2000AD Prog 1900

Discuss or comment on Britain's sole surviving boy's comic from the 1970's. The home of Judge Dredd, Slaine, Nikolai Dante, ABC Warriors and Sinister Dexter. Has been running since 1977.

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geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

don't know whether 2000 ad is outselling Beano, Lew, as we all know that circulation figures aren't officially available for 2000 ad. I do know that Beano's circulation figures are in decline... alarmingly so from only a short few years ago as well. My money is still on 2000 ad though even though I'm playing my cards blind... call it intuition.

geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

In addition, 2000 as has a solid foundation from older readers that will see it through, like myself, whereas the Beano relies heavily upon kids whose attention span is somewhat unstable and who will grow out of the Beano. Like I said in a previous post, the Beano can't grow up. It's restrained... and the sale figures are demonstrating an unhealthy interest... sadly.

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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by Lew Stringer »

geoff42 wrote:In addition, 2000 as has a solid foundation from older readers that will see it through, like myself, whereas the Beano relies heavily upon kids whose attention span is somewhat unstable and who will grow out of the Beano. Like I said in a previous post, the Beano can't grow up. It's restrained... and the sale figures are demonstrating an unhealthy interest... sadly.
Your supposition seems to assume that readers of 2000AD never leave the comic because it's grown with it's audience. Most of the 30 somethings reading it now are just as likely to grow out of it as most of the 10 year olds reading The Beano.

Anyway, why create a 'I bet 2000AD beats The Beano' scenario when you admit you don't know the sales figures of either comic? Be happy that both comics are enduring.
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SID
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by SID »

geoff42 wrote:sad to hear about your parent's passing, sid. I still have parents alive and dread the moment when the Grim Reaper comes a calling. Being the sole benefactor, I stand for a good deal of money but, I would rather carry on working for it and enjoy their company as long as I can... damn it, I',m starting to get tears now when I think about the inevitable.
Thanks, Geoff. Fingers crossed that you will have your parents for a long time yet.

On a more cheerful note, fingers crossed that we have both 2000AD and The Beano for a long time.
Reading comics since 1970. My Current Regulars are: 2000 AD (1977-), Judge Dredd Megazine (1990-), Spaceship Away (2003-), Commando (2013-), Monster Fun (2022-), Deadpool and Wolverine (2023-), Quantum (2023-).

geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

Hi, Lew, as regards Beano versus 2000 ad, I'm sorry if I implied it to be a battle. But, most pertinently, do you feel that both publications are being upheld, in the main, by the older generation. As an artist who is still involved in the hub of UK comics, can you see a new publication (all comic strip) bristling in the coat tails of our two aforementioned stalwarts? If not, then are we relying on the greying, balding members of society in order to maintain a weekly mainstream comic with original stories? If so, once we have gone, then where lies the hope? Dr Who Magazine is still doing the rounds but the comic strip content is minimal compared to the amount on its inception. Is that the way forward? Don't forget Judge Dredd Megazine - still going, but its feature contents almost equal the comic strip count... don't include the so-called free graphic novels - they ain't original and, I feel, a gimmick to enhance the price.

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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by Lew Stringer »

