Comics International - whats happening?

[McScotty]

Does anyone have any information on what's happening with Comics International (CI) at all? - their website is less than helpful and no information at all on any fansites that I can see - Would be a real shame if the UKs only real fanzine (that covers UK comics as well as US) has gone to the wall - thanks for any help in this.

[John Freeman]

Mike Conroy hasn't said much in public but I do know he's been ill for a while -- but now appears to be on the mend. Just had an email from him about a spin off Comics International project. I don't know when the next CI is going to come out though.

I've discussed the CI web site with Mike several times now, suggesting it could be better utilised.

[McScotty]

John, thank you for this information. I wasn't aware Mike was ill I hope he's better soon and CI is back in the shops . The CI Site is very much in need of an upgrade - Thansk again most helpful.

[Thomas Cochrane]

The lack of CI has been a disappointment (and growing frustration) to many people.
When I have enquired about it in my local comic shops I have been told repeatedly that it is kaput, deceased, no more (insert parrot sketch here).

I have had some contact with Mike Conroy and am very saddened to hear of his health problems.
He has been very supportive and extremely helpful to 'The Fat Man' project.
(He had no reason to be apart from him being a kind thoughtful guy.)

I wish him a full and speedy recovery.

[John Freeman]

When I last spoke to Mike he was much better, but still no sign of Comics International. To be honest, I think it's going to be hard to 'revive' the title after such a long hiatus, although I hope not. There are so many online alternatives to the title now. I know, web is not the same as print, but I think you'd have to seriously re-think the content of a comics magazine, perhaps more along the lines of what Joel Meadows has done with Tripwire?

[McScotty]

Sadly, I tend to agree with you on that one Jonh- probably very unlikely that CI, as we knew it at any rate will be back on sale. Very sad considering how reliable it was year in and year out under Dez Skinn (nothing against Mike he can't help being ill ). Seems to be a regular occurance with fanzines when they change management, I seem to remember (in the dim distant past) BEM and a few other having the same problem. Long gone are the days of Fantasy Advertiser, Comics Unlimited, Arkensword, BEM, Comic Media News, Battlefield and even Thing lol - great days. Altough Tripewire and Comics Journal are still on sale although really costly (and Wizard of course which isn't to my tastes). Of course mags like Deathray (think that's its name -had a fly peek in WH Smiths) have comic articles (many on UK comics) including a good review of Thomas' Fatman (looked very good) - Best wishes again to Mike good to hear you're getting better.

[John Freeman]

I think Mike had the right idea to make Comics International more "Sunday newspapers" than the news magazine it was given its monthly frequency and increasing competition from the net. Sadly, it seems a slew of behind the scenes problems have conspired against the team, despite the best efforts of Mike, Baz Renshaw and others.

The other alternative would, have course, have been to go the other route and maintain CI's "Dez" look but increase the frequency, but that would have been horrendously expensive and very dependent on an increase in sales in the US. Personally, while I'm a big supporter of net delivered news there's still the tangibility of paper that never goes away and a magazine seem to me to be a better and easier way of digesting huge amounts of info. You can only stare at a computer screen for so long!

I know several publishers looked at buying CI when Dez put it up for sale, including Titan and Pete Nash (the creator of Striker). But none of them could make the numbers work in their favour in terms of making it a profitable concern. With the near-death of classified advertising in the US, CI's bread and butter revenue stream must surely also be affected just as much as the demise has affected US newspapers.

[McScotty]

I read on the "Comics UK" Forum page that a new issue of CI is now out - has anyone here heard anything about this? - information on the site was scarce (ie "its out now") - There's no news on the "Comics International" site, although without trying to sound to "bitchy" that doesn't mean much.

[Steve Causer]

We have just has the latest delivered to the shop..

[John Freeman]

Yep, the new issue is out - an amalgam of material put together over several months by the looks of it although the news section seems pretty much up to date. downthetubes news story here: http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2009/02/comics-international...

I hope the piece the news story doesn't come across as to harsh but you can't ignore the fact that some of the articles are a bit dated. The piece on the Sex Pistols bio for example -- it's an interesting read but the book came out last June...

[McScotty]

John, Steve - thank you both for taking the time to get back to me and in confirming this - I'll give CI one last chance, hopefully it will get back on some sort of schedule .

[John Freeman]

Reaction so far has been mixed but people know Mike Conroy is one of the good guys side swiped by a lot of difficult circumstances. The news section is good, the features a bit of a mixed bag IMHO. Glad it's out, though.