Dandy Relaunch next month

[Spencer]

I guess DCT are the experts and I actually DO admire them holding back any info for maximum impact at the time..

.........but I was just picturing the 50,000 Beano readers saying "Mum, can I get THIS next week as well as /instead of The Beano if I promise to keep my room tidy" or something of that ilk.

[Lew Stringer]

I've been told on another forum...

I took a look at that forum (a private members-only one). The person who posted his comments would not have had access to the comic so I don't know why he said that.

.........but I was just picturing the 50,000 Beano readers saying "Mum, can I get THIS next week as well as /instead of The Beano if I promise to keep my room tidy" or something of that ilk.

They could still say that next week. The Dandy will be on sale for 7 days so that's enough time to tidy a room. (Unless it's overflowing with comics like mine. )

[Digifiend]

No clues in this week's Beano chaps. The 'mystery gift' in my copy was a 'batapult' and there is nary an advert in sight for the New Dandy.

I can understand keeping it under wraps but thought maybe worth advertising that NEXT WEEK you can get the new Dandy ... Big it up a little to coin a phrase that I hate..

Hopes resting on a Weekly News front page EXCLUSIVE tomorrow now......

Batapult? A bat themed slingshot I assume (name seems to be a portmanteau of bat and catapult). I don't see why they had to keep that a mystery (I'm buying my copy later, along with the final Classics). I'm surprised they didn't even do what they did in 2004, with an ad revealing no details other than the price, issue date and the logo (which has been publicly revealed already anyway thanks to their Twitter and Facebook launch). Oh well. We'll know everything in a matter of days anyway.

[Lew Stringer]

Batapult? A bat themed slingshot I assume (name seems to be a portmanteau of bat and catapult). I don't see why they had to keep that a mystery

Because not every edition of the same comic has the same free gift. That's the mystery, - which one you'll get.

[Digifiend]

I realise that now, didn't when I said that though. My mystery gift was a glow-in-the-dark skeleton. And as Beano has four gifts (including a Fun-Size Beano) next week for £2.25, The Dandy will be the cheapest comic available next week. That should work to it's advantage.

[kevf]

This morning, doing my Comic Art Masterclass, I opened with the question "who can name me a comic, or a comic strip, or a comic character?" and the first answer was "The Dandy".

This never happens. I told them about Harry Hill. So if it isn't true, a class of year 5s in Wakefield... probably won't remember I said anything.

Kev F

PS: After the kid had said The Dandy I was then embarrassed that I can't draw any Dandy characters (okay, Desperate Dan) out of my head, and I didn't have a Dandy in my pile of comics to copy from. I look forward to having that problem sorted soon.

[NP]

This morning, doing my Comic Art Masterclass, I opened with the question "who can name me a comic, or a comic strip, or a comic character?" and the first answer was "The Dandy".This never happens. I told them about Harry Hill.

what about Harry Hill?
He was on the front of TOXIC last month, and on the BeanoMAX cover in Feb 2009. It happens.

[kevf]

Aha, so Harry Hill isn't the big secret? Brilliant.

Now I'm excited again. And still guessing what the big twist will be.

Kev F

[Lew Stringer]

Aha, so Harry Hill isn't the big secret? Brilliant.

Now I'm excited again. And still guessing what the big twist will be.

Kev F

Did anyone say there would be a "big twist"?

[kevf]

Did anyone say there would be a "big twist"?

I'm just going by this bit in Nigel's blog where he says:

To be honest, the new Dandy has been a dream of the editor's for a couple of years. All new strips, all funny. But making it happen was nigh-on impossible with the cautious nature of the economy and publishing these last two years.
Until the editor had an idea.
What was needed was something so unusual, so daring, so big, so appealing, that all the other components would slot into place naturally. So he asked me if I could help, by circumventing the usual red tape and long negotiations that would normally surround such a big step and often prove so daunting that proposed projects never see daylight. I was sceptical, but I made The Phone Call. And it took 5 seconds to make it happen!

So it's the "something so unusual, so daring, so big, so appealing" we're getting excited about and trying to second-guess.

Kev F

[Spencer]

Agreed Kev - that's the part that's still very puzzling.

It can't JUST be the fantastic news that it is going to be:
-weekly
-(nearly) full of comic strips by our favourite artists
-cheaper
-heavily promoted and (hopefully)
-more available
...all of these being very 'appealing' points, but none could really be claimed to be either 'daring', 'unusual', or even 'big' .....

Still, only 6 days till D-Day! I'm already buying 3 copies as BOTH of my sons want a copy and, of course, I want my own as well

[NP]

I'm already buying 3 copies

This I like a lot

...it's the "something so unusual, so daring, so big, so appealing" we're getting excited about and trying to second-guess.

That's four things.

[philcom55]

I must say it's tremendously heartening to hear the amount of enthusiasm all these creatives are expressing for the new Dandy - and tremendously rare for any normal relaunch! I wonder why they seem to have such a personal stake in its success?

Hmmmmmm.....!

It's going to be a new Oink isn't it??? (though hopefully without the pigs! )

- Phil Rushton

[Lew Stringer]

Hmmmmmm.....!

It's going to be a new Oink isn't it??? (though hopefully without the pigs! )

- Phil Rushton

Maybe one pig?

[Spencer]

I must say it's tremendously heartening to hear the amount of enthusiasm all these creatives are expressing for the new Dandy

- Phil Rushton

Phil - I personally don't have a creative bone in my body and I am also extremely enthusiastic about it