geoff42 wrote:Hi, Lew, as regards Beano versus 2000 ad, I'm sorry if I implied it to be a battle. But, most pertinently, do you feel that both publications are being upheld, in the main, by the older generation.
2000AD is, yes, because it's aimed at adults now. I should think The Beano's readership still consists mainly of children though. What makes you think it'd be mainly adults?
geoff42 wrote: As an artist who is still involved in the hub of UK comics, can you see a new publication (all comic strip) bristling in the coat tails of our two aforementioned stalwarts?
There's The Phoenix of course, with limited distribution, but as has been mentioned on this forum before it's harder to get a non-licensed comic on the shelves these days. Retailers charge a lot just to display publications every issue, and they need an incentive to stock them, which is why nearly everything is based on a licensed product and is bagged with toys. So no, I can't see that changing anytime soon unfortunately.
geoff42 wrote: If not, then are we relying on the greying, balding members of society in order to maintain a weekly mainstream comic with original stories? If so, once we have gone, then where lies the hope?
I think people need to look beyond the shelves of newsagents. For a while now there have been an increasing number of originated graphic novels / albums for all ages available in bookshops. That, and digital comics, may be the future, not weekly/ monthly periodicals.
geoff42 wrote:Dr Who Magazine is still doing the rounds but the comic strip content is minimal compared to the amount on its inception.
DWM naturally evolved from a comic into a feature magazine decades ago. It still carries a 12 page comic strip and a mini-strip every issue though.
geoff42 wrote:Dr Who Magazine is still doing the rounds but the comic strip content is minimal compaIs that the way forward? Don't forget Judge Dredd Megazine - still going, but its feature contents almost equal the comic strip count... don't include the so-called free graphic novels - they ain't original and, I feel, a gimmick to enhance the price.
As I said, I think we have to look outside the box as it were. The box in this case being newsagents. There are lots of originated graphic novels around and that seems to be on the increase. The worry for creators is that producing a graphic novel doesn't bring in the regular income of periodicals unless one has a huge hit.

I don't wish to downplay your point though. It is a concern that there is less work around for most freelancers in UK comics and we live in uncertain times. We'd all love to see a return to the days of new weeklies being launched on a regular basis but that's never going to happen so the only way forward are alternative methods (books, digital comics, specialist limited editions etc).
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geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

Thank you for your replies, Lew. I agree with you on almost every point apart from the Beano. I would wager that there is a greater readership (or collectors) that far eclipse ten year olds who buy the Beano. (Of course, there will be a good ratio who will never admit to buying it.) But, being a nuisance, I think in the terms of a potential publisher and say: well, if 2000 ad and Beano can still churn out a weekly product every damn week, why can't we? Of course, our two stalwarts has a history that can't be replicated in these times. Why? Because they have an audience that will cling on to the last panel. I find a pride in that while, at the same time, it's sad. Things will never be the same. But... I still rejoice that the first comic I ever bought (Beano) is on going and my first love (2000 ad) is right there alongside on a weekly basis. Can't beat that.

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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by Lew Stringer »

geoff42 wrote:Thank you for your replies, Lew. I agree with you on almost every point apart from the Beano. I would wager that there is a greater readership (or collectors) that far eclipse ten year olds who buy the Beano. (Of course, there will be a good ratio who will never admit to buying it.) But, being a nuisance, I think in the terms of a potential publisher and say: well, if 2000 ad and Beano can still churn out a weekly product every damn week, why can't we? Of course, our two stalwarts has a history that can't be replicated in these times. Why? Because they have an audience that will cling on to the last panel. I find a pride in that while, at the same time, it's sad. Things will never be the same. But... I still rejoice that the first comic I ever bought (Beano) is on going and my first love (2000 ad) is right there alongside on a weekly basis. Can't beat that.
I see you're sticking to your theory that The Beano is mainly read by adults. I've no idea why you'd think that, but if it was the case, don't you think Thomsons would have turned it into a retro comic or made the content more mature? Don't you think that the people producing the comic, receiving feedback from readers, and meeting readers at events, workshops etc, might know their audience better than you do?

Don't you think publishers would still be launching new weekly comics if it was that easy? I see you've also ignored the reasons why it's not so simple to launch a new weekly comic into newsagents these days, so I won't waste any more time on this or we'll be going around in circles.
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geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

