Does the Beezer deserve more recognition?

davey_r · Post by **davey_r** » 30 Oct 2006, 00:40

Does anyone else think Beezer got a raw deal? I always found it a lot more interesting than Beano or Dandy, with much more original ideas. Strips like The Numbskulls, Baby Crockett, Colonel Blink, The Bad Lads, etc, captured my imagination far more than the two flagship comics, which I always found a bit superficial somehow... there was something a bit more special and exciting about the Beezer.

But, whilst everyone in the country knows of the Beano and Dandy, I've yet to find anyone outside of comics fandom who's even heard of Beezer or Topper.

It's nice in a way that Beezer remains "cult", but I have to wonder why it didn't get more recognition...

Was it just not that good? Or did it just not get the breaks it deserved?
You could ask all the same questions of the Topper as well (though I didn't find that quite as magical as the Beezer). Are there any other people who hold a special place for this seemingly barely remembered companion duo to Beano and Dandy?

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 30 Oct 2006, 13:39

I like The Beezer more now......

The best of Beezer really showed some great stuff. Loved the Banana Bunch posters when they take on the police in different situations....they're amazing.

The Beezer got better for me in 1988 onwards.......
I liked True Brit taking on the Silly party drawn by Robert Nixon.
Also Adrian the Barbarian was super......love to see that in the Beano again.....I love strips which are wacky and fun.

Baby Crockett got really nice with all the pictures surrounding the story.

Phoot and mouse is great......a elephant and a mouse....with lots of silly jungle background by Tam Paterson. Like a flock of very rare Tanzanian tree rhinos.....Tarzan loosing his false teeth all the time.

I liked buying the Beezer annual and summer special.......it gives the artists something different to draw and Tams Paterson Banana Bunch and Nigel P did a great story which appeared in The Dandy just before the revamp which would have been in the new Beezer annual if it exsisted....oh well......

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 30 Oct 2006, 17:45

Nigel P drew the strips in the 2002 special for Banana Bunch. BRING BACK THE BEEZER!!!!! ....and The Topper...!

davey_r · Post by **davey_r** » 31 Oct 2006, 00:36

It would be nice if the Beezer and Topper annuals were still going at least... even if it was alternating years...

Conor B · Post by **Conor B** » 31 Oct 2006, 17:41

Or mixed...

In my Beezer special it has Trick Dicky and Fred's Bed reprints, and a new Mickey the Monkey, who were all from the Topper side!

Captain Storm · Post by **Captain Storm** » 28 Feb 2007, 01:57

The Beezer was infinitely better than Beano or Dandy which are incredibly banal.I loved it as a broadsheet.Ginger,Colonel Blink et al!!!!Recently I came across a Best of Beezer No.3 published in 1990.It carried reprints of strips from 1963.Brilliant!

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 28 Feb 2007, 13:53

Totally agree Cap, The Beezer was always my favourite DCT comic as a kid (mid late 60s early 70s) I alwas felt the Danday was (mostly) banal and the Beano (whilst having its moments) bland and flimsy. I loved the broadsheet version of the Beezer (and Topper)and in particulaer Ginger by Dudley Watkins and "Pop Dick and Harry" - I missed Leo Baxendales work on the Bannana Bunch (beofre my time) only catching this later when picking up nback issues but I love his version of this strip - Really didnt lie the Beezer after 1980 (not that I picked it up that often) the "edge" it had in the 60s 70s had long gone by then (for me) well I was by then in my late teens early 20s (more into music and girls)

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 28 Feb 2007, 18:18

I was never really a follower of The Beezer. Favourite DCT humour titles for me were The Dandy 1964 - 66 and Sparky around 1969-70.

I'm not sure why I disliked The Beezer. Of the big two I tended to go for The Topper. Although a friend of mine had no other comics except The Beezer! (And he had to share that with his kid brother!)

Lew