Editing Amstrad Action (section)

==History==
Published by [[Future plc]], a company set up by [[Chris Anderson (TED)|Chris Anderson]] (ex-''[[Personal Computer Games]]'' and ''[[Zzap!64]]'' editor). Launch Editor, Peter Connor, also an ex-''[[Personal Computer Games|PCG]]'' staff member, shared the writing duties with the only other staff writer, Bob Wade. Bob, another ex-''[[Personal Computer Games|PCG]]''/''[[Zzap!64]]'' staff member,<ref>
''Amstrad Action'', 'Ed-Lines', issue 1, October 1985, page 7.
</ref> was given the title ‘Software Editor’ and would review the vast majority of the games featured, with Peter given a second opinion. Trevor Gilham, Art Editor, would complete the four man team.

Issue 1 dated October 1985 was released in September 1985 with the cover price of £1; 1p for every one of the 100 pages. It took the new publication a few issues to find its readers, but with the help of a bumper 116 page Christmas 1985 issue with a cover mounted tape, the circulation figures grew rapidly.<ref name="Company history 1985 to 1989">
{{cite web|url=http://www.futureplc.com/future/aboutus/history.jsp?year=1985 |title=Future plc 1985 |access-date=2007-07-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018234338/http://www.futureplc.com/future/aboutus/history.jsp?year=1985 |archive-date=2005-10-18 }}</ref>  In October 1986 ''Amstrad Action'' split into three separate publications. ''AA'' still catered for the CPC range, while ''[[8000 Plus]]'' and ''[[PC Plus]]'' focused on the [[Amstrad PCW]] and [[Personal Computer|PC]] range respectively.

[[File:amstradaction100.jpg|thumb|100px|right|''Amstrad Action'' #100, with re-designed logo]]''AA'' eventually gave in to reader's pleas to have a permanent cover tape. An announcement was made, in AA66, that the following issue would not only include a cover tape, but contain more colour and be printed on different paper. Review pages were also slightly re-designed.

In April 1992 the [[Audit Bureau of Circulations (UK)|Audit Bureau of Circulation]] figures showed an increase to 37,120,<ref>
''Amstrad Action'', 'Line Up', issue 79, April 1992, page 3.
</ref> the highest circulation since July–December 1988's 38,457.<ref name="Amstrad Action 1989, page 4" />

AA100 looked at the top 100 products for the CPC and took a trip down memory lane, looking back at past editors and staff. As circulation figures wound down further still there was a drastic drop in page numbers from 60 to 36 in July 1994's AA106. More compact issues mean no superfluous columns or features. AA107 became the first issue with only one member of official staff.

In AA111 there was no credits list, but the new editor, Karen Levell, answered the Reaction letters and confirmed her appointment.  Although everything appeared as normal in June 1995's AA117, with AA118 advertised in the next month box, this was the last ''AA'' ever. The final headline (on issue AA117) was ''Publish and be Damned''.<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://users.durge.org/~nich/cpcmags/aa/aa117.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031128095140/http://users.durge.org/~nich/cpcmags/aa/aa117.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-11-28|title=Amstrad Action Magazine Covers|publisher=Nicholas Campbell|access-date=2009-01-20}}
</ref>