The History of the Beano: The Story So Far [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

On the 30th of July 1938 a rainbow of colour emerged into the lives of children in bleak, pre-war Britain. The Beano was born. To celebrate its 70th year, and as a tribute to both yesterday s fans and today s enthusiasts, DC Thomson & Co. Ltd., and Waverley Books proudly present this lavishly illustrated history. Researched and written by DC Thomson staff writers, this account explains how the comic has evolved and innovated, examining the secret ingredients behind seven decades of success. Anarchic, anti-establishment and - above all else - funny, The Beano burst into life pioneering a new style of comic strip that combined graphics and text. Characters like Dennis the Menace, Roger the Dodger and Minnie the Minx were introduced to universal acclaim. Legendary writers and artists clocked on at what became known as 'The Fun Factory' to bring Britain s most-adored comic and characters, week after week, to generations of children. By the early 1950s The Beano had reached a weekly circulation of two million copies. Times may have changed since then but Dennis is still menacing, Roger is still dodging, and Minnie remains the definitive Minx. The Beano continues to build on its popularity, with a new monthly 'big-brother' edition called The BeanoMAX, and a third series of Dennis & Gnasher animation in production. These exciting developments mean The Beano is looking forward with confidence to its centenary in 2038. THE HISTORY OF THE BEANO is not only the fascinating story of the most famous comic in the World, but also a luxury keepsake which will be cherished and treasured for generations to come. Everyone loves The Beano; this history explains exactly why. Key features of this gift book include: Beautifully reproduced archival artwork published for the first time ever. Reveals secrets from the artists, editors and writers who were present on the shop floor of what became known as the fun factory . The War Years: how The Beano aided the propaganda campaign against Hitler and boosted the morale of a nation s embattled children... leading to its editor and star artist being targeted as potential victims of a Nazi assassination attempt! The Golden Years of the 1950 s, when The Beano sold over two million copies every week. Meet the characters who made this most successful comic ever! The creation of a cover star: from Big Eggo the Ostrich, to Biffo the Bear to Dennis the Menace. What are the secret ingredients of a front page phenomenon? Dennis through the years: the lovable rogue didn t always wear a red and black jumper! Beano Brain-training! Essential facts: The word Beano is a shortened version of Beanfeast , meaning a rowdy jollification. The first Beano went on sale on July 30 1938, seven months after the launch of sister comic, The Dandy. The first issue boasted 28 pages of comic strips, including: Lord Snooty and Tin Can Tommy, adventure strips, Wild Boy of the Woods and Morgyn the Mighty plus text stories with illustrations, including The Adventures of Tom Thumb. The first Beano cost 2d (less than 1p). The price remained exactly the same till 1960.