor does it appear that anyone really knows what is happening with the print version of No.5.

Does anyone have a clue?

[booksandcomics]

Unfortunately I need to confess ignorance here, what's Strip Magazine?

[felneymike]

A theoretically monthly adventure comic for "all ages" (though I'd say it's for about 12 and up) with several serial strips, complete stories running as part of a competition, interviews and articles about comics of the past. It was started by a Bosnian who was shocked to find out that all his childhood heroes like Adam Eterno had ceased to exist in Britain. It's also printed in Bosnia to make it cheaper, but that's led to 'one or two' problems getting it into the country.
I have no idea if that's the case with issue 5, or if it's not even been printed yet. Thier facebook simply said "We'll tell you the release date when we have one" weeks and weeks ago. I hope it isn't going to quietly vanish like Poot mk2 did.

[starscape]

A theoretically monthly adventure comic for "all ages" (though I'd say it's for about 12 and up)

That was my biggest disappointment really. I didn't see the stories as being particularly 'boys adventure'. God's dog and attractive women spies aren't what would have got me going as a boy. Also not sure monthly serials in the way they are written would have appealed either. Even though weeklies had serials, more often than not, an adventure finished each week with some subtext to carry on. For example, Dredd went to be sheriff of Luna-1. That may have been ongoing but he defeated a criminal each week. Rarely did that plot go beyond 5 pages. If someone picks up Strip #4, they will struggle to understand most of the stories without the previous issues.

The stories could have been more targeted at boys, as, I was led to understand, that was the market. Strip is fine but rather than between the Beano and 2000AD, it seems to really be just an alternative to 2000AD for the same level of reader.

[-MikeD-]

If someone picks up Strip #4, they will struggle to understand most of the stories without the previous issues.

This is always going to be problem when the publisher has sales of the collected volume figured into his business plan. You're right - stories should (mostly) be complete each week and feature an arc - Halo Jones was a textbook example.

[SID]

I am not sure that I would agree. Nor do I think it's a bad thing if Strip Magazine is aimed at the same audience as 2000AD. It's not as there is a lot of competition - apart from CLiNT.

I only wished I could get the comic on a regular basis.

[felneymike]

Well, I didn't say it was a "boys' adventure" comic XD, and I'd be more comfortable about giving it to a child than I would 2000AD. Not too fussed about serial stories either, though they are of course better in weeklies (like The Phoenix). Spaceship Away is seasonal, but has long "story so far" sections to remind you what was going on.

[big bad bri]

i only have the 1st 2 issues but did look through iss 4 in forbidden planet the other day as i was gonna buy 3 & 4 & it said iss 5 was due 29th mar 5 months ago,i fear this mag has gone or is going the way of comics international & i wanted to read hookjaw as i missed it as a kid & there is a million other comics i want to try & purchase b4 action.

[starscape]

I am not sure that I would agree. Nor do I think it's a bad thing if Strip Magazine is aimed at the same audience as 2000AD. It's not as there is a lot of competition - apart from CLiNT.

It's not a bad thing but it's not how it was billed. It was highlighted as being the modern boys adventure comic as these are the people who seem to have been largely forgotten. The whole raison d'etre was that there was nothing in between the Beano and 2000AD. Plenty juvenile comics, plenty 'mature' comics. Little of the Victor/Valiant etc in between.

And I don't mean felneymike saying it. This was the discussion before there was even a comic or a publisher. I thought the comic was fine for me. But I just don't see it enough in it for boys between 9-14 - it's original target market. And that's also the problem with serials where nothing much happens until you've read five instalments. Fine for me. Not so good for a 10 year old.

[-MikeD-]

i only have the 1st 2 issues but did look through iss 4 in forbidden planet the other day as i was gonna buy 3 & 4 & it said iss 5 was due 29th mar 5 months ago,i fear this mag has gone or is going the way of comics international & i wanted to read hookjaw as i missed it as a kid & there is a million other comics i want to try &j purchase b4 action.

Funnily enough, I read that Mike Conroy was advising them on 'administration matters'...

http://stripcomicmagazineuk.blogspot.co ... ch-in.html

[SID]

Looking at Facebook last night, it looks like Number Five is on its way.

[nottinghamian]

I'll believe it when I have it in my sweaty hands.

[SID]

Agreed.

[Terry]

Finally

From Strip Magazine's Facebook page:

AFTER innumerable delays STRIP #5/6 is finally on its way to the shops and to subscribers.

“It’s a case of if anything could go wrong, it did,” explained Mike Conroy, head of Print Media Productions UK operation. “I’m not going to attempt
to justify the title’s lengthy absence but I would like to apologise to readers – especially to subscribers – for the inexcusable delays, which they have accepted with great equanimity.”

As for the future, STRIP #7 is going to be an 84-page issue carrying a £4.99 cover price. The Christmas special [see cover, left] is to feature Citadel, a never-before-printed-in-English story by the late, great French comics master, Moebius. A six-pager it will sit alongside a variety of other standalone stories, among them a classic Hook Jaw episode from the controversial 1970s British comic, Action.

PMP is then putting STRIP on deliberate hiatus but only until February, when the comics anthology is to be relaunched as a newsstand title.

“We will be using this time to continue to resolve many of the problems we have encountered. One of our top priorities will be secure a UK shipping company which will be able to deliver STRIP efficiently and on time,” stated STRIP publisher Ivo Milicevic. “You wouldn’t believe what sort of problems we have had with carriers… one entire print run is still wandering somewhere in Italy while our latest shipment only got through on the second attempt… no one knows where or how the original vanished!

“I am amazed and grateful just how supportive our audience has been. I can promise that the relaunched STRIP – The Comic Magazine will bring more really great art and stories to he newsstands. It will be worth to wait,” he proclaimed.

STRIP #7 is currently in production and set to hit shops in the first week of December,

[felneymike]

Well, at least the Italians have plenty of pictures of sharks eating people to mull over!