The beginning of the end for 'The Dandy' ?

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 05 Jun 2007, 12:10

If the rumours from Thomsons are true then in the next couple of months the 'Dandy' will lose its weekly status and become a fortnightly publication, with all the gloomy portents such a move implies. Obviously it would seem extremely unlikely that Thomsons would cancel their most veneable title in its 70th birthday year but its hard to see much of a future for it in 2008 and beyond without some reference to the dreaded word 'amalgamation'.

philcom55 · Post by **philcom55** » 05 Jun 2007, 12:22

Kashgar wrote:Obviously it would seem extremely unlikely that Thomsons would cancel their most veneable title in its 70th birthday year but its hard to see much of a future for it in 2008 and beyond

As with Bunty it seems that old comics don't actually die anymore - they just gradually fade away by printing more and more reprints, then going monthly, then reverting to Summer Specials and Annuals, then just Annuals. Alas poor Korky, I knew him well...!

- Phil Rushton

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 05 Jun 2007, 13:47

Have ot say that I would not be suprised if the Dandy went fortnightly then monthly , I keep seeing lots left on the sheles where I live - If that is the case then you can't really blame DCT they gave it a shot with a new approach altho I think they shoul dhave went further an beed more radical - personalyl the issues I bought of the Dandy I found pretty blant (witha few obvious exceptions) I think thr Beano brand name is just to strong even for the Dandy to compete against in the current comics market - a pity if it goes "bust" all the same but sems its not what kids want.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 05 Jun 2007, 15:01

Kashgar wrote:If the rumours from Thomsons are true then in the next couple of months the 'Dandy' will lose its weekly status and become a fortnightly publication, with all the gloomy portents such a move implies. Obviously it would seem extremely unlikely that Thomsons would cancel their most veneable title in its 70th birthday year but its hard to see much of a future for it in 2008 and beyond without some reference to the dreaded word 'amalgamation'.

Although I'd hate to see it "demoted" from weekly status it's worth bearing in mind that the majority of comics in this country are monthly, some come out every three weeks, and some fortnightly. Therefore it's not necessarily the death knell for a publication. Times change, and the retail market (and its customers) is more accustomed to monthly titles now.

Having said that, I was talking to a DCT sub the other week and he didn't mention anything about a change of frequency.

Lew

Post by **AndyB** » 05 Jun 2007, 18:19

I'd be surprised too. Still, you never know what will happen.

Big Simon · Post by **Big Simon** » 11 Jun 2007, 10:26

It's interesting to note that DC Thomson are making very obvious cutbacks across their titles.

The Dandy now has 7 pages of reprints each week, the Beano has 4 pages of reprints. 50% of all Fun Size titles feature totally reprinted material. This is the most desperate situation I've seen in their comics for decades.

And where are the 'Summer Specials' (usually promoted from Easter onwards, and in shops by now)? For the first time ever it looks like there are NO Dandy & Beano Summer Specials for 2007.

I hope the Dandy and Beano don't merge, but the Dandy website now only promotes 4 main characters in its biography section (Ollie, Dan, Cuddles & Dimples and Jak) - the same characters who made 'guest spots' in the 2007 Beano sticker album.

Are these hints of what's to come...?

I hope not.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 11 Jun 2007, 12:26

Big Simon wrote: The Dandy now has 7 pages of reprints each week, the Beano has 4 pages of reprints.

On a positive note, both Dandy and Beano feature as much if not more originated comic pages than they did 40 years ago. There's just more "extras" (feature pages etc.)

Lew

Big Simon · Post by **Big Simon** » 11 Jun 2007, 15:30

"On a positive note, both Dandy and Beano feature as much if not more original comic pages than they did 40 years ago."

Yes, agreed, more comic pages than 40 years ago, but far, far less comic pages than 5 years ago...

