PUBLISHER David Fickling aims to relaunch children’s comic The DFC in defiance of the recession.

The subscription-only weekly comic, which launched last March, reached issue 43 before it was forced to close earlier this year.

Now Mr Fickling, who runs David Fickling Books in Beaumont Street with the support of book publisher Random House, is considering the best way to relaunch the 36-page comic, which was aimed at children aged eight to 12.

Mr Fickling said: “The DFC was subscription-only and was growing steadily, but unfortunately not fast enough in the current economic climate. The comic would still be going if the credit crunch had not come along.

“I would love to see it reopen in the spring of next year, but it is not a foregone conclusion.”

The comic, which cost £3, featured artwork by top comic strip artists including John Aggs and the Etherington Brothers, and writers including award-winning children’s book author Philip Pullman.

Mr Fickling, who launched the comic in the basement of his office in Oxford because he loved comics when he was a boy, added: “I am maddened that The DFC has closed but I am deeply grateful to Random House that it opened in the first place.

“We need to learn from our mistakes and make something even better next time round.

“I have been contacted by lots of teachers who loved the comic and classes of children have also written letters to say how much they miss it.

“I would like to tap into that support from primary schools to attract backing from organisations like the National Literacy Trust.

“I am confident that The DFC will return in some capacity. But when the comic returns, I want to retain the freedom to continue the brilliant stories that children want to read.”

When the comic folded, the comic strips were continued on The DFC websiaso that readers could follow the stories to their conclusion, and they are still available online.

Mr Fickling added that he planned to publish some of the strips as comic books.

The publisher added: “I always planned to publish some of the strips as books — they should sell well in the UK and across Europe.”

For further information, visit the website dfc.co.uk affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk