Newsflash! The Dandy goes... Xtreme!

Big Simon · Post by **Big Simon** » 25 Jul 2007, 12:19

In a depressing move for classic comic fans... but hopefully a positive one for kids... The 70 year old Dandy (the world's longest continuusly running comic) is being re-branded on 2nd August as...

Dandy Xtreme! (Those two words don't go together do they?)

A bloody awful title if you ask me - but if it saves the comic from going under we shouldn't grumble too much.

Dandy Xtreme will be published fortnightly and has a price hike to ?1.99, in a similar fashion to Beano Max. Looks like the first issue will feature... horror of horrors... Bart Simpson on the cover.

We are promised NEW JOKES, NEW COMPETITIONS and presumably...

NEW REPRINTS!

Yay!

Sheldon · Post by **Sheldon** » 25 Jul 2007, 13:56

Is this a joke? I stopped buying the Beano and Dandy a few months ago to move on to other things but I still browse through it occassionally.

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 25 Jul 2007, 17:08

It's no joke the Dandy is going fortnightly - and it seemsis being renamed as noted - I thinki ts a good move the Dandy is very stale and , well lets be frank kids ain't buying it the new magazine style and the fortnightly format might be whats needed - as Lew and others have said before weekly comics are no longer the norm in UK shops most are monthly and fortnightly - just the changing tides of taste - the magazine format of "Extreme" is very popular in Europe with titles like Kid Paddle and Tich etc selling very well - kids today like ot read about PC games, films, TV celebs etc

Spencer · Post by **Spencer** » 25 Jul 2007, 17:17

Hmm, so does anyone know what the story line-up is?

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 25 Jul 2007, 17:19

How did you findout this?

/

????

readee · Post by **readee** » 25 Jul 2007, 21:36

The name change seems a bit of a shame. Surely the content could have been altered without changing the name...

I really hope they'll continue the issue numbering. With the Dandy changing to a fortnightly, the Beano will eventually take over as the world's longest running comic (assuming that stays weekly).

Best,
Chris

rossmac · Post by **rossmac** » 25 Jul 2007, 22:28

readee wrote:The name change seems a bit of a shame. Surely the content could have been altered without changing the name...

I really hope they'll continue the issue numbering. With the Dandy changing to a fortnightly, the Beano will eventually take over as the world's longest running comic (assuming that stays weekly).

I agree- surely it could simply have remained the Dandy. As for longest running comic, what is it based upon? Years running or issue number? Unless the Dandy folds completely won't it always beat the Beano in terms of years running? I'm guessing issue number is important though as I have Dandy 3007 (which made it the longest running comic ever).

That is, assuming the name change doesn't negate that claim anyway- people could argue that 'The Dandy' and 'Dandy Xtreme' are two different comics! I guess not if they keep the issue numbers.

Regards,
Ross

kevf · Post by **kevf** » 26 Jul 2007, 07:50

On the plus side, I'm in this week's Beano. It's a strip called Rocket Pants starring Plug, and I manage to get Eagle number 1, Dan Dare and Elton John all into the first 4 pages. It's some of my favourite art so far, so do please grab and enjoy.

(I'm also in this month's BeanoMax but they're rewritten my dialogue for some bizarre reason and killed half the jokes, so you needn't bother with that.)

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 26 Jul 2007, 07:55

Maybe its to go along with Ollie Fliptriks Xtreme macines?

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 26 Jul 2007, 11:07

rossmac wrote:
readee wrote:The name change seems a bit of a shame. Surely the content could have been altered without changing the name...

I really hope they'll continue the issue numbering. With the Dandy changing to a fortnightly, the Beano will eventually take over as the world's longest running comic (assuming that stays weekly).
I agree- surely it could simply have remained the Dandy. As for longest running comic, what is it based upon? Years running or issue number? Unless the Dandy folds completely won't it always beat the Beano in terms of years running? I'm guessing issue number is important though as I have Dandy 3007 (which made it the longest running comic ever).

That is, assuming the name change doesn't negate that claim anyway- people could argue that 'The Dandy' and 'Dandy Xtreme' are two different comics! I guess not if they keep the issue numbers.