Gary Northfield · Post by **Gary Northfield** » 11 Jun 2007, 15:37

Big Simon wrote:
And where are the 'Summer Specials' (usually promoted from Easter onwards, and in shops by now)? For the first time ever it looks like there are NO Dandy & Beano Summer Specials for 2007.

I'm sure I read it somewhere, but hasn't the success of the glossy Beano various specials, i.e. Summer, Halloween etc, manifested into the new Beanomax monthly? I know there's definitely a Beanomax summer themed issue coming up.

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 11 Jun 2007, 16:30

Gary Northfield wrote:
Big Simon wrote:
And where are the 'Summer Specials' (usually promoted from Easter onwards, and in shops by now)? For the first time ever it looks like there are NO Dandy & Beano Summer Specials for 2007.

I'm sure I read it somewhere, but hasn't the success of the glossy Beano various specials, i.e. Summer, Halloween etc, manifested into the new Beanomax monthly? I know there's definitely a Beanomax summer themed issue coming up.

Last year we had three or four Dandy Specials, and several Beano Specials. I think they were to test the market for BeanoMAX which is a monthly "summer special". I heard there was going to be a Dandy Summer Special so maybe it will appear. I'm sure last year's didn't come out until July.

Times change, formats change. Panini have just launched the Spider-Man Summer Annual; a softback 64 pager (all reprint, sadly) but it's not in the old fashioned Summer Special format.

It's a struggle getting the chain stores and supermarkets to take summer specials and annuals (and comics in general). Publishers need to look to other outlets IMHO. Kids don't flock to newsagents now, but they go to computer games shops. Get comics in HMV and Game stores!

Trouble is, as someone (Steve?) pointed out the other week, kids don't go anywhere on their own anymore. We used to go to the town and tour the newsagents for comics when we were nine. I never see kids under the age of 14 in town without their parents now. So what chance of them discovering the world of comics for themselves? No wonder comics are aimed at pleasing the parents; they're the ones constantly overseeing what the kids are buying.

Perhaps the future for kids' comics is online or through subscriptions? No wonder DCT heavily promote these aspects.

Lew

MikeC · Post by **MikeC** » 12 Jun 2007, 11:52

I spoke to someone up there a few days ago and he was full of doom and gloom. All I managed to find out for sure was that it wasn't weekly any more and they didn't know about what strips were to be reprinted or if they were all going to be reprints. Quite sad, but who's got money to throw away on anything these days?

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 12 Jun 2007, 12:53

Have to say it does not bode well for UK kids comics if the Dandy does (slowly) begin to disappear but you can't really blame DCT (not that anyone has mind you)they have been promotinghte Beano and Dandy quite a bit - I ve sen free issues being given out in Schools, town centres, and only last weekend (9 june) when I was on the train to meet my mates in Glasgow the carrages were full of free Scotrail Beanos (no Dandy 's though) losts of the kids on board toojk them with them as they left infact only one was remaining inth ecarrage by the time I got to Glasgow (25 mins away) - I think there need to be a new approach to comics as it looks like hte traditional kids comic isn't popular anymore - then again Im sure everyone is looking for the magic formula

mr ed · Post by **mr ed** » 12 Jun 2007, 20:07

Just to confirm that a Dandy Summer Special has just gone to press. As Gary N. reported, there is also to be a themed BeanoMAX Summer Issue in July. Gary's Derek the Sheep has been booked to star in BeanoMax at the Movies out next week (shameless plug!).

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Jun 2007, 00:03

MikeC wrote:I spoke to someone up there a few days ago and he was full of doom and gloom. All I managed to find out for sure was that it wasn't weekly any more and they didn't know about what strips were to be reprinted or if they were all going to be reprints. Quite sad, but who's got money to throw away on anything these days?

They're still offering weekly subscriptions on the Thomson website.

Lew

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Jun 2007, 00:05

mr ed wrote:Just to confirm that a Dandy Summer Special has just gone to press.

Excellent. Hope it does well.

Lew

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