Battered but undaunted, Print Media continue Strip Magazine

After innumerable delays, the combined Issue 5/6 of the action adventure anthology STRIP is finally on its way to the shops and to subscribers.

“It’s a case of if anything could go wrong, it did,” explained Mike Conroy, head of Print Media Productions UK operation. “I’m not going to attempt to justify the title’s lengthy absence but I would like to apologise to readers – especially to subscribers – for the inexcusable delays, which they have accepted with great equanimity.”

Despite the problems that continue to beset the title, its Bosnian publisher and founder Ivo Milicevic is determined to continue the project and make good on his plans for continued UK publishing of the title he has already published in his home country and will soon launch in Croatia.

STRIP Magazine Issue 7, a £4.99 84-page issue with a cover from Croatian artist Maxim homaging Christmas comic covers of yesteryear has a line-up that includes:

• THRACIUS by James Hudnall and Mark Vigoroux - A Roman legionnaire against a deadly mystical golem!
• CITADEL by Moebius - a stunning fantasy six pager frm the late French artist
• KAMIKAZE by Miki Horvatic and Esad T. Ribic - the strange origin of Japan's 'Divine Wind' revealed
• DENIZENS by Shmumski and Maxim - Mother Earth fights back against the ravages of humankind!
• DAN BARTON OF SPACE COMMAND by John Freeman and Andrew Chiu - a crazy time travel adventure starring space command's stupidest pilot!
• HOOK JAW - A special one-shot story starring the world's most dangerous shark
• MIRABILIS - A special preview of the eagerly-awaited second volume of this fantasy adventure from Dave Morris and Leo Hartas

Plus humour from Bogey-Man Bob by Gerard Leever and Cosmic Patrol and Mauricet, and all the magazine's usual features.

Print Media is then putting STRIP on deliberate hiatus but only until February, when the comics anthology is to be relaunched as a newsstand title, a plan put back several times but still the aim of the publisher.

“We will be using this time to continue to resolve many of the problems we have encountered One of our top priorities will be secure a UK shipping company which will be able to deliver STRIP efficiently and on time,” stated publisher Ivo Milicevic.

“You wouldn’t believe what sort of problems we have had with carriers… one entire print run is still wandering somewhere in Italy while our latest shipment only got through on the second attempt… no one knows where or how the original vanished!

“I am amazed and grateful just how supportive our audience has been. I can promise that the relaunched STRIP – The Comic Magazine will bring more really great art and stories to he newsstands. It will be worth to wait,” he proclaimed.

• STRIP Issue 7 is currently in production and set to hit shops in the first week of December