Batman Guardian of the Night Panini Comic

Panini Comics UK began publishing Batman comics in 2003 with Batman Legends which would feature three US issues in one, bound in a cardboard cover like Paninis Marvel Collectors Editions. They eventually lost the license to Titan Comics but in 2020 regained it and released the one and only issue of Batman: Tales of the Dark Knight. Unfortunately the global pandemic quickly put an end to what was to be a new series. This one issue still had the cardboard cover but now only included two US comic issues rather than three to reduce costs, coming in at £4.50

 Panini made a second attempt to return Batman to UK comic stands with Batman Guardian of the Night. Featuring two US comic issues but without the cardboard cover the Collectors Editions are known for. This change knocked the cover price down to £2.99. It was sad to see the cardboard covers go but £4.50+ per issue was getting a little high for many readers. Especially if they bought multiple titles from Paninis Marvel and now DC range every month.

Unfortunately Batman Guardian of the Night was cancelled after issue 22 in 2023. Not quite lasting two years. It's sad to be without a UK Batman comic on shelves again like the late 1990s. 

Batman Returns to Panini Comics UK

Batman returns to Panini Comics UK 17 years after they published the first issue of  Batman Legends.

In 2003, Panini comics in the UK published the first issue of Batman Legends. The first DC comic to copy the ''collectors edition'' style comics Panini had been publishing since 1995 starting with Essential X-Men and Astonishing Spider-man. These comics collected three or four issues of the American comics, wrapped in a cardboard cover. 

The title lasted 41 issues until Panini lost the DC license to Titan Comics UK in 2006 who promptly published their own Batman Legends Volume 2. This would  later be rebranded as simply ''Batman'' and then again as Rebirth: Batman. 

The Titan DC comics always struggled with sales and poor marketing leading to Titan cancelling all their DC titles, including Batman in December 2018. Luckily now Panini have regained the rights to publish DC comics in the UK and have started with Batman: Tales of the Dark Knight. Now however the Collected Editions only contain two issues of the American comics rather than the previous three due to cost restraints. The title has also been prematurely put on hold due to the global pandemic interfering with production of the comic. DC titles just don't seem to have much luck in the UK!

Batman Legends Ends

After 15 years and four volumes, the UK Batman Legends comic title has sadly come to and end.

In 2003, almost ten years after the last Batman comic ended in the UK, Panini picked up the license for the character and gave us Batman Legends. The comic was styled like the popular Marvel collectors edition comics Panaini have published in the UK since the mid 90s, collecting three issues of the American comics in each issue, starting with the popular Hush story line. The comic lasted 41 issues till Panini lost the license to Titan Magazines. Titan relaunched the title as Batman Legends volume 2, keeping the same format as Panini had used. 57 issues later the title was relaunched yet again as volume 3. Simply called ‘Batman’ the comic was relaunched to tie in with the release of Dark Knight Rises in cinemas and the launch of the New 52. It primarily reprints the US Batman and Batman and Robin comics. In September 2016 the title was again relaunched in it's 4th volume as Rebirth Batman, later dropping the Rebirth to simply be Batman again. It was during this time that the title, along with all of Titans DC reprints became bi-monthly releases. An indicator of poor sales. Batman having been the only Titan DC reprint series to show any level of success. Others Such as Superman, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, Green Arrow etc had all fallen by the wayside after only a few issues each. Even the Batman title had begun to suffer after poor distribution from Titan. A title change in one of the Batman comics had caused it to totally disappear from the W.H Smith database. A mistake Titan never seemed to rectify despite multiple customers informing them that their local Smiths no longer stocked the Batman comic.  The poor reception of most of the recent DC shared universe movies also can't have helped matters. 
Finally, at issue 14 of what was essentially Batman legends volume 4, the title along with all the Titan DC comics were cancelled. 

There was little send off for the DC universe from Titan. Not even an editorial inside the front cover lamenting the end of the series or thanking the customers for their loyalty. This really reflects Titans attitude towards the comics they produce. Little real care or passion seems to go into what they do. With little to no customer interaction on social media or through editorials. 

