Cover Story

IT FINALLY happened! After nearly two years of working on The Dandy since it’s last revamp, I’ve finally been afforded the great honour of drawing the front cover for the comic, for the latest issue (pictured above).

I was thrilled when Dandy HQ approached me to ask if I’d be interested in doing a cover, using Bad Grandad as its focus. I thought about it for approximately half a second, before declaring ‘YES!’

It was then I realised what I’d done. Draw a COVER? For The DANDY? Have my work right on the front there, for all to see? GULP.

After changing my freshly-soiled underwear, I decided to crack on. I’d already imagined Grandad at the forefront on his mobility scooter, as that’d be a nice, dynamic image to work with. That image alone would be good, I reasoned, but it’d probably work well with a little gag to accompany it, which is where the speed limit joke came from (I apologise for NOTHING).

Then I set about planning to draw a few people scattering out of his way – just generic, terrified people, before I realised I was doing the DANDY’S cover, so why not use some of their characters?

And so I added in Desperate Dan (based on Jamie Smart’s excellent version), Phil Corbett’s take on Korky the Cat, Helena the Demon from Alexander Matthews’ Grrrls!, along with my very own Constable Clod, and Dave the Squirrel (who completes his Dandy journey from infrequent cameos, to mini-strip stardom to front cover idol this week).

Et voilà, (as the French and pretentious English-speakers say), it was done. I sent off the finished coloured version to Dandy HQ, and they said they loved it, so the job was done!

And now here it is, in my hands and on shop shelves, and I’m very pleased with how it turned out, and think it looks quite striking and fun. I’m proud to have done it before the comic finishes its printed run, and proud to be among the likes of Jamie Smart, Wayne Thompson, Nigel Parkinson and Nigel Auchterlounie, all of whom have produced amazing covers over the past couple of years.

There you go. I think that about covers it! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaohmygodhelpme

The Dandy issue 3598 is out NOW for £1.99, and includes more Bad Grandad and Constable Clod inside, along with excellent new strips by Stu Munro, Alex Matthews, Dean Bhishma Rankine and the return of Corporal Clott by Nigel Auchterlounie! So buy it, already!

- Fanton.