Beano Studios has just launched a new official Beano Fan Club, and there’s a smashing package of goodies to be had, including a Beano Fan Club wallet that echoes earlier clubs created around the weekly humour comic, and discounted purchase of upcoming Beano specials and next year’s annual.
The introductory membership package, aimed at children, includes two badges, club secrets, and a membership card you can personalise. There’s a special invitation to a blam-tastic, members-only online event, too.
“Think of it as a VIP backstage pass, to peek behind the scenes at Beano Towers,” say the BEANO team.
Become a member by 14th December 2023, and you’ll get this year’s personalised letter from the Editor, plus a Christmas card from Dennis, Gnasher and pals.
The new Beano Fan Club Packs will be issued in March, and the £20 launch package also includes next year’s Beano Summer Special, which will be published in June, next year’s 112-page Beano Annual (September) and the Beano Christmas Special (October) – which is quite an offer, as in total they’d cost you more than that in the shops, bought new.
Some BEANO fans will, of course, recognise echoes of the design for items offered by the Dennis and Gnasher Fan Club, launched back in 2018, in the introductory package for this new club, and older fans will remember the original Dennis the Menace Club, which started in 1976, but Beano publisher DC Thomson stopped taking new members in August 2010, in favour of developing the Beano.com web site.
Back in 1976, the original club cost just 75p to join and membership peaked at 1.25 million members, running for 22 years before becoming the Beano Club, which in 2010 had about 10,000 members, aged from seven to 70.
• To find out more and join today for just £20, head to the BEANO shop
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, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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Amazing offer, great value for money, bought this the other day. Feels great to have 2024 essentials already oredered 🙂
Shame doesn’t include Dandy stuff too (would’nt have minded paying £50 if it did).
I tend to just thumb through Dandy stuff as not great fan of most other than Winker Watson. This will denitiely make me think twice about buying Dandy stuff as offten it’s bundled with Beano stuff or I just buy to say thanks to DC for all the great years of fun.
Selling all that great Beano stuff at such low price, sadly indicates to me that sales are falling or something. Great for consumers but can’t imagine good for long run business.
Running a club as part of your comics publication is all about reaching and retaining your hardcore supporters, as well as giving them something extra. As with similar clubs and subscription packages offered by other publishers, this initiative is, in part, about building value for the brand, and securing sales of upcoming publications. Those discounts on cover price are welcome, and don’t forget purchase direct from the publisher means they benefit solely from the sale, and aren’t sharing revenues with a distributor. As ever, it’s a canny move from BEANO Studios / DC Thomson, who have utilised several methods to retain readership of their titles. There’s motive behind those “low prices”, but it certainly isn’t anything to do with declining sales.