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Yps was a German magazine for kids which published a number of syndicated comics (both American and Franco-Belgian ones) plus some homebrewed ones (see below). During the earlier years, they also brought articles about science and technics. The real reason the magazine became famous was a different one: The gimmick (not The Gimmick), some toy readers could build by themselves, or something similar.

  • Yps & co: Four Funny Animals living together in a house: The mouse Kaspar, the frog Patsch, the canary Willy and the eponymous checkered kangaroo Yps. Not to the joy of their square neighbor Waldig. Each magazine contains a one-pager where they present the gimmick of the week.
  • Yinni & Yan aka The Yps-Team: Four young journalists making TV reportages and getting involved in adventures and other hijinks. Consists of Yinni at the microphone, her boyfriend cameraman Yan, Yorick who's responsible for the sound, and their coworker Yack, who mostly stays in the studio.
  • Gespenster GmbH ("ghosts inc."): A family of ghosts spooking on a castle. The realtor owning the castle wants to get rid of them, while the old gardener is at their side.
  • Professor Ypsus: Ranging between Absent-Minded Professor and Mad Scientist. Then, there are also his colleagues Schwyps and Gryps.
  • Bens Bande (Ben's gang): A group of four kids (and a raven) around Ben, who's really the son of a noble family, in a small German city.
  • Mister Melone: A short Italian guy in Chicago and his big grandma versus the mafia.
  • Gries, Gram & Grimm: Three grumpy old men in the Stone Age.
  • Various historical comics, like Thomas der Trommler (a count's son during the Thirty Years' War is forced to join the army of general Tilly - who is responsible for the death of his parents).

Syndicated comics:


Examples:

The magazine itself:

  • Long Runner: Once a week (towards the end once in two weeks), for over 1250 numbers. Do the math.
  • Only One Name: Everyone in Yps & co, AND in the Yps-Team.
  • Seven-Year Rule: The articles about science, technics, history etc. Many gimmicks were also repeated, not that fans would mind.

Yps & co:

Yinni & Yan:

And later we see that he speaks perfect English - or German - anyway. Maybe he was talking gibberish.

Gespenster Gmbh:

Piffi:

  • Accessory-Wearing Cartoon Animal: Piffi wears a bowtie.
  • Catchphrase: "glop-glop" for Piffi. Or "nix glop" if things don't run well.
  • Furry Confusion: In one Piffi story, he is sent to school because Brutus is fed up with Piffi's catchphrase. A dog (four-legged and all) seeing this comments, Comically Missing the Point: "Good thing that I'm a dog!"
  • Stand-In Portrait: Piffi does it once. Brutus feels pissed off having to look at Piffi's smug face and starts making faces at the pic. When Piffi returns the favor, Brutus is so shocked he goes KO.

Bens Bande:

  • Big Eater: Saul, of the fat kind
  • Clever Crows: Nathan
  • Cool Old Guy: Butler Jean-Johann
  • Perky Goth: Tim is the son of a coffin-maker and often helps with the work. That's why he always wears black. This was before there was a real Goth movement (especially in small German cities), but otherwise he fits.
  • Quicksand Sucks: Saul thinks he fell into quicksand in one story, but it's just mud. And only hip-deep.
  • Team Pet: Nathan the raven
  • Theme Naming: Almost - Ben, Mirjam, Saul and Nathan are biblical names, and Tim (Timotheus?) is borderline.

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