Interview with Tom Fickling of The Phoenix

The Phoenix Hits Issue 200

British children’s anthology comic The Phoenix hit issue 200 at the end of October. With this milestone achieved, Tripwire spoke to its editor Tom Fickling about his plans for the future of this title…

TW: You recently hit issue 200 with The Phoenix. How do you feel about hitting this milestone?

TF: Delighted! I don’t think anyone thought we’d get this far. But honestly I hope this is very much the beginning.

TW: Your progenitor, the DFC, only made it to 43 issues. Why do you think the Phoenix has managed to sustain a much longer run?

TF: Honestly? Our founders knew it was going to take a while before the company reached self sustainability. We grow by word of mouth not by spending huge amounts on marketing. It’s slower but creates a much more powerful and loyal readership.

TW: Obviously you aren’t resting on your laurels. What can we expect to see in The Phoenix over the next six months?

TF:Loads of stuff! I’m going to get in trouble here for not name checking everything. The next six months should just about see the start of Philip Pullman’s John Blake drawn by Fred Fordham which is a rip roaring classic adventure story. It’s got everything, time travel, ships, Einstein and great characters. I also can’t wait for people to read the next series of Neill Cameron and Kate Brown’s Tamsin series. It is an absolute stonker. Oh and also I hope we will welcome a guy called Joe List to the comic as his stuff is incredible. Plus all the usual favourites!

TW: You are continuing to publish graphic novels that reprint material from The Phoenix. How do you see thus fitting it with the weekly comic?

TF: It’s a natural extension. Great for new readers so they can catch up on things without buying a stack of back issues (though people tend to do that too!) but also great for getting The Phoenix into places the comic might find it harder to. Like bookshops and so on. And of course we’re now getting a lot of interest overseas in both English and foreign languages. In fact Pirates of Pangaea has just been translated into Catalan!

TW: The fact that The Phoenix is still being published and is flourishing is proof that the British comics market can accommodate more than just 2000AD and licensed titles. Are there any plans to spin off the Phoenix into any other periodical format titles at any point?

TF: Well, we have some plans in this area but I’m keeping quiet for now. Watch this space!

TW: Thinking about the American market, are any of the Phoenix GNs available to buy in the US?

TF: We’re really pleased to say that Scholastic will start publishing Phoenix Presents titles in the US in 2016, starting with Gary’s Garden and Bunny vs Monkey.  We’re also busy building up our subscriber base in the US.

TW:  What are the long-term plans for The Phoenix?

TF: To become a beloved content creator and provider. A UK DC or Marvel.

The Phoenix