Dynamite (magazine) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Dynamite

The April 1975 issue of Dynamite featured a Droste effect image of TV star Jimmie Walker, whose catch phrase was "Dy-no-mite!".
Former editors	Jenette Kahn, Jane Stine, Linda Williams Aber
Categories	Children's magazine
Frequency	Monthly
First issue	March 1974; 51 years ago (1974-03)
Final issue Number	March 1992 (1992-03) Volume 15, Number 5
Company	Scholastic
Country	United States
Based in	New York City
Language	English
ISSN	0163-3562

Dynamite was a super popular magazine for kids! Jenette Kahn started it, and Scholastic Inc. published it. It ran from 1974 all the way to 1992. This magazine was a huge hit for Scholastic. It became their most successful publication ever! It even inspired four other cool magazines: Bananas, Wow, Hot Dog!, and Peanut Butter.

Jenette Kahn edited the first three issues. After that, Jane Stine, who is married to the famous kids' author R. L. Stine, edited 109 issues! Then Linda Williams Aber, also known as "Magic Wanda," took over. Some of the writers who worked on Dynamite later became famous, like Ellen Weiss (a children's book writer) and Mark Saltzman (a screenwriter). The very first issue, Dynamite #1, came out in March 1974. It featured Hawkeye and Radar from the TV show M*A*S*H. The very last issue, Dynamite #165, was in March 1992. It had movie stars Julia Roberts and Arnold Schwarzenegger on the cover.

What Was Dynamite Magazine Like?

Dynamite magazine was more than just a magazine. Every month, it was like an activity book packed with fun stuff! You could find cool tricks, yummy recipes, exciting games, and even contests to enter. It also kept you updated on all the latest trends in movies, music, and TV.

How Kids Got Their Copies

You could get Dynamite in a few ways. Some kids subscribed to it, meaning it came right to their mailbox every month. You could also find a few copies at newsstands. But the most common way was through school! Teachers would pass around order forms from Scholastic's Arrow Book Club, and you could order your copy right there at school.

Changes Over the Years

In 1984, Scholastic Inc. made some changes. They used fewer color pages and started publishing Dynamite less often. Instead of 12 issues a year, it became 6, and then 5 issues a year. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the magazine started focusing more on teen idols. They had cover stories about stars like Johnny Depp, Alyssa Milano, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, and Will Smith. Each issue also came with two cool mini-posters! Later issues included fun sections like the Dynamite Activity Center, Dynamite Puzzle Pages, and even spooky stories by R. L. Stine (who also went by "Jovial Bob Stine"). He later became super famous for his Goosebumps book series!

Awesome Features and Fun Stuff

Dynamite was packed with amazing features that kids loved. Here are some of the highlights:

• "Magic Wanda": This section taught you how to do cool magic tricks step-by-step.
• "Bummers": Kids would send in their funny, one-line complaints that started with "Don't you hate it when...". Dynamite would even pay $5 if they used your "Bummer"!
• "And Now a Word from Our Sponsor": These were hilarious comic strips that made fun of TV commercials.
• Count Morbida's Puzzle Pages: A spooky character named Count Morbida hosted these fun puzzle challenges.
• "Hot Stuff": This section showed off funny gags and cool new items you could find in stores.
• Foxy Fiddler: You could follow the story of a horse named Foxy Fiddler as it grew up.
• Superhero Stories: The magazine often reprinted origin stories of popular Marvel and DC superheroes. Later, they even had their own comic heroes called the "Dynamite Duo."
• "Good Vibrations": This was an advice column where kids could get help with their problems.

What Was on the Covers?

Dynamite's covers featured all sorts of popular things from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. They showed:

• TV shows: From The Six Million Dollar Man to Beverly Hills, 90210.
• Cartoons: Like "Snoopy" and "Garfield".
• Movie stars: From Bruce Lee to River Phoenix.
• Music stars: Like KISS, John Denver, Elvis, Paula Abdul, and Rick Springfield.
• And many other fun themes!

Cool Extras and Inserts

Dynamite always had awesome extras! The back covers often had things you could punch out or put together, like puzzles, games, postcards, mobiles, bookmarks, or even masks. Inside, you'd often find bonus inserts, too! These could be big fold-out posters, greeting cards, calendars, or even small records with songs or stories. Sometimes, they even included baseball cards, stickers, or cool glow-in-the-dark items. Another popular extra was 3-D posters that came with special glasses! These posters featured exciting images like King Kong, skateboarding, and outer space scenes.

Cover Stories Gallery

Here are some of the exciting cover stories that appeared on Dynamite magazine over the years!

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  The April 1975 issue featuring Jimmie Walker from Good Times.