Ageing Dandy gets a facelift at 70

The world’s longest-running comic is to introduce a line-up of new characters as part of a complete facelift, it was announced today.

The Dandy is being re-launched to appeal to a whole new generation of youngsters, said publisher DC Thompson.

Fans’ favourite Desperate Dan will still feature but the cow-pie munching strongman will be joined by “contemporary” characters, including Dreadlock Holmes, a streetwise “cool kid”, and Jak, a trouble-making schoolboy.

Another new feature is Office Hours, which will take readers behind the scenes as a “fictional” editorial team pulls together a comic from chaos.

The changes follow research by the publisher into the views of both children and adults, commissioned to bring The Dandy up to date.

DC Thompson hopes the new glossy comic, which goes on sale on October 7, will be “cool” enough to win over today’s seven-to-11 year-olds.

Published in Dundee for almost 70 years, The Dandy has become an institution in the comic world with characters like Desperate Dan, Korky the Cat and Keyhole Kate.

DC Thomson said the new storylines would challenge the constraints of political correctness, but with the usual emphasis on harmless fun.

Spokesman Ben Gray said: “While the Dandy still evokes nostalgia and loyalty amongst parents and grandparents who remember it from their youth, the comic has been finding it harder to grab the attention of seven- to-11-year-olds who are bombarded with so many entertainment choices.

“Kids need to be bowled over in the newsagents and then engaged by characters and stories they can really identify with.

“Our designers, illustrators and editorial team have come up with the kind of comic that kids today will really enjoy and we’re now looking forward to another 70 happy years of The Dandy.”