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2000 AD => News => Topic started by: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 01:19:48 PM

Title: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 01:19:48 PM
Exciting times!  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-oxfordshire-45645553?__twitter_impression=true). So if Look-In is included in that bundle,  does this mean The Trigan Empire too...?

Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:29:54 PM
So Rebellion basically owns every British comic character you've ever heard of, except Dan Dare, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace?

(to the general public, that is - people here will know an awful lot more comic characters).
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 01:34:02 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 01:19:48 PM
Exciting times!  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-oxfordshire-45645553?__twitter_impression=true). So if Look-In is included in that bundle,  does this mean The Trigan Empire too...?

Being thick there - Trigan Empire was of course Look And Learn,  not Look-In. Bah.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:35:20 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:29:54 PM
So Rebellion basically owns every British comic character you've ever heard of, except Dan Dare, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace?

(to the general public, that is - people here will know an awful lot more comic characters).

Funny how similar all those names are: Dan, Dan and Dennis.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Trout on 28 September, 2018, 01:42:10 PM
This is indeed exciting! Congratulations!

I'm fascinated by this and would love to know what's in the deal. Does anyone know of a list anywhere?
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: matty_ae on 28 September, 2018, 02:17:10 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:29:54 PM
So Rebellion basically owns every British comic character you've ever heard of, except Dan Dare, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace?

(to the general public, that is - people here will know an awful lot more comic characters).

Rebellion still don't unfortunately own anything originated in the 1982 Eagle. So they also don't own *Tower King, Thunderbolt and Smokey, *Doomlord, SGT Streetwise, *Joe Soap, Computer Warrior or *13th Floor.

Asterisk = bit of a gem in my opinion
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Pyroxian on 28 September, 2018, 02:18:27 PM
They own 13th floor as it originated in Scream
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: PIKLZ on 28 September, 2018, 02:24:03 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 01:19:48 PM
Exciting times!  (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-oxfordshire-45645553?__twitter_impression=true). So if Look-In is included in that bundle,  does this mean The Trigan Empire too...?

Yes, Rebellion now own The Trigan Empire
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Bolt-01 on 28 September, 2018, 02:28:29 PM
PIKLZ? New droid?
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: broodblik on 28 September, 2018, 03:04:33 PM
The Trigan Empire really looks interesting. Hopefully one day they can own Doomlord (to get a proper reprint)
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: PIKLZ on 28 September, 2018, 03:10:31 PM
Quote from: Bolt-01 on 28 September, 2018, 02:28:29 PM
PIKLZ? New droid?


I've been around for a few years, have been quiet though
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: James Stacey on 28 September, 2018, 03:25:40 PM
Quote from: PIKLZ on 28 September, 2018, 02:24:03 PM
Yes, Rebellion now own The Trigan Empire
This has to be the big takeaway from this news. Absolutely immense. It's only been available in mahoosively expensive collections or random stories in a couple of collections, for decades. Please make this a priority for release.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: TordelBack on 28 September, 2018, 03:37:40 PM
Seconded. I have wanted an affordable, complete, run of Trigan Empire since I was about 8.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Pyroxian on 28 September, 2018, 03:38:02 PM
Quote from: James Stacey on 28 September, 2018, 03:25:40 PM
Quote from: PIKLZ on 28 September, 2018, 02:24:03 PM
Yes, Rebellion now own The Trigan Empire
This has to be the big takeaway from this news. Absolutely immense. It's only been available in mahoosively expensive collections or random stories in a couple of collections, for decades. Please make this a priority for release.

Preferably in nice big A3 hardbacks :)
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: The Monarch on 28 September, 2018, 04:23:37 PM
does that mean rebellion own Archie the android again....oh and grimley fiendish and pretty much all the "albion" characters
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Frank on 28 September, 2018, 06:32:41 PM

Disappointed the deal seems only for Time UK's comic archive, and so Tharg won't now be treating us to Case Files style reprints of Loaded and Woman's Own. Turns out Michael Carroll's hilarious and erudite survey of the longest running UK comic titles (https://michaelowencarroll.wordpress.com/2018/05/09/the-british-comics-top-11-longevity-chart/) was also a sales prospectus:

4. Comic Cuts
– Publisher: Amalgamated Press
– 3006 issues
– [Ctrl-C]: 17 May 1890
– [Ctrl-X]: 12 Sep 1953

One of the world's most famous vintage comics, and occasionally cited as the first "proper" comic, which it wasn't (and sorry, American readers, but The Yellow Kid wasn't the first comic either), Comic Cuts is the oldest title on this list, predating the test-run of Illustrated Chips by two months. It was originally a compilation of humorous cartoons culled from US publications — hence the title — but soon began printing original material. It's quite likely that this publication is the source of the word "comic" when we use it in relation to books of what Scott McCloud termed "Sequential Art."


