Classics of the Beano 70 years next Month..end of July

[Jonny Whizz]

I think Fred's Bed must have started before Billy Whizz got his tracksuit in the Beano, because one of the strips they reprinted in the Beano (the one where Fred went to Beanotown and Dandytown), Billy appears, still in his old red T-shirt. It's difficult to directly correlate, but I think that's a pretty good guide, as since he got the tracksuit Billy has nearly always been drawn with it. Also, that Fred's Bed strip was drawn by David Parkins, who was also drawing Billy at the time, though I believe David drawing Fred (ghosting Tom Paterson's style) led to Trevor Metcalfe filling in for him on Billy, and ultimately Vic Neill (who also filled in on a few occasions), taking over as permanent artist in 1993.

If anyone's got the issue that strip was reprinted in (3419 16th February 2008 I think) then look carefully in one of the panels, where you can see the 'Beano office' next to the 'old joke factory' or something. I'm surprised that one wasn't whited out when it was reprinted in the Beano, as it's a joke at that comic!

[Digifiend]

lol, good point about the old joke factory gag, they should've altered it to say Dandy Office instead of Beano Office.

Can't see Fred's Bed being to blame for a Billy Whizz artist change in 1993, since Fred ended that year due to the demise of the Beezer and Topper.

[Jonny Whizz]

I believe David Parkins was drawing Desperate Dan in around 1993-1994 (ish), and also The Three Bears in the Beano, as well as Billy and Fred. To be sure, we'd need to know the date of the last issue of the Beano that David drew Billy in. I don't think that David drawing Fred would have led to him quitting Billy Whizz, but it would have added to his workload, which could be why Trevor Metcalfe and Vic Neill started sharing Billy, with Vic ultimately becoming the sole artist.

As an aside, does anyone have the 1995 Beano book? I'd like to know who drew Billy Whizz, especially as he had no less than three regular artists at the time.