Skylanders magazine, comic incoming as part of new licensing agreements

Comic giant IDW, Crayola, Immediate Media and General Mills have all signed up or extended their deals as licensing partners for Activision’s Skylanders property.

IDW’s official comic book series will serve as a prequel to Skylanders Trap Team, with issue #0 featuring a 16-page introductory story to the universe. Immediate Media, meanwhile, will launch the first official Skylanders magazine in the UK this autumn with a global rollout to follow in 2015.

Activision’s Crayola relationship is being expanded to include Skylanders-branded Xtreme Colouring and Activity Pads, both of which are due for launch in spring 2015.

General Mills, meanwhile, will feature Skylanders on its cereal boxes for eight weeks – these join the pair’s existing fruit snacks range. Skylanders will later this year also appear on some of its yoghurt products.

In addition Penguin, which has already sold over 2.1m Skylanders Universe books, is teaming up with Activision for a global program that includes a partnership with AR company Zappar

"From a global branding perspective, this has been a remarkable year for the Skylanders franchise," Activision Publishing’s VP of global licensing and partnerships Ashley Maidy said.

"We are delighted that many of the world’s leading brands are collaborating with us on meaningful programs that let our fans engage with the Skylanders brand in ways that didn’t exist three years ago."