Brands With Influence to rep Egmont comics and characters

Brands With Influence, a merchandising and Intellectual Management company, has been appointed to represent Egmont UK’s archive of classic comic and magazine titles that includes Roy of The Rovers, Battle, Misty and Whizzer and Chips.

The collection spans the 40 years since the 1970s.

"We feel this is just the right time to bring these titles and brands back to life through a strategic licensing program," says David Riley, managing director, Egmont Publishing Group.

"The nostalgia market remains buoyant and our brands will have a real affinity with those children, now adults, who grew up with them. We are looking forward to working with Brands With Influence to bring these classic brands back to the high street."

Whether this signals the potential revival of some of Egmont's strips in print - alongside Titan Books publication of series such as Charley's War and Johnny Red, and STRIP Magazine's publication of Hook Jaw - is not clear from this initial press notice.

IPC has a deal with a similar company, Drawn Ink, who have been actively pushing many of the company's comic characters for potential use on clothing and other merchandise.