Comics UK

hello, i've only just joined im 15 and my media GCSE is on comics. i have to make up my own character who is rebelious but also gives out a kind of health and safety message to younger children that read comics. i was wandering if somebody could help me with the age of the character....because the kids have to look up to this charcater to be able to take on board what they saying, but not sure what age the character should be! any reply would be appreciated

Angel xx

Generally you'd probably be best to make the character approximately the same age as the readers you're aiming it at, Angel. But if you look at the most popular comics in the UK (Beano and Dandy), you'll see that they come in all ages, shapes and guises, from Baby Bea (Beano) and Cuddles & Dimples (Dandy), to the grown up Desperate Dan, and the character I draw, Bananaman (who also has a child age alter ego).

Even the most rebellious of those characters, like Dennis the Menace or Jak in the Dandy, fit the model you're being asked to create, in that no matter the mischief they get involved in (and punishments that follow), they are held in high esteem by the readers.

The most popular characters tend to be the ones that the readers can associate with, rather than any with particular gimmicks or traits beyond being mischief makers. Most cartoon characters' actual ages are never referred to in the comic, simply because they are never allowed to age beyond their current look (Dennis the Menace would be in his 60s by now, had he celebrated a birthday every year since he first appeared in The Beano in 1951), so their implied ages are usually very vague and left up to the reader to guess. And my own guess is that unless the character's appearance is obviously that of a baby or adult, the age given it by the reader will correspond to their own.

So, basically, any age you want, Angel - but unless you are required to give an exact figure to it, I'd suggest you just describe your character as either baby, toddler, child, youth, teenager or adult (which also will have its own 'sub-groups').

Hope that's of some help, and best of luck with your media GCSE. I know there are lots of teenagers around the country doing this one. It'd be fascinating to see some of the papers, but at least keep us posted of how you get on, Angel (and any others out there who will be sitting this one).

that's a great help, thanks Steve Bright and yes i shall keep you posted. thanks again,

Angel x