Set your alarm clocks and have your wallet by your bed - The Zzap! 64 Annual Kickstarter is launching Friday at 8am GMT [UPDATE]


If you were hoping for a Friday lie in, cancel that, and if you go to work early then tell your boss you might be a bit late tomorrow, as you'll need to be up at 8 am for the launch of the Zzap!64 Annual 2019 Kickstarter project from Fusion Retro Books.  You'll also need to be fully alert to pick carefully from the various perks which will be on offer.  Exact details of the perks remain a tight lipped secret, although we do know it will feature a brand new C64 game called Sizzler from Achim Volkers and Trevor Storey.  Here's Roger Kean (founder of Crash Magazine and Editor at Zzap) on the inspiration behind the annual:

"When I was tracked down at Thalamus Publishing in 2005–6 and asked to write something for the Def Zzap Tribute issue, it took some time to drag back all those memories of nurturing and editing Zzap!64 before turning it over to the capable hands of first Gary Penn and later Julian Rignall, Gordon Houghton, among other luminaries. Imagine then how many more brain cells I’m using up to do even more in 2018. Nonetheless, it’s been fun so far, working with such a young new team (well, young in heart, none of them is a teenager any more!), and catching up after almost 30 years with Julian Rignall (great ZzapBack, Jaz).

We had fun last year putting together an Annual for Crash, which was so well received. I hope those who back this campaign will feel equally rewarded by the finished product."


Chris Wilkins (Fusion Retro Books) revealed more about the annual contents in our press pack.  And they are also hosting a Q&A session for those going to Retro Revival event this May.

"Roger has agreed once more to take the helm as the editor and Oli will take charge of the graphical style of the issue as well as creating a brand new cover in the style of the early issues of ZZap.

The annual will be hardback only and come in at 112 pages – just like the Crash annual, it will be in full colour throughout, featuring all the best bits and more such as fabulous reviews and write ups done by Chris Wilkins (review editor), Roger Kean (managing editor ), Oliver Frey (art editor) and Stuart Williams (adventure editor) and many other contributing members.

We will be keeping the cover as a surprise though, so that when the book arrives in late September this year, it will be the first time the readers of the annual will have seen it." (So no posting pics of your Zzap as soon as it drops through the letter box like someone did on the Crash Facebook group!)


From the press release however, we did see some evidence of dodgy review scores... Well I guess it wouldn't be Zzap without at least one!  Still can't wait to flick through some Oli Frey decorated Zzap pages again after all these years.  So keep an eye out on Kickstarter from 8am Friday/Today!

Posted by @hayesmaker64

Links :1) Kickstarter Launched!

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