The convoluted story (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI_Media#History) of the spending jag that saw IPC/Time gobble up every part of the UK comic industry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AP,_Fleetway_and_IPC_Comics_publications) that wasn't safely hidden away in Dundee is reminiscent of Tharg's ongoing Borg-like assimilation of an entire medium.

Here's hoping Tharg doesn't follow IPC CEO Cecil Harmsworth King down the path of plotting a military coup (https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/19/obituaries/cecil-king-86-dies-in-dublin-a-british-newspaper-leader.html) to seize Parliament and install the Queen's cousin* as his puppet prime minister. How has Pat Mills not written about this guy?


* Speaking of incestuous relations, Harmsworth's mother was the sister of the Nazi-loving Daily Mail proprietors, Viscounts Alfred and Harold Rothermere, who also owned IPC. Despite being employed by his uncles, Harmsworth King - like absolutely every child of millionaires, ever - believed his ascent to the top of UK publishing was due to his 'good judgement, wide knowledge, and great foresight', rather than his shrewd choice of which fanny spat him out into the world and then Oxbridge. UK publishing - and UK media as a whole - is basically one of those wee villages in Fife that has one Spar shop and every face you see is adorned with exactly the same nose.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Jim_Campbell on 28 September, 2018, 06:56:44 PM
Quote from: PIKLZ on 28 September, 2018, 03:10:31 PM

I've been around for a few years, have been quiet though

'E was pinin' for the fjords...
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: IndigoPrime on 28 September, 2018, 07:00:35 PM
Quote from: Frank on 28 September, 2018, 06:32:41 PMTharg's ongoing Borg-like assimilation of an entire medium.
I think it's fantastic. I recall how wary people were when Rebellion bought 2000 AD. Some readers thought they'd milk the comic for gaming IP and kill it. Now, we see the Kingsleys as the custodians of British comics history that would almost certainly otherwise just wither and die completely. Clearly, there's a business opportunity here – you don't just do this for love; but, hell, there's a lot of love going into this too.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: John Pannozzi on 28 September, 2018, 08:03:25 PM
More info. (https://downthetubes.net/?p=101020)

Interesting note:

QuoteDo Rebellion now own TV Comic, Countdown and TV Action?

No. Polystyle, who published those comics, was absorbed by London and North Surrey Newspapers, which was absorbed by the Mirror Group.

All the original strips published in those titles, including "Countdown" drawn by John M. Burns, are owned by the Mirror Group (although the artwork resided in the Express newspapers archives in 2008, but its whereabouts is now a mystery).

QuoteSimilarly, City Editions, who owned TV21 and Lady Penelope, was absorbed by Express Newspapers, although TV21's ownership may be a bit muddled as it was absorbed into Valiant.

By my research, the Mirror Group and Express Newspapers are now owned by Reach plc.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Colin YNWA on 28 September, 2018, 09:29:36 PM
Well what a mixed day for news.

What I'm particularly happy about with this news is it suggests that Rebellion has done okay with the Treasury stuff as they still have an appetite to buy more.

Wonder how the copyright sits with the TV stuff in Look-in? Would love to see the Arthur Ranson Dangermouse stuff.

Now got off ya butts and buy Doomlord of DDC already!
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Frank on 28 September, 2018, 09:34:04 PM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 28 September, 2018, 08:03:25 PM
More info. (https://downthetubes.net/?p=101020)

An old friend (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYxAiK6VnXw) offers a more comprehensive list than the excellent John Freeman has yet compiled (see attached)


Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 10:58:13 PM
Quote from: Frank on 28 September, 2018, 06:32:41 PMTurns out Michael Carroll's hilarious and erudite survey of the longest running UK comic titles (https://michaelowencarroll.wordpress.com/2018/05/09/the-british-comics-top-11-longevity-chart/) was also a sales prospectus:

How have I not seen that blog before?

QuoteHere's hoping Tharg doesn't follow IPC CEO Cecil Harmsworth King down the path of plotting a military coup (https://www.nytimes.com/1987/04/19/obituaries/cecil-king-86-dies-in-dublin-a-british-newspaper-leader.html) to seize Parliament and install the Queen's cousin* as his puppet prime minister. How has Pat Mills not written about this guy?

I for one welcome our horse-riding, armour-wearing, lance-holding overlords.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: John Pannozzi on 29 September, 2018, 01:51:07 AM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:29:54 PM
So Rebellion basically owns every British comic character you've ever heard of, except Dan Dare, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace?

(to the general public, that is - people here will know an awful lot more comic characters).

