Toxic magazine is one of Egmont’s most popular titles. From Pokémon, FIFA, Minecraft, superheroes, comics and all the biggest brands out there, Toxic captures the coolest trends in an awesome three-weekly magazine!
Each issue features sneak peaks and reviews on the latest games and upcoming movies, hilarious comics such as ‘Team Toxic’ and ‘Ruined Ronaldo!’ and loads of activities making the reading even more fun!
In celebration of the 300th issue, we interviewed Toxic’s Deputy Editor, Matt Pratt about the magazine and what it’s like to be working on the coolest magazine ever.
Question 1: What’s your favourite edition of Toxic and why?
My favourite is issue 256. The on-shelf presence was incredible thanks to a perfectly assembled Minions foil bag. The content hit a real editorial sweet spot of new releases and fresh ways of covering traditional Toxic interests. It sold over 70,000 copies – our best ever. We’ll beat that within a year though, so ask me again in 2019.
Question 2: What’s the coolest thing you’ve been inspired to buy or try through Toxic?
Joining Toxic four years ago gave me the excuse I needed to buy an Xbox One, so probably that.
Question 3: What’s the most fun you’ve had working on a feature?
When I covered the release of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Marvel threw me into a futuristic looking booth and took about a thousand photos of me. Two weeks later they sent me a Captain America figurine with my head on it.
It’s one of the coolest things on my desk.
I also got to interview some Pixar directors in a helicopter and Dynamo once scared me half to death. They were all good fun.
Question 4: What was your favourite playground sensation (like spinners) when you were a kid?
Mini Boglins. Everyone collected them. I only had one, but I loved him like a brother during our time together.
Question 5: What is your favourite Pokémon?
Lycanroc. It resembles a wolf, which is enough for me.
Question 6: If you could be ANY superhero, who would you be?
Captain America. He’s nothing fancy but always takes the moral high ground in his pursuit of justice. He’s also tough as nails. And a total dish.
Question 7: What’s your Patronus?
Tonkinese Cat, though I don’t know what that is.
Question 8: Zombie, Creeper, Steve or Alex?
Creeper. They’re a bit weird looking and scarier than a zombie in name and characteristics.
Question 9: What are your top 5 games of all time?
- Fallout 3, Xbox 360
- Halo Combat Evolved, Xbox
- Resident Evil, Playstation 1
- Super Mario Land, Gameboy
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Nintendo Switch
Question 10: Have you read any cool books lately?
Have I? Yes. Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Ghosts by Katie and Kevin Tsang is great, and my favourite Jim Smith book so far, Barry Loser Worst School Trip Ever!
Further afield, Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and Moonglow, and I’m a constant state of rereading both Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend and Denis Johnson’s Train Dreams, either of which is always in my coat pocket.
Question 11: What studies did you follow to become an editor of Toxic?
I studied Media Writing in Southampton. Soon after finishing that I found myself in publishing, starting with partworks. Any further experience was done on the job, working in magazines and books until getting an opportunity to work on the one magazine I’d dreamed of being involved with, Toxic.
Question 12: Talk us through a day in your life as an editor
As soon as I get to my desk I open the current flatplans to see where we are and what needs looking at first. The rest of the day involves researching, writing, subbing, liaising with the team and maintaining our relationships with the key brands we work with.
Toxic magazine is a 3-weekly magazine available at all good UK supermarkets and newsagents.
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