‘Nickelodeon Magazine’ Relaunches as a Comics-Based Publication from Papercutz

People of a certain generation will remember that Nickelodeon once published its very own magazine. Simply titled Nickelodeon Magazine, it officially debuted in 1993 (after a false start with Pizza Hut in 1990) and was the ultimate solution for kids who still wanted to get their Nickelodeon fix elsewhere. The issues were comprised of everything from comics to humor to interviews and everything in-between. The magazine lasted 16 years before its cancellation in 2009 due to economic situations and the company’s increased focus on its online content. Since then, the magazine has only remained a curious piece of Nickelodeon history (for reasons I will show later)… until now.

Bleeding Cool reported that Papercutz, a publisher of children’s graphic novels, will team up with Nickelodeon to relaunch the magazine (the first issue of which dropped this week).

This comes as part of a first-look deal between Nickelodeon and Papercutz to adapt new properties into comics and graphic novels, which was solidified earlier in the year. While it will provide a mix of content and activities, the primary focus of the magazine will be comics. Specifically, two-thirds of the magazine will be devoted to previewing material featured in upcoming graphic novels, as well as the debut of new properties in comic form.

Papercutz Editor-in-Chief Jim Salicrup had this to say about the magazine:

Nickelodeon has always been known for creating great comics material. And we’re proud to continue that tradition with our new publication. I’m personally excited by the opportunity to get the great work of our writers and artists out in front of the biggest possible audience possible. The magazine is going to be a great way for kids to sample our graphic novels and be introduced to some of the fantastic Nickelodeon characters. It’s also a great way for us to put comics in places that haven’t seen this type of material in quite a while.

Sven Larsen, VP of Marketing for the company, also added:

Nickelodeon characters already reach millions of kids worldwide. But we wanted to help them grow their audience and give existing viewers new opportunities to enjoy their favorite shows. The new ‘Nickelodeon Magazine’ is another great way for fans to experience the brand and spend more time with characters they love!

What made the original magazine so unique was that it was virtually unafraid to be truly over-the-top in its humor. Good examples are the April Fools issues, which spoofed various characters from animation in a fictional environment designed as a parody of celebrity magazines.

The image here sees Kim (from Kim Possible) talking about her failed relationship with Zuko (from Avatar: The Last Airbender):

This image (taken from the 2008 April Fools issue) sees animated male figures portrayed as ‘hot’:

I know that this looks and sounds absurd (and it is), but this kind of unbridled insanity was what got many young kids (including me) reading Nickelodeon Magazine in the first place.

Deep down, I kinda hope the new magazine will keep some of that weirdness. But, if anything, this magazine definitely appeals to a new generation of readers. Its increased focus on comic material should help as well (the original magazine itself was home to some big cartoonist talents).

What do you think? Are you curious about Nickelodeon Magazine?

Edited by: Hannah Wilkes