I think the IPC ones used to be about ten, so I was assuming possibly similar.Phoenix wrote:It always used to be five.Raven wrote:presumably there are always quite a few issues printed ahead of their release.
Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Moderator: AndyB
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
If true, it appears that DCT have given the new Dandy two years to get itself back in order, and seen things get worse rather than better. I can only conclude that the damage caused by the Xtreme era was too severe to recover from.
I don't want to see the Dandy close, but I can't see them not transferring characters to the Beano.
I don't want to see the Dandy close, but I can't see them not transferring characters to the Beano.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Thing is, if Dandy is doing quite badly saleswise, would it really benefit Beano to have the comic merge with it? Does Dandy have enough readers (assuming another big drop since last time) to make it worth trying to carry them over, if Beano is actually doing (relatively) much better the way it is? Is Desperate Dan popular enough in 2012 to add to the Beano roster? (That's the only one "iconic" enough to be considered, probably?) The two comics also have quite different styles.AndyB wrote: I don't want to see the Dandy close, but I can't see them not transferring characters to the Beano.
I think mergers may be a thing of the past, when even the "failing" title still had a massive enough amount of readers to attempt shifting them over.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Well, I guess when I noticed The Dandy had been pulled from the official circulation audit I feared it's future was in doubt. It's relaunch was brave, and DCT stood square behind it, and backed it with real cash, but I guess this just proves that the market isn't there for original old-style kids comics.
Which is a crying shame for everyone who worked hard to make the comic work.
It could still survive - remember 6music? Threatened with closure it's fans rallied to the cause and boosted the listenership to 1 million which caused an eleventh hour reprieve. I'm guessing we don't have long to attempt a similar resuscitation job on The Dandy…we need 1 million readers!
Which is a crying shame for everyone who worked hard to make the comic work.
It could still survive - remember 6music? Threatened with closure it's fans rallied to the cause and boosted the listenership to 1 million which caused an eleventh hour reprieve. I'm guessing we don't have long to attempt a similar resuscitation job on The Dandy…we need 1 million readers!
Last edited by -MikeD- on 14 Aug 2012, 12:21, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
I've just compared the online articles from The Guardian (20.04 BST) and BBC News - Tayside and Central Scotland (22.08), and I can report that everything in the BBC News online article had appeared earlier in the much more detailed online article presented by The Guardian.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
But the Guardian outright said it was closing, which isn't true, it's just under threat closure pending a review.
I think if it does go, it'll be like when Beezer and Topper folded. Bananaman will certainly continue, since he's already in the Beano. Question is, would it remain in reprints, or would the Dandy's version transfer over? Dan is iconic enough that he could also be transferred, but Jamie Smart's style might be too much of a mismatch for the rest of the comic (indeed, that's a reason why Nigel draws him for the annuals instead, as those are currently designed to be more nostalgic). I could see Ken Harrison reprints being used.
I think if it does go, it'll be like when Beezer and Topper folded. Bananaman will certainly continue, since he's already in the Beano. Question is, would it remain in reprints, or would the Dandy's version transfer over? Dan is iconic enough that he could also be transferred, but Jamie Smart's style might be too much of a mismatch for the rest of the comic (indeed, that's a reason why Nigel draws him for the annuals instead, as those are currently designed to be more nostalgic). I could see Ken Harrison reprints being used.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Sad news but I haven't seen a copy available locally for ages. My children's only exposure to comics is at the supermarket and so a Tesco exclusive Dandy with guaranteed shelf space is the only way they're going to come across it.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
The Daily Mail have now picked up the story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml
and the Scottish Daily Record:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-wo ... er-1260182
"DC Thomson last night admitted they were looking to close the magazine – but promised to try to revive the title online."
I expect it'll be all over the papers over the next couple of days, regurgitating the same sentences, but maybe that'll prompt a more thorough official statement.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml
and the Scottish Daily Record:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-wo ... er-1260182
"DC Thomson last night admitted they were looking to close the magazine – but promised to try to revive the title online."
I expect it'll be all over the papers over the next couple of days, regurgitating the same sentences, but maybe that'll prompt a more thorough official statement.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
I'm gutted and I really hope this isn't true but could this be the beginning of the end for Comics in print, they said Desperate Dan could continue online?
Another point is that The Beano is offering free digital subscriptions with this Golden Ticket promotion, could this be to encourage readers to switch to the digital version so they can eventually close the print version?
Whatever happens I hope they don't move Desperate Dan into The Beano, that would just be wrong and I would prefer him to go down with the sinking ship that is The Dandy!
Another point is that The Beano is offering free digital subscriptions with this Golden Ticket promotion, could this be to encourage readers to switch to the digital version so they can eventually close the print version?
Whatever happens I hope they don't move Desperate Dan into The Beano, that would just be wrong and I would prefer him to go down with the sinking ship that is The Dandy!
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Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
This I really sad news! we can't let this happen.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Quite a few comments are building up after the Guardian article now. It'll be interesting to see how people react.
A few telling comments about distribution:
"Good grief, I thought that the Dandy had long since died!"
"I'm actually suprised (sic) it was still going."
"Lack of availability probably doesn't help. It's moderately difficult to find a Beano, almost impossible to find a Dandy......."
