A copy of Mickey’s Journal, published in 1934, during a visit to the Walt Disney Archives, June 20, 2023 in Burbank, California (AFP / Robyn Beck)
“Cocorico!”, trumpets the famous American mouse for the anniversary of his magazine: Le Journal de Mickey celebrates its 90th birthday on Monday, which, contrary to what is often believed, was born in France and not in the United States .
“Few people know it” but “it is part of French heritage”, smiles its editor-in-chief, Edith Rieubon, in an interview with AFP.
Dean of the youth press in France, Le Journal de Mickey, which comes out every two weeks, is celebrating this anniversary with a triple publication.
After a large format in mid-September then a collector’s issue on Thursday, a 300-page special issue will appear on October 23. On the program: a compilation of the best comics in the newspaper’s history and a retrospective of its cult sections.
The first Mickey’s Journal was released on October 21, 1934, two years after a nearby Italian publication, Topolino. The famous mouse was created in 1928 by Walt Disney in the United States, for the cinema.
Le Journal de Mickey is the baby of Paul Winkler, Frenchman born in Hungary and boss of the Opera Mundi agency. “He did syndication: he bought American comics in the United States, which he resold to French dailies,” explains Edith Rieubon.
“There were Disney comics and others, like Pim Pam Poum, she continues. As he was a press man, he said to himself: +With these comics, I have what it takes to create a magazine fantastic+.”
Winkler implemented innovative marketing techniques and distributed advertising leaflets in front of schools. The first issue sold 400,000 copies.
“There was already all the DNA of the title, everything that makes it a complete magazine: comics, games and editorial” with “a short interview with aviator Hélène Boucher”, underlines its editor in chief.
– Two number 1 –
With the Second World War, Mickey’s Journal experienced a chaotic period from 1940 then stopped in 1944. Winkler relaunched it in 1952, starting from number 1.
A copy of Mickey’s Journal exhibited in Paris, March 26, 2008, before an auction (AFP / FRANCOIS GUILLOT)
“In 1934, it was an 8-page tabloid format. There, it returned in magazine format, with a logo inspired by the reporting magazines Paris Match and Life,” emphasizes Edith Rieubon.
Since then, its publication has not been interrupted. Died in 1982, Paul Winkler ended his life as director of the daily France-Soir.
In 2022, Le Journal de Mickey overhauled its formula to “strengthen the editorial”.
Intended for ages 7 and over, it offers a notebook of activities to do as a family with the Castors Juniors gang, cultural or sporting news and, of course, comic strips.
In accordance with its history, it mixes Disney and external comics: yesterday Mandrake or Hägar Dünor, today the French L’école Ducobu or Les Sisters.
It belongs to the Unique Heritage Media group, which publishes other Disney-licensed titles, including Picsou Magazine.
Like all print media, Le Journal de Mickey, which does not have a digital version, has suffered from an erosion of its sales.
Each issue sold 57,000 paid copies last year according to the ACPM (Alliance for Press and Media Figures), compared to 120,000 ten years before.
“The message we would like to send is that parents find their way to the kiosks and say to themselves: ‘Come on, I’m putting a newspaper in the hands of my child+’, argues Edith Rieubon.
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