Anniversary magazine Watermelon, also known as Seryozhka, 25 years

“Few people know, but the history of the BUBBLE publishing house began when I called Andrey Vasin. It so happened that I have known Andrey Leonidovich my whole life: he was the editor-in-chief of the comic magazine “Watermelon,” which my father published in the 1990s. And when I decided to create my own magazine, the first thing I did was consult with the person who was at the origins of the Russian comic book industry. At that time, I was following many representatives of the old school - they were exhausted, tired of life and comics people, and I was very afraid that Vasin would be the same. How delighted I was when I found out that Andrey Leonidovich was full of strength, ideas, and enthusiasm! It was his powerful energy that provided the impetus for the launch of BUBBLE comics, which are still successfully published today. Unlike “Watermelon,” which suddenly closed in 1999 during the crisis.

All these years, I couldn’t shake the thought that it was somehow unfair - not having the opportunity to express oneself one last time and to finish all those wonderful stories that had been told over many years. Today we correct this injustice. In honor of the 25th anniversary of the release of the first issue of the magazine “Watermelon” (at that time - “Seryozhka”), Andrey Leonidovich Vasin gathered the old guard of authors and artists to dignifiedly conclude the story of a truly great comic magazine that influenced a whole generation of children in the 1990s. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what they have prepared. Let’s go!”

Artem Gabrelyanov,
creator of the BUBBLE comics universe.