Beano and Commando publisher DC Thomson is back in its original Meadowside home in Dundee, after a huge operation to move their publishing arm from the company’s Kingsway site that lasted several weeks – and Beano and Sunday Post comic art designs have been chosen to adorn the revamped “Fun Factory”.
Over 600 staff – spanning the publishing company’s newspaper, magazines and digital media arms – are back in residence at the refurbished Meadowside offices, which have been converted from what used to remind this visitor of an old school building into open-plan office spaces.
DC Thomson worked with Sir Robert McAlpine and local architects and trades, including McGill, The Lindsay Gray Alan Beaton Partnership and Nicoll Russell Studios on the multi-million pound re-development and refurbishment project that began in 2013, which the company describes a “vote of confidence” on its future in Dundee.
To complement the new look, they’ve chosen designs by John Patrick Reynolds, who has had a licence from DC Thomson to make screenprints featuring its famous comic characters for about 15 years, for the walls of its new foyer.
Six designs from his screenprints featuring Dennis the Menace, Gnasher, Minnie the Minx, Desperate Dan, Oor Wullie and a portrait of Granpaw Broon and The Bairn have been blown up and hung on the walls.
Meadowside, which was built for DC Thomson in the early 1900s, originally opened in 1906. Its newspaper production will continue at its Kingsway printing presses. (The future of the remainder of the Kingsway site is currently being negotiated).
• All of John’s designs are available from thecomicartwebsite.com
• Read articles in the Dundee Courier (with video) and on the BBC web site about the redevelopment
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 - Current British Publishers, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News