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David Fickling Books and The Phoenix comic to launch new comic-book imprint
David Fickling Books (DFB) and the Phoenix comic are launching a new comic-book imprint, The Phoenix Comic Books, in January 2025. The two companies will work together to publish graphic novels for children.
DFB and The Phoenix have collaborated in the past to publish series like Jamie Smart’s Bunny vs Monkey and Looshkin, as well as Neill Cameron’s Mega Robo Bros.
The new imprint’s launch programme for 2025 includes new Bunny vs Monkey and Mega Robo Bros titles, alongside new series like Donut Squad by Neill Cameron, which will publish in May 2025, and Pandora in Puzzlevale, publishing June 2025.
Moreover, The Phoenix Comic Club will launch alongside the new imprint, giving readers access to drawing, writing and comic-creation tutorials from artists and comic creators. Each title in the imprint will come with free access to the club, with each book featuring a QR code opening a portal to a draw-along video and activity. Readers can then access the full array of comic-club tutorials, downloadable worksheets and activities from comic creators.
The Phoenix will be publishing new Comic Club material in the comic every week, and this will be accessible online for free.
The imprint launch will simultaneously be accompanied by a "huge" marketing and PR investment, including a launch at the 2025 Waterstones Family Festival, followed by a year-long programme of events and workshops. "The Phoenix has fostered a love of reading in so many children, and has played a vital part in the recent growth of children’s comic books," said Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones. "DFB have a proven exceptional instinct for new talent in the genre: we’re hugely excited to see The Phoenix Comic Books imprint take shape, and to work closely with the team to launch more standard setting brands to excite booksellers and young readers."
An advertising campaign will accompany the release of the stories, along with pop-up events, resources, display material, activity packs, exclusive merchandise and more.
Liz Cross, managing and publishing director at David Fickling Books, said: "The experience DFB and the Phoenix have of working together on Bunny vs Monkey and our other wonderful comic-book series is joyous—particularly because of the delight we can see these books bringing to readers. The Phoenix team have boundless creative energy, unparalleled comics expertise, and the ability to tap into what children really love—and the opportunity to work with them to harness this comics power in book form and bring Phoenix-y goodness to as many readers as possible is an exciting one indeed!"
Tom Fickling, editor-in-chief at the Phoenix comic, added: "I couldn’t be more thrilled and delighted to see The Phoenix Comic Books imprint burst into life! It takes the very best comics from the Phoenix, that we already know thousands of children love, and with DFB’s crack publishing team turns them into amazing books."
