List of Dandy comic strips facts for kids

The Dandy was a popular British comic magazine that featured many different types of stories over the years. It had funny strips, exciting adventure stories, and even prose stories (which are like short written tales without pictures).

However, over time, The Dandy changed. In the 1950s, it started to remove the prose stories. Then, in the 1980s, the adventure strips were also phased out. Eventually, The Dandy became known mostly for its hilarious humour strips.

Famous Strips from The Dandy

The Dandy was home to many well-loved characters and stories. Here are some of the most famous ones:

Early Favourites (1930s-1950s)

• Korky the Cat was one of the very first stars of The Dandy, starting in 1937. He was a funny cat who had many adventures and appeared in the comic for a very long time, until 2005, and even made guest appearances later! James Crichton was his original artist.
• Desperate Dan also started in 1937 and quickly became one of the most iconic characters. He was known for his incredible strength and love for cow pies! Dudley Watkins was the first artist to draw Dan.
• Keyhole Kate was another original character from 1937. She was a curious girl who loved to peek into other people's business, often leading to funny situations. Allan Morley was her first artist.
• Freddy the Fearless Fly buzzed into the comic in 1937. He was a tiny fly with big adventures, often getting into mischief. Allan Morley also drew Freddy.
• Barney Boko was a humour strip that ran from 1937 to 1944, drawn by John R. Mason.
• Hungry Horace was a character who loved to eat, appearing from 1937 to 1958. Allan Morley was his original artist.
• Black Bob was a very popular story about a brave sheepdog. It started as a prose story in 1944 and later became a picture strip. Black Bob ran for many years, until 1982.

Later Classics (1950s-1980s)

• The Smasher first appeared in 1957 and was a long-running humour strip about a boy who caused a lot of accidental damage. Hugh Morren was the original artist.
• Ali Ha-Ha and the Forty Thieves brought laughter to the comic from 1960. This strip was a funny take on the classic Arabian Nights tale, drawn by the famous Ken Reid.
• Corporal Clott was a bumbling police officer who always found himself in silly situations. He started in 1960 and was drawn by David Law.
• Winker Watson joined in 1961 and was about a schoolboy who was always getting into trouble. Eric Roberts was the first artist for this popular strip.
• Brassneck was a humour adventure strip that began in 1964. It featured a character who was very tough and often got into exciting scrapes. Bill Holroyd was the original artist.
• Bully Beef and Chips started in 1967 and was about two friends, one a bully and the other his often-picked-on pal. Jimmy Hughes was the first to draw them.
• Peter's Pocket Grandpa (1975-1983) was a funny strip about a boy whose grandpa could fit in his pocket, leading to many funny adventures.

Modern Era (1980s-2012)

• Bananaman flew into The Dandy in 1985, having previously appeared in another comic called Nutty. He's a superhero who gets his powers from bananas! John Geering was the first artist for Bananaman in The Dandy.
• Cuddles and Dimples started in 1984. Cuddles joined later after a comic merger, making it a duo of mischievous characters. Barrie Appleby was the original artist.
• Beryl the Peril joined The Dandy in 1993. She's a mischievous girl known for her wild hair and even wilder pranks! Robert Nixon was the first artist for Beryl in The Dandy.
• Puss 'n' Boots also came from another comic, Sparky, joining The Dandy in 1993. It featured a cat and a dog who were always at odds.
• Blinky appeared in 1994, a younger version of the character Colonel Blink. He was known for his funny, short-sighted adventures.
• Jak and Todd became a cover star in 2004. Jak was a mischievous boy, and the strip later included his friend Todd. Jimmy Hansen was the original artist.
• My Own Genie (2005-2012) was a popular strip about a boy who had his own magical genie. Jamie Smart was the artist.
• Mr. Bean (2007 onwards) was a humour strip based on the popular animated TV series.

The Digital Dandy

After the printed version of The Dandy ended, the comic moved online! It became a digital comic, starting fresh with Issue 1. It even relaunched again in April 2013, once more beginning from Issue 1.

Some of the strips that continued in the digital version included:

• Desperate Dan
• Keyhole Kate
• Bananaman
• Brassneck
• Blinky
• The Numskulls (a popular strip originally from The Beezer)

Cover Stars

The front cover of The Dandy often featured its most popular characters. Here's who graced the cover over the years:

• 1937–1984: Korky the Cat (drawn by James Crichton and Charles Grigg)
• 1984–1999: Desperate Dan (drawn by Ken H. Harrison)
• 1999–2000: Cuddles and Dimples
• 2000–2004: Desperate Dan (drawn by Ken H. Harrison)
• 2004–2007: Jak (drawn by Wayne Thompson)
• 2007–2010: None (the comic had a different style without a single main cover star)
• 2010–2011: Harry Hill's Real Life Adventures in TV Land (drawn by Nigel Parkinson)
• 2012–2012: Bananaman (drawn by Wayne Thompson)

See also

• The Dandy
• The Beano
• List of Beano comic strips
• List of Beano comic strips by annual
• The Beezer
• List of Beezer comic strips
• List of Beezer and Topper comic strips