15 years isn't a bad run for a UK comic, however it is sad to think that there is once again no Batman comic in the UK. There was a span of 9 years between 1994 and 2003 where the UK had no Batman title on the shelves. Hopefully it won't be as long this time before another publisher picks up the license. Perhaps Panini will regain the rights to publish Batman as they had in 2003. 

The Astonishing Spider-man 35

Marvel UK/Panini's Collectors Edition Astonishing Spider-man issue 35 features a christmassy cover. not only reprinting the cover and story from the Marvel US Spider-man/Deadpool issue 12 but also featuring Spider-man sprting a Santa hat and snow covering the title. A common sight on comic book covers of the 80s but rare now, especially in the UK.

Titan All Star Batman

 Titan Comics UK have launched a new Batman title, Rebirth All Star Batman. This is one of two ongoing Batman comics in the UK. The other being Batman Rebirth. All Star Batman is volume 4 in a series that began in 2012 with Batman The Dark Knight to tie in with the then current Nolan Dark Knight Rises movie. This then became Batman Arkham to tie in with the popular game.Volume 3 was retitled Batman Gotham Central to accompany the TV series. Now in it's forth incarnation as All Star Batman it coincides with the Rebirth DC titles hitting the UK.

Titans other Batman series is also in it's forth volume. Starting with the initial Batman Legends published by Panini back in 2003. This was the first Batman comic in the UK for ten years. In 2007 Titan gained the rights to publish DC comic in the UK and continued the Legends series with volume 2. In 2012 as the New 52 hit the UK the title was changed to simply Batman for volume 3. With the recent DC event of Rebirth, the series has entered it's 4th volume with Batman Rebirth.

Batman Rebirth

Titan UK has relaunched their Batman title as Batman Rebirth. This serves as a volume 4 to the Batman Legends title that began back in 2003 under Panini publishing, taken over by Titan in 2007 and then re-titled simply Batman in 2012 to tie in with the New 52.

Astonishing Spider-man

The first issues of all six volumes of Astonishing Spider-man. The Panini comics UK re-prints of US Spider-man comics. From 1995-2016.

Astonishing Spider-man 39

A rather appropriate cover for the time as this issues release coincides with the Brexit vote in the UK.

G.I Joe The Action Force

 G.I Joe began in the UK under the Action Force title. The figures were repainted and renamed and added to the existing UK Action Force toyline before reverting back to the G.I Joe names and characters but still under the Action Force title. Marvel UK ran a comic for 50 issues before the title was absorbed into the more popular Transformers comic.
In 2009, Panini published a six issue G.I Joe series based in the Rise of Cobra movie continuity.

Transformers Armada UK

 In 2003 a third UK Transformers comic published by Panini hit the shelves based on the then current cartoon series, Transformers Armada. Writer Simon Furman who had gained fame as a comic book writer from his days on the UK and US Marvel Transformers comics returned for this series. Though the stories were very simple and kiddiefied with art work to match. This poor quality did not attract an audience and the comic was cancelled abruptly with issue 9 even though a tenth issue had been advertised.
One positive of the comics was the news section which would advertise new toys, cartoons and games related to Transformers. This was where I first learned of a Unicron toy being released, much to my excitement!

