Beano - 70 Years Young!
The best comic ever – so there!!!70 years young
Why has The Beano lasted and been such a success for so long?
Perhaps it is the strength of the characters, its timeless appeal to Grandfathers and Grandchildren alike or the fact that it is typically British, schoolboy humour.
The newsagents shelves may be filled with similar magazines and comics today but in the 1930’s, when D C Thomson launched the Beano, it’s style was innovative, fresh and amusing, raising it above the staid publications of the day such as ‘Funny Wonder’ and ‘Jester’.
The Beano was in fact the second such publication of its type from D C Thomson; ‘The Dandy’ had landed six months earlier to pave the way. Rather than the usual small illustration with reams of text, they were strip with short explanations underneath — the pictures spoke for themselves. To add to its freshness, its sheet size was smaller enabling children to handle it easier.
The first issue, selling for two (old) pence, hit the shelves on July 30th 1938 accompanied by a free gift. In true Beano style this was a whoopee cushion, becoming an immediate success. The only threat to its existence came in the form of paper and ink shortages during WWII. This was also to ultimately put an end to DC‘s third release ‘The Magic Comic’ which was pulled, The Dandy and Beano being then printed on alternative weeks . Ever conscious of the war efforts, readers were encouraged to put used comics in the salvage bin, resulting in issues from this period being highly prized. After rationing it again boomed, reaching a peak readership of over 2 million in the 1950’s.
Over the decades, many characters have come and gone including ‘Big Eggo’ a strange ostrich who graced the front cover of the first issue, remaining there for a number of years. The ultimate problem with him being the fact that no one could identify with him and plot lines revolving around a zoo are limited. The most famous of the residents of ‘Beanotown’ must surely be Dennis the Menace debuting in 1951, whose antics are the envy of most small boys. He was joined by an equally funny sidekick Gnasher the dog in 1968.
Other memorable characters include
- Lord Snooty
- The Bash Street Kids (initially entitled ‘When the Bell Rings’)
- Roger the Dodger
- General Jumbo
- Billy Whizz
And for the hundreds of little girls who pinched copies from their big brothers —
- Pansy Potter
- Biffo the Bear
- Minnie the Minx
In addition to the weekly issues, each year saw the Christmas Annual which has consistently featured in the yearly best sellers list, summer specials, a standalone ‘Plug’ comic and more recently the spin off mag ‘Beanomax’, a glossier, more magazine format with features, photographs, reports on real people and events launched in Feb 2007.
One group of fans who took the concept one step further was the ‘Viz’ creators. In 1979 this new adult magazine parodied the Beano with its characters such as Roger Mellie (The Man on the Telly) and Billy the Fish. Although maybe not to the pleasure of D C Thomson, the obvious aficionados have kept the nostalgia of the Beano alive.
In addition to printed matter, a plethora of merchandise and toys (in addition to the free gifts), have been released over the years– stationery, clothing, mugs, collectables and figurines. The publication itself can be a highly prized item, with a world record for a Beano standing at £12,100. This issue No 1.was in excellent condition having been stored for many years by a former employee of the Dundee firm D C Thomson, wartime issues can fetch up to several hundred pounds.
After 70 years it is still going strong, thanks to a growing readers club, loyal followers and consistency of storylines and illustrations.
Join in the celebrations by flinging a few mud pies, throwing the odd water bomb and generally making mischief!
See our Beano and Dandy items we have for sale.
