Professor G. Neil Martin on a short-lived publishing phenomenon

Professor G. Neil Martin – honorary professor of psychology at Regent's University London – has just had a paper published in the journal Comedy Studies about the rise and fall of the British comedy magazine. Here is a summary of his in-depth report:

Although witty magazines have long existed, between 1994 and 2002, a series of national magazines ABOUT comedy emerged, flourished briefly, then vanished. This is the story of why they appeared, why they mattered, and why they failed.

Before the national magazines appeared, several London-centric publications had tested the waters. Cabaret News, produced by Blue Riband Cabaret's promotional staff in 1986, was an early example—a 16-page fanzine featuring reviews of comedians like Arnold Brown and John Sparkes. Comedy Pages launched in May 1989, edited by Ian Meadows and Ivor Dembina, and featuring contributions from comedy figures including David Baddiel and John Hegley.

But the true forerunner was The Heckler. Edited by Simon Kingsley-Pallant, the pilot issue appeared in January 1991 with news, interviews, reviews, comedy pieces, listings and columns. Its content was broad, covering everyone from Jack Dee to The Wombles. It ran for about nine issues before disappearing in 1992, but it had proved there was an audience for this kind of magazine.

Deadpan launched in April 1994 – one month before lads’ mag Loaded—and the timing was no coincidence. Both magazines rode a cultural wave. Editor David Davies, who came from music magazine Mixmag, said: ‘We liked the comedy scene. It was a hot time with lots of new comedians coming through. We were going to gigs and meeting the comedians and talking to people and just figuring out who could be good.’

The magazine's development was swift. ‘We launched super quick; maybe two months of planning,’ says Davies.  The first issue featured Sean Hughes on the cover and articles on Jenny Eclair, Steve Wright, Whoopi Goldberg, and Reeves and Mortimer's tour. At about 66 pages per issue, Deadpan was not cheaply produced – it used glossy stock and employed star columnists including Stewart Lee.

In keeping with the men's magazines of the period, the tone was informal and occasionally boorish—one regular feature was ‘That's Shit,’ in which readers submitted items from the modern world they found unsatisfactory.

But success proved elusive. ‘We just couldn't sell enough copies,’ Davies admits. ‘I think we were doing about 10,000. We could have broken even at 15,000. And we began to lose confidence that we could see a way to get there.’ Deadpan ceased publication after 14 issues in May 1995.

IPL Magazines' Comedy appeared in September 1994, styled like a glossy gentleman's periodical with features on fashion, travel, food, and comedy. A second issue never materialised.

Future Publishing’s Comedy Review launched in March 1996,  edited by Andy Lowe. Danny Wallace, its staff writer, said: ‘Future was launching a football and a film magazine, and they said "What about comedy?" As someone who loved both comedy and magazines, I was obviously excited.’

Comedy Review adopted a more respectful tone than Deadpan, though it wasn't earnest. At around 90 pages per issue, it featured interviews with Bill Bailey, Stephen Fry, and Paul Whitehouse, plus a column by a young Louis Theroux. Wallace worked intensely: ‘I spent all day on the phone. There was no internet. Everything was done by ringing up PRs, getting phone numbers, recording interviews, and then  in the evening I would go home and write everything up for hours.’

The magazine's approach was deliberate. ‘We thought it would be arrogant to try to compete with the comedy we covered,’ Wallace explains. ‘We thought there would be enough people interested in the art of comedy not to have to try and outdo it.’

Despite quality content, Comedy Review folded after five issues. ‘We were too expensive,’ Wallace reflects. ‘The publishers wanted us to be glossy and aspirational. We should have had ads from Rizla and Foster's, but instead we seemed to have watches and cars.’

The appearance of comedy magazines in the mid-1990s wasn't random. The decade saw unprecedented enthusiasm for comedy. Robert Newman and David Baddiel became the first comedians to play Wembley Arena in 1993. Television comedy was experiencing a golden age: The Fast Show, Father Ted, I'm Alan Partridge, Brass Eye, The League of Gentlemen and The Royle Family.

‘It was an extremely exciting time,’ Wallace remembers. ‘I was in a comedy club every week. You had Armstrong & Miller on the circuit, Matt Lucas, Rich Hall, Al Murray… so many people on the cusp of something you couldn't really predict.’

The decade was also characterised by significant cultural shifts. The launch of Loaded represented a new type of men's magazine—irreverent, informal, and unapologetically focused on hedonism. Deadpan reflected similar attitudes at a time of political, social and cultural change during the rise of Britpop and Cool Britannia.

Comedy too had evolved. The 1980s alternative comedy movement—characterised by attacks on sexism, racism, and privilege—had largely succeeded in its aims. The 1990s adopted a more egalitarian but harsher form of comedy, exemplified by The Day Today and Absolutely Fabulous. Attitudes towards sex and gender appeared to be loosening, reflected in the ‘ladette’ culture and shows like Men Behaving Badly.

Aside from insufficient sales and the wrong advertising model, a more fundamental problem was looming for the magazines. The internet was beginning to provide free, immediate access to the information they offered. Wallace agrees: ‘Such magazines would now have to exist online. A print mag might end up being a star interview, tour dates, and a bunch of out-of-date news.’

One final attempt was made. Crackin', edited by Jonathan Marshall, appeared in 2002 with a preview issue distributed via the London Evening Standard. It disappeared after one full issue. There has been no major UK magazine about comedy since, just occasional independently produced efforts.

Despite their brief existence, these mainstream magazines provide an invaluable historical record of 1990s comedy culture: a decade when there was enough good comedy, enough enthusiasm for it, and enough confidence in print media to make such publications seem viable. 

That moment has passed. Online platforms like Chortle now provide instant comedy news and coverage. Social media allows comedians to communicate directly with fans.

The final line of Deadpan's last issue asked: ‘Next month: Can you read?’ The answer, sadly, was no.

Published: 1 Oct 2025