Dandy

Dandy Comic

The Dandy is a British children's comic published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd of Dundee, which was first issued on 3 December (dated 4 December) 1937, and is currently the longest running comic in the world, which it became as of issue 3007 (dated 10 July 1999). This beat the previous record holder, Comic Cuts, which ran for 3006 issues between 17 May 1890 - 12 September 1953. The original editor was Albert Barnes- legend has it that Desperate Dan's chin was based on Albert's own chin. He was succeeded by Dave Torrie in 1980, before Dave went to edit The Beezer when he was in turn succeeded by current editor Maurice Heggie. There have been several long-running strips over the years. The longest running strip in The Dandy is Desperate Dan who has been in all issues since the first one in 1937, bar a brief period in 1997 where he 'left' The Dandy, only to return for the comic's 60th anniversary issue in that year. Korky the Cat also featured in the first issue, and despite being quietly dropped in January 2005, he returned in November and still makes regular appearances in The Dandy today. Nutty merged with The Dandy in 1985, followed by Hoot in 1986.

An 8 foot bronze statue of Desperate Dan stands in the centre of his birthplace - Dundee. A first issue of The Dandy, complete with free gift, sold for a record £20,350 on 7 September 2004; the highest price ever paid for a British comic at an auction

As from issue 3282 (dated 16 October 2004) in an attempt to boost sales, The Dandy underwent a radical format overhaul. The comic was turned towards a more television-oriented style, now printed on glossy magazine paper instead of newsprint. The price was raised from 70p to £1.20 (99p for the first two weeks), a new comic strip called Office Hours appeared, and two supposedly new ones also started, though were actually revivals from a few years earlier. The first was Dreadlock Holmes, billed as The Dandy's first ethnic character (though this wasn't true either- Barney the Wonder Winger was the first back in the early-mid 1990s) and the second was Jak. The pictures were also increased in size.

Originally, Korky the Cat occupied the front cover, but Desperate Dan took over in 1984. Cuddles and Dimples also occupied the front page between 1999 - 2000, when Dan reclaimed his spot on the cover (most likely due to public demand). With the advent of the 2004 relaunch there is no longer a comic strip on the cover, just a picture (usually of Jak). Even through these image changes Desperate Dan and Korky have remained in the comic.

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