Happy Birthday, BEANO, 85 today!

By John Freeman on July 26, 2023

Britain’s weekly BEANO comic celebrates 85 years of publication today, with a wraparound cover crammed with celebrities chose by readers.

First published in July 1938, the Beano crew soldiered through World War Two, danced through the 1950s and 1960s, re-energised up by creators like the late Leo Baxendale, and continues to delight children across the country to this day, with a lineup of ace creators such as Nigel Auctherlounie, Andy Fanton, Laura Howell, Nigel Parkinson, Lew Stringer, and many, many others – thank you to them all!

The characters on week’s cover are drawn by Nigel Parkinson, the cover itself assembled by the BEANO’s designer Mark McMail.

The BEANO still sells well over 40,000 copies a week – how many superhero comics can claim that kind of devotion?

The longest-running strip in BEANO is “Dennis the Menace“, which has been running for seventy years. Other long-running strips include “Minnie the Minx“, “Roger the Dodger“, “The Bash Street Kids” and “Billy Whizz“, still in the comic today, alongside newer characters.

2018 Facsimile Beano No. 1 - 1938 - sans Peanut — *2018 Facsimile Beano No. 1 – 1938 – sans Peanut, the much outdated mascot of the time*

The birthday issue, on sale in all good newsagents now, the comic also available on subscription, features a host of celebrity cover stars, all handpicked by the ultimate mischief experts… kids, natch! although whether they all read the BEANO, we can’t say for sure.

*Beano at 85 cover celebrities, chosen by readers*

Don’t be a party pooper, grab your copy from newsagents, now! Either join the party or suffer serious FOMO – it’s your call!

• Check out BEANO online at Beano.com for more fun, character guides, free comics and more

• Subscribe to BEANO here

John Freeman

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.