25 years of Viz

Reuters marks the 25th anniversary of Viz, the "politically incorrect" British comic that features such characters as Johnny Fartpants, Buster Gonad and Fat Slags. Despite a quarter-century of bathroom humor, the comic has never managed to crack the U.S. market. Here's co-editor Graham Dury:

"We have tried to push the comic in America but it falls very flat. I don't know if the Americans don't get it or just don't like it. There has been no lack of trying but in a market of 200 million people, we sell just 4,000 copies. But at least it does well in Australia -- mostly to Brit ex-pats."

Like many comic books, Viz reached a readership peak in 1991 with a circulation of 1.25 million. Now it draws about 150,000 readers per issue.