The Beano, Britain’s weekly humour comic published by DC Thomson, is on a recruitment drive for new staff for what looks like being a hugely ambitious new digital push for the title.
Announcing the recruitment drive on their official web site the comic declares they have some grand plans, which they aren’t revealing just yet but it does mean they’re looking for “amazing digital talent” to join the title and “be part of the exciting things we have going on behind the scenes”.
The roles will be based either in Fleet Street, London or Dundee, depending on your location. Ideally, the company say they would like people to start in January on fixed term contracts until approximately September 2016.
The comic is hunting content people with experience of creating and commissioning hilarious shareable videos, animations, gifs, memes, polls, quizzes and interactives. They are also looking for specialists including graphic designers and creative technologists to work with the digital content team to come up with fun interactives for kids.
They are hiring numerous digital content roles at all levels:
· Content Editor
· Senior Content Producers
· Content Producers
· Video Producers
· Assistant Producers
· Graphic Designers
· Creative Technologists
“Making kids laugh is in the Beano’s DNA, so if you’ve experience of comedy or entertainment, and know how to originate, produce and/or commission funny content for online audiences, then we really want to hear from you,” the announcement reads. “For all of these roles, an appreciation of a good fart joke will be an advantage.”
• For more information contact Jen Topping jtoppingATdcthomson.co.uk
• Read the full announcement here on The Beano’s official site
The Beano © 2015 DC Thomson
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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Creating Comics, Digital Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Aces Weekly artist Mal Earl to host Digital Art event in Cumbria 
The Beano launches major revamp, physical and digital, new TV show in the works? 
Mal Earl’s “The Bridge” features in new Volume of Aces Weekly 
The Dandy: What Just Happened?
Impending cancellation of the paper version? Fixed-term contracts implying an expectation that the “replacement” digital version will last less than a year?
This will basically only leave The Phoenix and Commando. Anything that’s 75% puzzles, online (and therefore ‘belonging to the world’, rather than one country), or self-published doesn’t count as a true replacement for paper comics.
I think you’re reading too much into this. DC Thomson already tried the digital only route with The Dandy and it wasn’t a success (sadly). The paper edition maintains the “brand” profile in all arenas. Very much doubt a digital only direction of The Beano is on the cards.