Tom Fraser speaks to Publisher Tony Foster about the new ComicScene Magazine and why it has come to kickstarter. Support the kickstarter here
What happened to ComicScene Magazine?
ComicScene Sales for two issues went down to about 500 copies each in newsagents when Covid hit and when high streets re-opened. The foot fall disappeared. Coupled with that a deal with US Comic Shops falling through due to the pandemic the magazine ‘merged’ with Shift. On kickstarter you have a little more control of costs, even if you might not sell as many copies to casual comic fans. You don’t lose 55% of cover price or have to print far more copies than you will sell just to see them junked by WHSmith, unless you pay again to get them returned to you. Everything can go back into the magazine if people pledge direct.
You are bringing the magazine back?
ComicScene Yes but with a difference. We’ve launched on kickstarter, which we didn’t do last time. The content will be more diverse. Creators choosing their favourite comics. Comic Events, shops and groups. Comics from around the world. Indie comics. Columnists. Reviews, which we didn’t have last time, covering UK, US, World, Manga, YGNs and comics that challenge you as a reader. I don’t think we will be in comic shops or newsagents unless there is a demand through the kickstarter to support that, but you never know. Still one week of the kickstarter to go! I aim to make it 100% the definitive magazine about comics.
Why change the format?
ComicScene I think if you look at magazines like the Megazine it covers 2000AD and retro comics now so we’d probably cover the same things. Shift has features, although it hasn’t been published for a while. Comics Unlimited, Sequential and Tripwire all have a U.K./US/retro vibe to them. I wanted to still keep what we did well but mix it up, covering more about how creators work, all aspects of the industry, the eclectic nature of comics like Manga and break down a few barriers so readers and people in the industry can understand something new to them.
What else will the magazine feature?
ComicScene Articles as before but the theme is a review of 2023, a preview of 2024 and the 200 most influential figures, publishers and groups in comics. We aim to produce three books a year. So November is our ‘Yearbook’, the March issue will be our comic con season book with your 100 best comics of the year and the July issue will cover more diverse voices leading up to Comic Art Festival, Short Box Fair and Thought Bubble.
You have also introduced a Comic Industry Directory?
ComicScene It’s aimed at the comic fan and the comic industry. We’ve introduced a Comic Industry Directory in each issue so creators can include details of how to contact them and they can share a piece of news each issue. You just have to support the magazine for the listing, which will be on the website too (see here ). It’s a little bit ‘pay to play’ but we do a bit of work behind the scenes sharing it with library and school networks so there is some value. You can ensure the magazine covers what you are doing in a small way and if it puts you on our radar there may be a feature along the road. We’ve also committed to paying creators £200 a page in the magazine for some new comic strips, so its creators helping creators in a pro active way. The magazine will be out in November to allow for the creators to produce the new strip.
Any word on what strips will feature?
ComicScene The kickstarter rewards are extra pages and for every £300 extra we raise we add a page. I have an idea of one character I really want but it is early days. We may be able to announce who that is before the end of the kickstarter. I think that comic will be huge and will appeal to comic fans from the UK and internationally.
You produced some titles during Covid – the History of Comics and Atomic. What will happen to them?
ComicScene The History of Comics sold pretty well but Brexit and postage costs cost us a big headache, particularly during Phase 3. A lot of our readers are from overseas. We may schedule in in one book for 2025, which will cover the 1930’s/40’s, that hopefully will be lighter in weight and get easily through customs for an affordable cost. It will cover the creation of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman plus some UK comics that are still around today.
Atomic was an interesting experiment. It came out of our proposed Saturday Comics Project which was shelved due to increasing costs of paper. It failed on kickstarter but that was an experiment to see if I could make an anthology comic work without additional extras. It appears you can’t, but we came close. We did a second crowdfunder and got it out there which was great. But we are likely to use the ComicScene brand to launch a Summer Special and Annual in 2025. I hope they will include short stories of well know indie comic characters, like our 2021 annual. That featured Alex Automatic, Captain Cosmic, Geek Girl, Mandy the Monster Hunter, Dick Turpin, Project Hoax, Harker, Mahoneys, NPC Tea, Moon, Captain Wonder, Neo-lithic, Deja Who, Whakoman, Shaman Kane, Western Noir and Hobbies by Rachael Smith. I’d have them all back in a second and some new stuff since 2021. Some of those stories also appeared in the Brawler Special we got on newsstands with Time Bomb Comics. A few people have done anthologies and annuals but I think our 2021 Annual (and our 2019 annual) is up there with the best of them. I hope to recreate that success on a more regular footing.
Oddly enough Time Bomb used the title ‘Quantum’ for their newsstand title, which was our Sci Fi Saturday Comic. I’m not sure if Steve at Time Bomb knew that but I assume the cheque is in the post ha ha!
You are also embracing digital comics?
ComicScene We are using the memory space on the ComicScene website to store comics for download. We currently have 100 titles on CS+, with space for about 900 comics in total, and you can subscribe as part of the kickstarter. It gives creators an opportunity to get their work out there alongside other creators. It’s an annual fee, so a bit like a streaming service rather than buying individual issues. Creators get a share of the subscription and an additional fee if they put new titles up there and share. So again creators helping creators. For readers you get to read something you may have missed or a comic you may never have considered reading. It’s eclectic and I want comics in there of all styles and from all countries. You can also read all the ComicScene publications in there, including the annuals and History of Comics. You can subscribe to that via this newsletter. The content in the Substack newsletter we produce is now free and will appear here first and then on the website. Your subscription pays for access to CS+ each year, unless you get it as part of the kickstarter package.
Tell us about your recent exhibition and comic con?
ComicScene We ran an exhibition of art and original script of the Kirknewton Story at Howden Park Centre in Livingston. It was funded by Heritage Lottery. You can get the comic as part of the kickstarter. We ran some comic workshops around the project and also exhibited over 70 indie comics produced in the last year and was able to host a free Comic Con for everyone, including exhibitors. It wasn’t huge attendance to the Con but I think everyone was happy and something to build on, including hosting the ComicScene Awards. Unfortunately this amazing art centre is facing closure due to local authority cuts so we can’t plan around that, So the ComicScene Awards will probably be announced in issue 2 of the new magazine.
It seems to be a roller coaster ride?
ComicScene We had our ups and downs like everyone. I’m trying not to lose money and put together a magazine about comics when I have the security to do it. I help creators as best as I can and try and make a difference with the limited skills and time I have. You can run stories online via social media but they disappear quicker than fish and chip paper. A magazine has some life to it. Some people are exceptionally kind and I store that in my head and think I’m going to offer something to you when I can. Or if I have ignored someone because life gets in the way but they’ve taken the time to get in contact I will note that too for the future.
ComicScene seems to be back in business?
ComicScene We never really went away but despite Covid, cost of living crisis and the uncertainty for self publishing people seem to like the core magazine and its time to expand our coverage for current and future readers. I hope we can maintain a certain quality and be a good read at the same time. So three ComicScene Magazines, two comics and the History of Comics feels about right and perhaps one original graphic novel down the line would be great. We value everyones support. It’s a brand new start.
Pledge at the kickstarter here
ComicScene magazine 
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