hi, Lew, sorry to go round in circles and waste time - I think I stated in my last post that it's not easy, nigh impossible, to release a new weekly comic to compete with either 2000 ad or Beano due to the "guaranteed" (for now) readership of the aforementioned. I quote: "Of course, our two stalwarts have a history that can't be replicated in these times." I don't think Thomsons could ever make the Beano into an adult comic; that would ruin and surely bury it. Why do newsagents still stock the Beano and 2000 ad? Simple, people still buy them - people from the past in the main. As regards the Beano, I imagine parents will choose the Beano for their kids because they are familiar with it as they read it when they were a child, just as my dad bought me the Beano because he read it as a boy. And, no doubt, they will also read it while it's lying around in the house just like my dad used to. Over a year ago, Strip was newly launched in the newsagents. I saw it alongside 2000 ad - I bought 2000 ad and ignored Strip. Why? I couldn't engage with it; I have history with 2000 ad. 2000 ad is still going, Strip lasted 2 issues. That's the perspective from an older reader. Obviously the newer or younger reader didn't go with Strip either, or there weren't enough to inject further issues. The same with Beano; it has heritage and a long history that will garner interest over a new upstart - why? As I said, history that engages the older generation; mom/dad buys familiar comic for their kids. Of course, young children will independently choose to buy the Beano... but not enough because too many have their heads turned by computers, games and such.

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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by Lew Stringer »

geoff42 wrote:hi, Lew, sorry to go round in circles and waste time - I think I stated in my last post that it's not easy, nigh impossible, to release a new weekly comic to compete with either 2000 ad or Beano due to the "guaranteed" (for now) readership of the aforementioned. I quote: "Of course, our two stalwarts have a history that can't be replicated in these times." I don't think Thomsons could ever make the Beano into an adult comic; that would ruin and surely bury it. Why do newsagents still stock the Beano and 2000 ad? Simple, people still buy them - people from the past in the main. As regards the Beano, I imagine parents will choose the Beano for their kids because they are familiar with it as they read it when they were a child, just as my dad bought me the Beano because he read it as a boy. And, no doubt, they will also read it while it's lying around in the house just like my dad used to. Over a year ago, Strip was newly launched in the newsagents. I saw it alongside 2000 ad - I bought 2000 ad and ignored Strip. Why? I couldn't engage with it; I have history with 2000 ad. 2000 ad is still going, Strip lasted 2 issues. That's the perspective from an older reader. Obviously the newer or younger reader didn't go with Strip either, or there weren't enough to inject further issues. The same with Beano; it has heritage and a long history that will garner interest over a new upstart - why? As I said, history that engages the older generation; mom/dad buys familiar comic for their kids. Of course, young children will independently choose to buy the Beano... but not enough because too many have their heads turned by computers, games and such.
The problems and delays with Strip were not down to sales though Geoff.
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big bad bri
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by big bad bri »

Geoff the same could be said about the Dandy But that is no longer with us & i have a feeling beano or 2000ad could vanish within the next 10 years or go digital only like quite a few magazines now.I hope not though.

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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by SID »

big bad bri wrote:Geoff the same could be said about the Dandy But that is no longer with us & i have a feeling beano or 2000ad could vanish within the next 10 years or go digital only like quite a few magazines now.I hope not though.
I hope not either.

I do dread the day that comics won't exist in print or worse still, not at all.
Reading comics since 1970. My Current Regulars are: 2000 AD (1977-), Judge Dredd Megazine (1990-), Spaceship Away (2003-), Commando (2013-), Monster Fun (2022-), Deadpool and Wolverine (2023-), Quantum (2023-).

geoff42
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Re: 2000AD Prog 1900

Post by geoff42 »

Sadly, I do expect an age where there will be no need for a physically printed comic and both 2000 ad and the Beano will be buried alongside the Dandy. Hopefully, not in my life time - could be touch and go, like. I'd like to think I still have at least another 30 years on this mortal coil. I'm afraid the digital age is upon us and will engulf all printed comics, magazines, books, bibles... you name it. Don't quote me on this, but didn't one of the big encyclopaedias stop producing a printed version and decide to go digital a year or two back? It's far more cheaper to produce material online than physically print them; less manpower, less material, less storage... etc. We are becoming "luddites" by the year. I don't mind being one where a printed comic is concerned, however. But, think about this, at some point children won't even be able to conceive of anything that's physically printed. It's the sign of the times, sadly, for us dinosaurs :( I'm still of an age when I remember watching and waving, sitting outside my parent's house, at a train that was driven by steam. And the local coal miners always waved back, by the way :wink:

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