Phoenix comic

[Colin YNWA]

NECRO!

Anyway so what. I've been thinking about this for a while and finally bite the bullet and get the kids a subscription to The Phoenix and my gosh what a boon it is.

Only three issues into the sub and the kids are fighting over who gets to open it. I have to read it too them (no chore!) to stop the arguments on who gets to read it first.

Bloody wish Rebellion had the resource / whatever to get a nursey slopes version of 2000ad as this is great, my kids are so into a weekly dose of comics after only 3 weeks.

Oh and its a great comic too!

[Professor Bear]

Still going and will soon hit issue 320.  Not bad at all for a title aimed at kids who don't read - because vidya games and phones - and which has a subscription-based distribution model.  It also has those big and square-ish pages old progs used to have before they changed size to accommodate the US trade format, and the dimensions really helps the occasional double page spread come to life.

[IndigoPrime]

Comics were never the problem. Bonkers business models were. On that scale, the high street is broadly broken (mags for kids mostly being tat and activity pages that can be endlessly recycled). On that basis alone, it’s great The Phoenix is doing well. As for Rebellion, it would be a colossal punt to enter that market, especially on the newsstands.

[mrstu]

Its a great comic, the only bad thing about it is that it makes me wish there was more comics like this on the shelves.

[sheridan]

Comics were never the problem. Bonkers business models were. On that scale, the high street is broadly broken (mags for kids mostly being tat and activity pages that can be endlessly recycled). On that basis alone, it’s great The Phoenix is doing well. As for Rebellion, it would be a colossal punt to enter that market, especially on the newsstands.

Rebellion producing an all-ages comic?  They couldn't give it away ;-)

[Colin YNWA]

Well just bagged the first 100 (plus) issues from eBay in binders for less than a quid each including postage. I'M SO EXCITED...

... for the kids you understand, for the kids.

[oshii]

Bunny Vs Monkey is bloody brilliant

[Colin YNWA]

Well once again this thread rises like a phoen.... well you can work that one out for yorselves NECRO!

Anyway meant to pull this one back onto its feet last week to mention that The Phoenix hit issue 400! Thats right issue 400 and alas I've barely seen mention of it. I don't think the normally reliable John Freeman at Downthetubes mentioned it (may have mised it?), though to be fair it was in the week that Beano hit issue 4000 so ya know...

Anyway I just think its something we should celebrate and salute. The Phoenix is going from strength to strength storywise. My kids still love it - though the girl child now insists on taking it to her room to read rather then read it with her brother. The boy child is having a half birthday this weekend (don't ask) and almost all his presents are Phoenixy in some way or other AND going to a friends party he is, as he always does these days, taking on of the compendiums as a present.

The Phoenix Weekly Story Comic is 100% recommended to any folks with kids between 5-12 and those who don't to boot.

[IndigoPrime]

I’ve taken a punt on a test sub for mini-G, although she was nonplussed with the issue we bought a couple of months ago. She’s five; reading abilities are coming on fast. But it’s more complicated than kiddie picture books.

However, we found Bunny vs Monkey book one in the library, and that went down a storm. And then I had a chat with The Phoenix online about gender representation, and they roped in Jaime Smart. I was blown away by the professionalism and thoughtfulness of the replies. No excuses. No pushback. Just a recognition that early stories failed in that one key area, and a desire to offer more balance. Great to see, and made me want to continue.

(I’ve also been surprised by The Beano. The classic tales are rather dated, but some of the newer content like Betty and the Yeti hit the mark – and also avoid the problem with so much of the humour relentlessly relying on wordplay. Yes, we get it. You’re very clever with words. But that joke hammered home 50 times every issue becomes tiresome compared to Smart’s bonkers and breezy fun.)

[Hawkmumbler]

I really ought to pick up some of the collections of Phoenix material, any recommendations for myself and the Hawk chic's who haven't yet flown the nest?

[Colin YNWA]

Its a broad church. If you want out rageously funny then you can't go wrong with any of Jamie Smart's output. I personally think Lushkin is probably just about funnier than Bunny vs Monkey. Adventure then look no further than Pirates of Pangaea, why is there only one volume of this??? Though I'm also a fan of Troy Trailbrazier the latest story was fantastic.

A bit inbetween Mega Robo Bros is fantastic and possibly my favourite thing in the comic?

Corpse Talk is fun education in the Horrible Histories mode

Best answer though is go for The Phoenix Colassal Comics Collections - there two currently and these give a really good impression of the variety of strips AND you get Squid Bits which is just superb and also possibly my favourite thing in the comic.

[Professor Bear]

Star Cat and Useleus are superb, but appear about as often as Bigfoot sightings.

[IndigoPrime]

My 5yo is now infatuated with Bunny vs Monkey to the point it has a pet name “BUNNY VS MONKS”, which is shouted at an impossibly loud volume. The rest of The Phoenix doesn’t go down as well as The Beano, but, well, she’s young. I’m still tempted to keep the sub going, depending on the terms of the direct debit.

EDIT: It’s £9.99 monthly.

[Colin YNWA]

THURSDAY PHOENIX - I'll say that again in case you didn't hear my CAPS!!!

THURSDAY PHOENIX.

Yeah size 24 font AND Bold ya hear me now don't you.

I mean I was fully expecting the delievery to slip back not jump forward. Tharg you got competition for best run comic during madness that I can only assume was started by Looshkin.

[IndigoPrime]

Mini-IP’s previous one arrived this Tuesday — the first time Phoenix had ever been that late. But they said recently they’ve started sending them out two days early, to try and get more of them to arrive in time, so we also got ours today. Looks like they’ve cut back a little on comic strip content (at least this issue), but it’s still a really solid mag. Frankly, anyone that adapts The Call of Cthulhu for kids — and puts Lovecraftian horror on the cover is OK by me.