Regards,
Ross

Ironically, but nonetheless pertinent to the argument as to whether longevity should be measured in issue numbers or calendar time, while Dandy No 3007 was hailed as the issue that saw it become the longest running British comic title of all time when it beat Comic Cuts record, till then, of 3006 issues it still actually had to wait for over a year to overtake the record for the length of time that Comic Cuts was actually published. The reason being that the old AP title had been published on a fortnightly basis, during WWII and after, for longer than Dandy.
If Dandy Xtreme continues to be numbered with the old Dandy numbering then unless it folds I think it should maintain its position as Thomsons longest running comic irrespective of whether, in eighteen months time, the Beano overtakes it in terms of actual issues published. Of course, if Dandy Xtreme begins again from No1 then all that will count for nought as it will essentially be a new title despite having the word Dandy and presumably many of the old Dandy characters within its pages. If that is so then the Beano will overtake the Dandy and become Britain's longest running comic title within nine months.

Spencer · Post by **Spencer** » 26 Jul 2007, 16:23

So the last weekly Dandy should be on the shelves today

I can't get a copy till tomorrow.. Does anyone know if the 'next issue' page states what stories will be in or out in Dandy Xtreme ?

Big Simon · Post by **Big Simon** » 26 Jul 2007, 17:43

Rather tellingly, I thought, the teaser for the appallingly-named 'Dandy Xtreme' promises NEW JOKES, NEW COMPETITIONS... but no mention of new characters or cartoons...

I presume the new-style Dandy won't even be a 'comic' anymore. Every other page will be a video game review.

I wonder whether 'Dandy Xtreme' will even acknowledge the Dandy's 70th birthday in December....

Poor old Desperate Dan!

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 27 Jul 2007, 10:06

from Lews blog

These changes will no doubt have older readers shaking their heads in disbelief, and the great sorrow is that it's happened in the comic (sorry, magazine's) 70th anniversary year. However, The Dandy has always been first and foremost a children's publication and the facts are that 21st Century kids in the UK seem to prefer magazines to comics. (Why this is the case, when countries like Japan can still have a thriving comics industry, is a debate for another day perhaps.)

Why do kids not read comics......I thought the new Dandy had some great new styles.....e.g Jamie....

The Simpsons comic doesn't have tons of features and is a comic...the writing can be very grown up.....

when is a comic a magazine.......Beano max still feels like a comic to me..still lots of comic content

I hope Dandy extreem will loose the extreem later on....'the Dandy' writing looks quite traditional in fat letters and red...also hope the numbering continues no number 1 please.....

lets hope theres lots of comic content........no reprints and new comic talent coming through as well....

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 27 Jul 2007, 10:16

Peter Gray wrote:from Lews blog

These changes will no doubt have older readers shaking their heads in disbelief, and the great sorrow is that it's happened in the comic (sorry, magazine's) 70th anniversary year. However, The Dandy has always been first and foremost a children's publication and the facts are that 21st Century kids in the UK seem to prefer magazines to comics. (Why this is the case, when countries like Japan can still have a thriving comics industry, is a debate for another day perhaps.)

To put that extract into context:

http://tinyurl.com/2qn23e

By the way, I hear the numbering does continue from the weekly. And there's a surprise for Desperate Dan fans.

Lew

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 27 Jul 2007, 10:59

The Dandy, record holder of the world's longest running comic, "ends" with the issue on sale now... but is immediately regenerated next week, like Doctor Who, into a new form. From next Thursday (2nd August) the publication has a title change to Dandy Xtreme, switches from weekly to fortnightly, ups its price from ?1.30 to ?1.99 and ventures further into the magazine field, rather than the traditional comic format. (Although comic strip favourites such as Cuddles and Dimples will remain - with Desperate Dan reprinting classic Dudley Watkins strips.) The numbering will continue from the weekly, so the first Dandy Xtreme is in reality issue No.3426.

from Lews blog...

glad the numbering stays......and it will be nice to see Dudley D Watkins Desperate Dan......hope Ken has something to draw as well...

Comics UK