DC Thomson, publishers of The Beano, have taken control of the thebeano.co.uk domain name from a Norfolk businessman. The Dundee-based company, which has been publishing The Beano for decades, took action against Stephen Fisher from Ellingham, who had registered the domain name. Internet… Read More ›
Beano
First issue of The Beano sells for £17,300 in latest Compalcomics auction
A rare copy of the first issue of The Beano, published in 1938, has sold for a whopping £17,300 in the latest Compalcomics auction – and other issues of the weekly humour comic also sold at good prices. “Bought for… Read More ›
In My View: Why The British Comics Industry is Far From Dead
It’s hard to credit but, strangely, there are some out there who claim the British comics industry is dead, ignoring the huge number of successful independent comics out there and a still-thriving news stand. Now, before anyone comments, I know… Read More ›
Lakes Festival Focus 2015: An Interview with Beano artist Zoom Rockman
Last year, in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, downthetubes brought you a number of interviews with creators attending the event – and we’re delighted to be able to run a series in the run up to their… Read More ›
Beano celebrates record-breaking run as a weekly comic, and Toytopia aims for another!
‘ Thanks to Guinness World Records, this week’s Beano (Issue 3800), on sale now in all good newsagents and sporting a new logo, confirms the comic’s status as the longest-running comic published weekly. The Beano is officially a record breaker! We’re the longest-running… Read More ›
Latest Compalcomics auction offers rare Beanos, Number Ones with free gifts… and more Dalek Swapits!
The Compalcomics August/September auction catalogue has just launched on the-saleroom.com and includes a number of early Beanos and plenty of Number One issues of various comics complete with with free gifts, including The Hornet from 1963, the girls comic Romeo,… Read More ›
British Comic Sales Figures: Winners and Losers (January – June 2015)
The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) sales figures for titles registered with the organisation were published this week and overall, despite an overall decline in magazine circulation figures – down an average 5.5 per cent – comics and children’s magazines continue… Read More ›
The Beano Takes Over Britain (well, British INTU shopping centres, anyway…)
Watch out for appearances by Beano artists and Stephen Butler, the author of the Diary of Dennis the Menace, at your local INTU shopping centre if you have one nearby. A Dennis the Menace summer promotion has just kicked off… Read More ›
Dennis the Menace – as you’ve never seen him before!
Here’s a version of The Beano‘s Dennis the Menace and Gnasher you probably never expected to see – and it may leave some purists seething. But not us! Ace artist Mike Perkins – perhaps best known for his work on… Read More ›
Morph to guest star in this week’s Beano
DC Thomson has teamed up with Aardman to bring Morph, the nation’s favourite clay character, to The Beano, everyone’s favourite comic this week. Newly-returned to our TV screens, Morph guest stars in the comic, sharing the cover with Dennis the… Read More ›
University of Dundee releases audio interview with Minnie the Minx artist Jim Petrie
The University of Dundee has released an audio interview with the late Jim Petrie, the artist best known for his work on The Beano‘s “Minnie the Minx”, documenting his career. Conducted by Rhoda Miller, the recording is part of the University… Read More ›
Comic Art “Colour Block” Beano, Asterix screen prints Launched
Regular readers will recall last month’s mention on downthetubes for Leading screen printer John Patrick Reynolds and his company Comic Art‘s Asterix the Gaul prints, complementing the company’s existing range of British comics-inspired art. Now, John has released a gorgeous range of “Colour Block” range – colourful… Read More ›
Let Worlds Collide! Beano Past and Present is latest Gibsons jigsaw
Gibsons have just released a terrific new jigsaw blending classic The Beano characters with their modern-day, Dennis the Menace and Gnasher-led counterparts. Gibsons Beano “Past and Present” Jigsaw Puzzle is the latest in the company’s popular line of The Beano games and puzzles, which… Read More ›
Beano becomes first comic to join hotel-focused digital download service
Gold Key Media has announced the addition of their first children’s comic, The Beano, to their innovative Media Box, a digital download service offered in hotels across the globe – meaning fans of the weekly comic won’t miss out on… Read More ›
Twang Your Thing with The Beano!
Suitable for menaces of all ages, JHS have added an Electric Guitar to their range of Beano-inspired instruments, featuring classic images from the worlds longest-running comic, plastered over its single cutaway full-sized body. The Beano Electric Guitar is the latest addition to the… Read More ›
British Comic Web Sites: Trawling the Statistics
Intrigued by things statistical this morning, I thought I’d have a look at the documented audiences for various British comics-related web sites – both publishers and news sites – on Alexa.com, which details their world rankings. As you can see,… Read More ›
“Minnie the Minx” artist Jim Petrie exhibition in Dundee
The latest comics exhibition at the Lamb Gallery at the University of Dundee is a memorial show for Minnie the Minx artist Jim Petrie. This special exhibition celebrates the work of artist Jim Petrie, who died in 2014. A former… Read More ›
New Dennis the Menace book on the way from Cavan Scott and Nigel Parkinson
Cavan Scott – whose credits include Doctor Who, The Beano, Judge Dredd, Skylanders, Angry Birds, Warhammer 40,000 and more, as well as his own novels and short stories – has written Dennis the Menace and Gnasher: The Golden Catapult for Puffin Books, to be released… Read More ›
Comics Are for Kids! A Quick Chat with “Funny Monsters Comic” publisher Joe Matthews
Fed up with the lack of new British humour comics being published by the major publishers, Rochdale-based comics creator Joe Matthews decided to publish his own. As we previously reported, Issue Three of his wonderful Funny Monsters Comic is… Read More ›
Rare Beanos, Dalek Swapits, Dan Dare and Adam Eterno art in latest ComPal Comics Auction
The catalogue for the latest ComPal Comics auction is online, which ends on 14th June 2015. The company now works with the-saleroom.com to provide real time bidding, viewable online, as bids are placed by the company’s customers who have registered their details…. Read More ›