Well, they don't own Tank Girl either.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: broodblik on 29 September, 2018, 04:47:22 AM
More detailed article: https://downthetubes.net/?p=101020 (https://downthetubes.net/?p=101020)
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: IndigoPrime on 29 September, 2018, 10:05:44 AM
Interesting in the reports to see Titan were after the comics. I'm glad to see Rebellion won out. They seem to have a better handle on this kind of thing.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: broodblik on 29 September, 2018, 11:21:11 AM
I find it very strange when IP get bought and they do nothing with the titles. Rebellion does a great job with their acquisitions not like The Dan Dare Corporation which effectively killed all their IP.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: IndigoPrime on 29 September, 2018, 11:29:41 AM
DDC have historically been a bit weird. I remember years back asking for reprint permission for a magazine article about their old comics. I got a very stern legal warning in response. That basically killed it. They seemingly learned a bit later on, and at that point provided said permissions, but by that point the momentum had passed. (A pity – I'd still love to get a Computer Warrior feature into the press, but there you go.)
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: broodblik on 29 September, 2018, 11:47:23 AM
I would like a proper and complete reprint of Doomlord
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Colin YNWA on 29 September, 2018, 12:10:21 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 29 September, 2018, 11:47:23 AM
I would like a proper and complete reprint of Doomlord

I would absolutely love this. The one book we have from Hibernia is SO good.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Splank! on 29 September, 2018, 04:59:18 PM
So much great material from the Odhams comics.  Perhaps a companion volume to the Ken Reid Faceache book with some of Leo Baxendale's work from Wham! and Smash!   And I recognise there is little hope of this, but it would be nice to see a reprint of the totally bonkers Brian's Brain strip from Smash!
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: Robo-K33F on 29 September, 2018, 05:14:13 PM
Quote from: Splank! on 29 September, 2018, 04:59:18 PM
So much great material from the Odhams comics.  Perhaps a companion volume to the Ken Reid Faceache book with some of Leo Baxendale's work from Wham! and Smash!   And I recognise there is little hope of this, but it would be nice to see a reprint of the totally bonkers Brian's Brain strip from Smash!

I'm eager to read Brian's Brain.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: seanharry on 30 September, 2018, 03:57:20 PM
Strips that I would love to see collected, and am curious if they are included:-

The Steel Claw
Jungle Robot / Robot Archie
Cursitor Doom
Janus Stark
Kelly's Eye
Mytek the Mighty
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: O Lucky Stevie! on 05 October, 2018, 09:25:29 AM
Would this mean that Spellbinder may finally return to print? Huzzah!

Brilliant comic, that Lion
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: sheridan on 05 October, 2018, 12:41:53 PM
Quote from: broodblik on 29 September, 2018, 11:21:11 AM
I find it very strange when IP get bought and they do nothing with the titles. Rebellion does a great job with their acquisitions not like The Dan Dare Corporation which effectively killed all their IP.


I never understand that either - I know Egmont bought IPC so they'd have access to the Disney licence across Europe (something like that, anyway) so they ruthlessly exploited the licenced IP but ignored everything else.  Sure I read somewhere that the Dan Dare Corporation think their IP is worth more than it is, but you'd think they'd have managed their expectations by now.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: CalHab on 05 October, 2018, 01:09:05 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 05 October, 2018, 12:41:53 PM
Sure I read somewhere that the Dan Dare Corporation think their IP is worth more than it is, but you'd think they'd have managed their expectations by now.

Exactly. Ask a 9 year old if they know who Dan Dare is.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: IndigoPrime on 05 October, 2018, 01:15:50 PM
What gets me about Dare is the manner in which it was released. Those high-price low-page-count volumes, where reprinting was never a thing. So once the first few went out of print, who's going to start collecting? (Contrast with the Dredd Case Files, Hellboy, or pretty much anything by Marvel.)
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: broodblik on 05 October, 2018, 05:12:58 PM
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 05 October, 2018, 01:15:50 PM
What gets me about Dare is the manner in which it was released. Those high-price low-page-count volumes, where reprinting was never a thing. So once the first few went out of print, who's going to start collecting? (Contrast with the Dredd Case Files, Hellboy, or pretty much anything by Marvel.)

I am one of those guys who really like Dan Dare. My first experience with British comics was Dan Dare from the New Eagle. I always wished to get the complete Dan Dare from the new Eagle but know it will never happen. The Titan reprints are over-expensive and as you said low page-count.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: sheridan on 06 October, 2018, 11:11:01 PM
Quote from: John Pannozzi on 29 September, 2018, 01:51:07 AM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 September, 2018, 01:29:54 PM
So Rebellion basically owns every British comic character you've ever heard of, except Dan Dare, Desperate Dan and Dennis the Menace?

(to the general public, that is - people here will know an awful lot more comic characters).

Well, they don't own Tank Girl either.


I didn't say they did - I said every comic character the general public would know.  I doubt many people outside comics remember the Lori Petty film, and the ones who do might not be aware she was a comic character first.
Title: Re: Rebellion buys TI Media archive
Post by: IAMTHESYSTEM on 09 October, 2018, 09:35:32 PM
They should hire Robot Archie out for his RPG Puzzle Games or even Multiplayer battlers like Fortnite. He'd be great for younger game obsessed sprogs.