Transformers Comics UK

So far there have been five Transformers titles released in the UK since the early 80s. The original Marvel UK comic that lasted 332 issues from 1994-1992. This was a much beloved and high quality comic that gave fame to writer Simon Furman along with artists Geoff Senior and  Andrew Wildman. As well as reprinting the American comic strips it also had original UK material that was of a higher quality, eventually leading to the UK creative team moving on the the US title. After the Marvel UK comic ended there was a short lived Generation 2 comic published by Fleetway that lasted a mere 5 issues in 1994/95. Almost a decade later Panini comics released a Transformers Armada comic that managed to last 9 issues in 2003. Though Simon Furman had returned, the stories felt simplistic and far too ‘kiddie’ as well as the art work being poor.
In 2007 to tie in with the first live action movie a fourth Transformers comic was printed by Titan comics UK. This lasted 75 issues in total and spanned 7 years from 2007-2014. After the first 25 issues the title was re-branded as volume 2, Transformers Revenge of the Fallen to once again tie in with the currant movie at the time. Vol 2 lasted 21 issues before becoming volume 3 and re-titled Transformers: Dark of the Moon. Volume 3 was short lived as after just four issues it then became Volume 4, Transformers Prime. It stayed this way for 20 issues, limping along with low sales and longer gaps of time between each issues release until Transformers Age of Extinction came out. In one last ditch effort to stay afloat the title became volume 5 and tied in to the new movie. 5 issues later the comic was finally cancelled.
It had started off strong with original UK material set in the movie universe as well as reprints of various US titles such as Beast Wars and All Hail Megatron. However the US reprints were dropped and the UK strips became more simplistic and lacking in much continuity as well as suffering with poor artwork.
During the Titan UK comic run, a spin off comic entitled Transformers Animated was released. This was the first time two Transformers titles had ran concurrently in the UK. (Not including the Collected Comics which were just reprints of the main Marvel UK title). Animated was swiftly cancelled after three issues.

 In October 2015 a 6th UK Transformers comic came out from Signature Publishing. Based on the Robots in Disguise cartoon and toy line, it reprints the American IDW strips, thought the first issue did feature a UK original story.

Batman Comics UK

 

 A brief look at the history of Batman comics in the UK. The Batman magazine from London Editions which ran through the 80s ended in 1993 after 56 issues. This was followed by Fleetway Editions Batman volume 2 which began by printing the Batman Year One and Two story lines. The comic also printed the under rated Dark Knight, Dark City story line which is in my opinion the best Riddler story the comics have seen. This comic ran a mere 11 issues only to be replaced with the Batman & Superman comic which was marketed as the fall of the superheroes. Reprinting the now classic Knightfall and Doomsday story lines showing the breaking of the Batman and the Death of Superman. Batman & Superman ran 11 issues before being cancelled. It would be almost ten years before the UK saw a proper Batman comic again.

 In the early 00s, almost ten years after the last Batman comic ended in the UK, Panini picked up the license and gave us Batman Legends. The comic was styled like the popular Marvel collectors edition comics Panaini have published in the UK since the mid 90s, collecting three issues of the American comics in each issue. It started with the popular Hush story line. The comic lasted 41 issues till Panini lost the license to Titan Magazines. Titan relaunched the title as Batman Legends volume 2, keeping the same format as Panini had used. 57 issues later the title was relaunched yet again as volume 3. Simply called ‘Batman’ the comic was relaunched to tie in with the release of Dark Knight Rises in cinemas. It primarily reprints the US Batman and Batman and Robin comics.

At the same time as this, another Batman title was added to the Titan UK range. Batman: Dark Knight was a larger format comic to differentiate it from the main Batman comic. This comic reprinted the US Dark Knight and Detective Comics. After 19 issues it was transformed into Batman Arkham to tie in with the popular game. This new volume was reduced to the same size format as the main Batman title which pleased collectors. After issue 26 the title was relaunched a third time as Batman: Gotham Central to tie in with the popular Gotham TV show.
During Batman Arkhams run, a third Batman title was released called Batman Superman featuring cross over stories between the two characters as well as individual stories. This replaced the Superman comic which was unable to hold enough sales on it’s own without Batmans inclusion.

 Titan UKs larger format DC titles. The Dark Knight reprints the UK Dark Knight and Detective Comics and ran 19 issues before being replaced with Batman Arkham in the smaller US comic size. Superman came out to tie in with the Man of Steel film but ran a mere 5 issues before being cancelled and replaced with the Batman/Superman comic. Arrow did not last long either though a new collectors edition style Green Arrow comic has recently begun to cash in on the TV show along with Flash, Supergirl and Wonder Woman.