" ... was surprised the Beano or Dandy were still going to be honest, I haven't seen a copy of them in ages."
A few on price:
" ...bought a Dandy and a Beano last night for my nephews and got a couple of pence change from £3.50 - quite expensive for a couple of weekly comics I thought. Children especially boys love comics - maybe they just need to be priced more reasonably and marketed better."
"£1.99? 2 quid a copy!?!
That little factoid should be at the top of the article, because it gives a very good reason why no one is buying it!"
"£1.99? Bloody hell, no wonder no-one's buying it. It's a shame to see it go, but maybe if they'd kept the price sensible it might lave lasted a while longer."
And an interesting one:
"It's odd, the Dandy always seemed less dated than the Beano yet are (sic) completely being destroyed in comparison, I suppose the Xtreme factor and deciding that kids today want to see celebrity comics totally killed it. They forget that the majority of schoolkids buying it were the ones who had glasses and were a little awkward and didn't care that much for pop culture because it was filled with fun fantasy stories.
If you turn away your core audience trying to 'spice up' your product then don't act all surprised and blame other sources like television when it backfires spectacularly."
One perhaps worth paying attention to in the Mail comments section:
"My children loved their comics as do their children but I had to stop buying them as they are just far too expencive (sic) these days."
And a few one might perhaps have expected from the Mail ...
" ... and political correctess has probably removed much of theircontents (sic) attractiveness too!!"
"The 'Beano' was always the better magazine. Even allowing for the dreadful PC attitudes that harmed the main characters it still contains more fun than the 'Dandy.'"
DARN YOU, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS!
A few telling comments about distribution:
"Good grief, I thought that the Dandy had long since died!"
"I'm actually suprised (sic) it was still going."
"Lack of availability probably doesn't help. It's moderately difficult to find a Beano, almost impossible to find a Dandy......."
" ... was surprised the Beano or Dandy were still going to be honest, I haven't seen a copy of them in ages."
A few on price:
" ...bought a Dandy and a Beano last night for my nephews and got a couple of pence change from £3.50 - quite expensive for a couple of weekly comics I thought. Children especially boys love comics - maybe they just need to be priced more reasonably and marketed better."
"£1.99? 2 quid a copy!?!
That little factoid should be at the top of the article, because it gives a very good reason why no one is buying it!"
"£1.99? Bloody hell, no wonder no-one's buying it. It's a shame to see it go, but maybe if they'd kept the price sensible it might lave lasted a while longer."
And an interesting one:
"It's odd, the Dandy always seemed less dated than the Beano yet are (sic) completely being destroyed in comparison, I suppose the Xtreme factor and deciding that kids today want to see celebrity comics totally killed it. They forget that the majority of schoolkids buying it were the ones who had glasses and were a little awkward and didn't care that much for pop culture because it was filled with fun fantasy stories.
If you turn away your core audience trying to 'spice up' your product then don't act all surprised and blame other sources like television when it backfires spectacularly."
One perhaps worth paying attention to in the Mail comments section:
"My children loved their comics as do their children but I had to stop buying them as they are just far too expencive (sic) these days."
And a few one might perhaps have expected from the Mail ...
" ... and political correctess has probably removed much of theircontents (sic) attractiveness too!!"
"The 'Beano' was always the better magazine. Even allowing for the dreadful PC attitudes that harmed the main characters it still contains more fun than the 'Dandy.'"
DARN YOU, POLITICAL CORRECTNESS!
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
The sentence DC Thompson (sic) announces plans to retire The Dandy, at the end of the key dates summary, may well be phrased a mite carelessly, Digi, but it is intended to be read, if at all, in the light of the preceding article, which contains the comment the title is expected to cease publication shortly, according to insiders. I don't think the spokeswoman is one of those insiders. She is just saying what any company spokesperson would say under similar circumstances when any media representative comes nosing round in search of a story. Don't misunderstand me, Digi, I will be extremely sad if The Dandy folds. It will be like losing a limb. I was reading it between roughly the ages of six and ten, and, on balance, I always preferred it to The Beano, but it was a close-run thing. Allan Morley swung it. I moved on to Thomsons' story papers, as you know, and I have a house full of their products. The company is embedded in me as if I were a stick of Blackpool rock.Digifiend wrote:But the Guardian outright said it was closing
But times change. We move on. I have lived through far more amalgamations and closures than you have, Digi, some sadder than others, but I'm still here and I've constantly adapted to the changed circumstances. DC Thomsons are still here too, and they will adapt to any future amalgamations and closures. So will you.
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Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
Perhaps DCT should try a price drop & sell at say 75-99p every week and that might see sales leap,because to be honest i cant afford £3.50 every week either & the only reason i do still buy them at that price is because i have most beano & dandys going right back to the 70s & just wanna continue & build on my own collection.
Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
No can do. The reason for the increase from £1.50 to £1.99 was that they were losing money - the Beano gets away with it's £1.50 price due to it's far higher sales, and thus better income. Unfortunately, it is true that comics in general are no longer at pocket money prices, I can remember when the two comics were both 35p!
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Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure
And people were complaining about the price then too!Digifiend wrote:I can remember when the two comics were both 35p!
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