Dandy on the brink?

[Trout]

I hope that if Dandy goes under the Company doesn't do a skip and pulp job on all its wonderful archived artwork (as has happened in the past).

Rest assured: no chance. A new, massive archive has been created.

[Frank]

Isnt merging The Dandy with The Beano an option?

Yesterday's Daily Record reported that Desperate Dan was set to become a regular feature in The Beano (LINK) ... but without any actual quotes or references to back that up. The print edition of that story had a nice Coup Pie headline, though- which only works if you read it in your best Billy Connolly/Mike Myers voice.

I'd be surprised if someone at DCT hadn't thought of bundling Dandy material with The Beano as a once-a-month incentive, similar to the way The Megazine incorporated 2000ad Extreme.

[SuperSurfer]

And Charlie Brooker's take on this.

Reports of the Dandy's death are greatly exaggerated
"Insulted by progress, affronted by change, they prefer everything kept just the way it was when they last saw it."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/19/reports-dandy-death-greatly-exaggerated?INTCMP=SRCH

[shaolin_monkey]

Hey, remember I mentioned that Dandy I had with the Jocks vs Geordies Dredd spoof?  I found it! Here it is! 

It was from an issue in 1983. I found it mixed up in my old 2000ADs.

[M.I.K.]

Somebody needs to show that to John Wagner.

Are you sure that's from 1983? Date on the pages would suggest '87.

[Dandontdare]

And Charlie Brooker's take on this.

Reports of the Dandy's death are greatly exaggerated
"Insulted by progress, affronted by change, they prefer everything kept just the way it was when they last saw it."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/19/reports-dandy-death-greatly-exaggerated?INTCMP=SRCH

I like the bit where he continues: "Anyone mourning the death of the print edition of the Dandy, even for half a second, is a staggering egotist who earnestly believes him or herself to be a supreme deity whose every belch and fart should be bottled for posterity. Jail the scum. Jail them hard. Jail their heads off. Throw the jail at them. Jail." (tip- read the rest of the article in context before leaping on that quote - he actually makes somegood points in a rather OTT way.)

[Buttonman]

"He's guilty of having an offensive face"

I didn't even know that was a crime! Quick get the cops to Proudhuff Mansions immediately!

[Satanist]

I like Brooker but is he actually suggesting that going electronic only is a good thing? Does every kid in the UK suddenly have access to ipads and pc's? How do you get the free gifts? Do you print the posters?

As an adult comic fan I have the option of both but would always choose paper.

In short he's talking shite!

[Steve Green]

Slightly related - there was a challenge on B3TA about British comics following the Dandy news.

I thought this was quite sweet.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I'd buy it for that strip alone 

[Dandontdare]

Is that one of Kev Sutherland's sneaky 2000ad references? He also managed a "gaze into the fist of Dennis" once, and a Bash Street Kids cover that was an homage to that classic old vs new x-men cover.

and he does funny things with socks.

[shaolin_monkey]

Somebody needs to show that to John Wagner.

Are you sure that's from 1983? Date on the pages would suggest '87.

You're quite right, sorry. It was issue no. 2394, dated October 10th, 1987.  That was my fairground mirror memory playing up again.

[Frank]

Hey, remember I mentioned that Dandy I had with the Jocks vs Geordies Dredd spoof?  I found it! Here it is!  It was from an issue in 1983. I found it mixed up in my old 2000ADs.

So that's where they got the designs for the Stallone film's uniform. Pity they didn't copy the bike too.

[rog]

Very, very sad news this

Was at the launch of the 75 years of the Dandy book at the Edinburgh Book Festival last week which was attended by the current editor and there was no mention of any problems but I am aware this has been bubbling away for a while.

Personally I think they lost their identity a lot (and a lot of readers) when they messed with the dandy Xtreme thing and then seem to have gone through a few re-brands and changes ever since, perhaps in increased desperation! I know my son (now 9) reads the Beano religiously but loves old Desperate Dan and Dandy's but didn't like the 'new' Dandy much for a long time. Ironically he now loves the latest version, still bemoaning the changes to Desperate Dan though, but perhaps it's all too late to save the comic

I hear the last issue will be on the 75th anniversary itself and will include a fee copy of the first - methinks that's a collectors edition of the future!

[Jim_Campbell]

As an adult comic fan I have the option of both but would always choose paper.

The target audience of the Dandy clearly feels differently, otherwise it would have sold better.

Cheers

Jim