Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Discuss or comment on anything relating to Britain's longest running comic. The home of Korky the Cat and Desperate Dan. Has been running since 1937.

Moderator: AndyB

Raven
Posts: 2829
Joined: 16 Aug 2007, 22:58
Location: Highboro'

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Raven »

Phoenix wrote:
Raven wrote:presumably there are always quite a few issues printed ahead of their release.
It always used to be five.
I think the IPC ones used to be about ten, so I was assuming possibly similar.

AndyB
Throgmorton
Posts: 2322
Joined: 01 Mar 2006, 20:00
Contact:

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by AndyB »

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.

Raven
Posts: 2829
Joined: 16 Aug 2007, 22:58
Location: Highboro'

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Raven »

AndyB wrote: I don't want to see the Dandy close, but I can't see them not transferring characters to the Beano.
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.

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.

User avatar
-MikeD-
Posts: 372
Joined: 06 Jan 2011, 18:15
Location: Hull - UK
Contact:

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by -MikeD- »

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!
Last edited by -MikeD- on 14 Aug 2012, 12:21, edited 3 times in total.
My new art blog...beta version... http://mikedcuk.blogspot.co.uk

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Phoenix »

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.

User avatar
Digifiend
Posts: 7315
Joined: 15 Aug 2007, 11:43
Location: Hull, UK

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Digifiend »

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.

Shiner
Posts: 316
Joined: 29 Sep 2006, 23:33

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Shiner »

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.

Raven
Posts: 2829
Joined: 16 Aug 2007, 22:58
Location: Highboro'

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Raven »

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.

User avatar
Gilly
Posts: 404
Joined: 06 Oct 2011, 12:16

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Gilly »

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!

el293_comics
Posts: 10
Joined: 01 Aug 2012, 22:37

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by el293_comics »

This I really sad news! :( we can't let this happen.

Raven
Posts: 2829
Joined: 16 Aug 2007, 22:58
Location: Highboro'

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Raven »

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!

Phoenix
Guru
Posts: 5360
Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 21:15

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Phoenix »

Digifiend wrote:But the Guardian outright said it was closing
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.

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.

big bad bri
Posts: 1761
Joined: 03 Mar 2006, 15:50

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by big bad bri »

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.

User avatar
Digifiend
Posts: 7315
Joined: 15 Aug 2007, 11:43
Location: Hull, UK

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Digifiend »

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!

Lew Stringer
Posts: 7041
Joined: 01 Mar 2006, 00:59
Contact:

Re: Guardian article: The Dandy Faces Closure

Post by Lew Stringer »

Digifiend wrote:I can remember when the two comics were both 35p!
And people were complaining about the price then too!
The blog of British comics: http://lewstringer.blogspot.com
My website: http://www.lewstringer.com
Blog about my own work: http://lewstringercomics.blogspot.com/

Post Reply