Inside, there's a readers letters page for you to send in your suggestions, a contents listing sensibly cut back to just one page (so the comic now has the opening impact of a two-tone strip on page 2) and Ron Smith's 1976 series The Space Kids begins.
I think that's a big improvement. Not Ken Harrison's fault as I'm sure he was given a very strict brief but the covers had been too same-y for too long and were never very eye catching - just a slight variation on the same limited theme each month. I'd sometimes wonder why Classics didn't go with the kind of covers The Best of Topper used to have - each one a very different striking, bold, amusing, and lively image.
This new cover really stands out, though - clearly signalling 'vintage content' in an appealing and distinctive way.
Clever. The old logo was based on the Dandy's first logo (1937-1960) with the text colour reversed. This time it seems to be inspired by the 1948-50 Beano one. The position of the price reminds me of 1974-1988 Beano.
But it's not out on Thursday, despite usually being out on the last Thursday of the month. Last issue said "No 170 - On Sale 26th May" - that's tomorrow, Wednesday.
169's PC McGraw strip has at the top of the pages "This unlikely policeman from Cracker was drawn by Ken Harrison. Ken is the artist behind the recent 'Classics' covers". I thought nothing of it at the time, but now realise they were hinting "but not any more" - otherwise, they didn't need to say "recent".
While they're at it could they give thier distributors a boot up the you-know-where, in some places (such as Lincoln... well last time i was there) it might as well not exist! Luckily Cambridge Smith's has it.
PaulTwist wrote:Hmm, not sure about the new look. I miss the Ken H covers, and it's a bit "busy". Will probably grow on me...
I like it because it looks more like an old comic now. I know what you mean about the busy layout but at least it's tidier than the "make it look like an untidy spillage of images and fonts" design of the Nineties & Noughties that most kids mags still use even in 2010.
I feel the Korky cover works because it was a large panel anyway. I'm hoping future issues won't blow up a Biffo or Desperate Dan panel to fit the space. Enlarged artwork never looks right IMHO.
I suspect the changes are budget-driven initially, but they've made a great job of it. You'll note that not only has the originated cover art gone but the expense of re-colouring the back cover strip has been replaced by scanning the original comic colours. Personally I think it looks better this way now.
That back cover change is something I've always wanted, ever since they started using Korky and Biffo there. Some of the strips just didn't look right recoloured. Especially if Biffo got a white face instead of skintone, which happened sometimes, including last month.
I've got last Months Classics at last thanks to Paul Twist...
great it has Jimmy's Magic patch by Paddy B..
so glad I didn't miss it..
Also good news the new Classics was in Guildford..the title panel of Classics really stood out on the stack...also a nice classic Biffo on the back in the right colours..
Do you think Lew we should email Classics with our blogs or are we too old...
Classics we need the Beezer's Jellymen!!
I did like Spacekids.loved the fire alarm..helterskelter style..
