3 Aug
2011

Posted in: Blog, Pictures, Words
By Fanton    3 Comments

Brand New Dave

TODAY’S the day, chums! Dave the Squirrel finally makes his leap from comic cameos to being the star of his own brand-new mini strip, only in this week’s Dandy!

After countless little appearances in George vs Dragon and Harry and his Hippo, Dave the Squirrel seemed to be quite popular with readers (such as Dandy reader George Shiers, who went so far as to set up a Facebook page about him!) and so when I pitched the idea of Dave getting his own little series, Dandy bosses quickly agreed and here we are now! HURRAH!

Dave will be appearing in about 12 little strips over the next few weeks, where you’ll meet some of his other chums, AND his greatest enemy….

Meanwhile, the keen-eyed among you will notice there’s no George vs Dragon this week – EGADS! BUT! Fear not, dear hearts, for George vs Dragon is only on a little break, and will return in a couple of weeks’ time. PHEW!

And besides, there’s still plenty of other treats in this week’s issue, such as Tiny’s Temper by Stu Munro; Bananaman by Wayne Thompson and new strip Cheryl’s Mole by Chris McGhie – all for £2.50!

Meanwhile, on The Dandy’s official Facebook page, I’ve drawn the third part of the online exclusive comic, ‘Pass the Peril’, featuring Dandy classic Beryl the Peril. Steve Beckett and Nik Holmes have already done the first fab two parts, and here’s a sneaky peek of my contribution – and is that a certain squirrel popping up there?

Read the whole thing HERE!

In other non-Dandy news, my long neglected webcomic The Carrotty Kid has spluttered back into life over the past couple of days, with a new strip up on the site RIGHT NOW:

It even features a little cameo from that squirrely superstar Dave – so go check it out!

Tata for now!

- Fanton.

27 Jul
2011

Posted in: Blog, Pictures, Words
By Fanton    6 Comments

Always Keep A Dandy Sandy

IT’S WEDNESDAY, it’s the summer holidays, so it must be time for another bumper-sized edition of The Dandy to hit the shelves! PAZOW!

Upon catching sight of the latest issue in the shops, you’ll immediately notice something different – the front cover bears a different logo (see above) and sports a different layout, similar to the free edition given away with the Sunday Post a couple of weeks ago. I have always had a fondness for that alternative logo design, so it’s nice to see it get a bit of an airing.

But enough about the cover! What’s inside, I hear you cry (that WAS you, yeah? Or was it the voices in my head?)

Well, as the summer holidays kick off (though you wouldn’t really know it to look outside), George and Dragon both take to the beach for some sandcastle building antics in this week’s George vs Dragon:

If I may parp my own horn here (which I may, as it IS my blog) I really like this strip, it’s one of my favourite GvDs. I originally pitched it as a two-page summer special, but when that didn’t work out I condensed it into one page, and am still quite proud of it. Yes!

Elsewhere, we have some rather sad news – it’s the final episode of the second series of Harry and his Hippo – altogether now: AWWWWWWWWWW. But the pair go out fighting, as they meet up with arch-rivals Rory and his Rhino again:

I hope you’ve enjoyed the second run of Harry and his Hippo, and if you’d like to see them return again then let The Dandy know -it’s YOUR comic, after all! Contact the editor at editor@dandy.com, or drop them a line on their Facebook or Twitter pages!

As well as that, there’s the glorious return of Lew Stringer’s excellent Postman Prat, a two-page Harry Potter-inspired Korky the Cat by Phil Corbett and more terrific Tiny’s Temper by Stu Munro. WHEEEEE!

PLUS! This week’s issue also trailers a new mini-strip starting next week – yes, ladies and gents, Dave the Squirrel’s spin-off debut commences in the very next issue! HOORAY! In anticipation of the little fellah’s starring role, here’s a sneaky-peek at one of his first (mis)adventures. ENJOY!

- Fanton.

20 Jul
2011

Posted in: Blog, Pictures, Words
By Fanton    9 Comments

School’s Out, Get The Dandys In

SCHOOOOOOL’S OUT for Summer, as Alice Copper once sang. And how right the make-up wearing metaller was, for schools up and down the land are gearing up for the summer break now,  unleashing hordes of kids upon the populace for six weeks. And what better way to keep them entertained through the break than by buying The Dandy every week!

This week’s issue features a school-based episode of Harry and his Hippo (pictured above), as Harry tries to convince his teacher that Hippo is just an ordinary schoolboy. Plus there’s a couple of sneaky cameos from old Dandy characters from the past – can YOU name them? CAN YOU?

From schooling to soothing next, as George gets his future read by a soothsayer in the latest George vs Dragon. Is he really destined to ‘rise higher than ever before’? Pick up this week’s issue to find out!

George and Dragon also pop up in an excellent little cameo in Nik Holmes’ brilliant Clown Wars strip, so there’s a little extra medieval mirth to enjoy!

PLUS! All the usual great comics (including a welcome reprint of Jamie Smart’s wonderful My Own Genie), spoofs and STUFF, AND three gifts, including SWEETS. Yum, sweets!

That’s The Dandy issue 3544, priced £2.50 and out NOW.  Buy it, or I’ll set Alice Cooper on you.

- Fanton.