The nation’s favourite wildchild, Dennis the Menace, turns 65 this month and an exhibition of screenprints featuring him is being held to celebrate in London.
The iconic character from The Beano comic created by David Law made his appearance in the edition dated 17th March 1951.
65 years later, he’s still going strong – and has become the star of TV, children’s books … and handmade, limited edition screenprints.
Artist John Patrick Reynolds, whose fab work we’ve featured before on downthetubes, is staging a show at The Showcase, 33-35 St John’s Square, London EC1M 4DS from Tuesday March 29 until Sunday 3rd April.
He is the first and only screenprinter to be given permission by The Beano publisher, DC Thomson, to select images for his work from their extensive archive.
“We all grew up with Dennis the Menace and the nation has taken him to its heart, we identify with his anarchic rumbunctious approach to life,” said Reynolds, “so it’s a pleasure and a privilege to be his official screenprinter.”
Reynolds will be producing a special edition of the very first Dennis the Menace strip to exhibit and sell at his show.
• You can see Reynolds’s range of screenprints – which also include other classic comic characters – at www.thecomicartwebsite.com
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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