Andy Fanton strip coming soon

[Digifiend]

I did notice that this week's was unsigned, which is highly unusual for Tom Paterson. No smelly sock or squelchies either. I assumed it was a ghosted reprint.

Andy Fanton already mentioned Alexander's strip in the third post of this thread.

[WizzKid97]

I also think the Funsize Funnies should be on a rotor because a few of the Funsize Funnies (particularly Biffo the Bear and Gnash Gnews) have become stale by now and should be replaced with new material. I wouldn't want to see them end forever though so there certainly should be a rotor - The Beano should follow in the footsteps of The Dandy and pick up where they went wrong (i.e. barely any mini-strip returns) and fix that.

What you're suggesting would mean less work for everyone, unless you use the same writers/artists for the new material.

Pretty much, that's how rotors work. It's how The Dandy did it and it worked for the most part. Artists came and went and then returned, Alexander Matthews is a prime example of someone who disappeared after Robot on the Run was sadly axed and then returned with the far more popular Nuke Noodle over half a year later.

Besides, you say artists are missing out if there is a rotor but what about those who didn't even get in? Jamie Smart and Stu Munro haven't had a comic strip in either The Beano or The BeanoMAX for example, despite both of these taking huge roles in The Dandy 2010-12. The Beano shouldn't just keep a group of artists and have them drawing new series every now and then because then we see nothing different and it's unfair to those who missed out.

In addition, no one is missing out on a spot if Bananaman or Calamity James were to end. After all, they're reprints and Bananaman is in three comics (including The BeanoMAX) so why not just remove him from The Beano? If anything that'd mean more room for new artists which is far better in both my opinion and I'm sure that of many others.

Get rid of all those waste of space advertising pages & reprints of calamity james etc but keep bananaman but new stories with a decent artist this time more suited to the classic look of bananaman.

So basically Bananaman in The Digital Dandy? I don't understand why Bananaman is even in The Beano to begin with, it's not like they did anything new and impressive with him. We just got Bananaman reprints from the 80s and some renamed 'CSI: Beanotown'.

The Bambeanos are the work of Wayne Thompson as far as I can see. There's also a new Alexander Matthews strip coming next week.

Has Calamity James gone new, and is it Henry Davies?

I'll see if I can confirm that one tomorrow, Wayne says I have a knack at recognising modern artists' styles!

I haven't a clue, could anyone confirm if they are indeed reprints or new? Looking at #3680's Calamity James story, I say reprints but definitely not by Paterson - I say this because the story seems like a reworded Beano Anniversary/Issue Celebration strip (much like when Number 13 was being reprinted and we saw a reworded 50th Anniversary story about Gran making a cake (originally for the anniversary but in the reprint for a fellow witch).

[Lew Stringer]

The Beano shouldn't just keep a group of artists and have them drawing new series every now and then because then we see nothing different and it's unfair to those who missed out.

If you spread the work too thin amongst too many artists it reaches a point where it's not profitable for anyone to do the work. This is our living, remember. If you start rotating strips you're effectively cutting into people's income. That said, there are already more artists working on the comic than there were a few years ago. I think we all agree those changes have been for the better and I'm looking forward to seeing the new characters. Overall The Beano is fine as it is for a while I think.

[WizzKid97]

The Beano shouldn't just keep a group of artists and have them drawing new series every now and then because then we see nothing different and it's unfair to those who missed out.

If you spread the work too thin amongst too many artists it reaches a point where it's not profitable for anyone to do the work. This is our living, remember. If you start rotating strips you're effectively cutting into people's income. That said, there are already more artists working on the comic than there were a few years ago. I think we all agree those changes have been for the better and I'm looking forward to seeing the new characters. Overall The Beano is fine as it is for a while I think.

I agree for the most part with what you've said and you make true points, but I do feel while The Beano is better, it still has further to go. The Beano does something I dislike in comics and that is that they continue series for too long, in the cases of characters like Dennis and the BSK this is fine but for stories such as Gnasher's Bite, about gnashing postmen usually; Gnash Gnews, about dog news gags; and Meebo and Zuky, cartoon violence pretty much; there is only so far the themes can go and whilst you could say the same for many of the other characters, I feel they are written well so do not become stale too quickly. I'd much rather we saw regular monthly polls asking you for how you'd order the Beano stories so The Beano can see which are popular and allow longer series to be ran of that character (less popular ones get shorter series runs but would still appear every few months to keep the comic fresh). There is nothing wrong with a rotor because all artists all get a turn in the limelight with their stories, in my opinion of course.

(Sorry if that doesn't make too much sense, had a dental operation today and feel a little light-headed so haven't been making perfect sense today! )

[Gilly]

I hear what you're saying WizzKid but its easy for all us comic lovers to talk, we have to accept that Lew has a point. For us it's a hobby and interest for the artists its a job and where they earn a living.

[LauraH]

Hi all, I can confirm that Bambeanos is not my work (looks like Wayne to me, also), but that I may well be drawing something new for the Beano very soon... (not saying anything further on that topic for the moment;)

[Phoenix]

I hope you don't mind my pointing out to you, Harry, that your use of the word rotor, five times so far in this thread, is incorrect. The correct spelling is rota.

[WizzKid97]

I hope you don't mind my pointing out to you, Harry, that your use of the word rotor, five times so far in this thread, is incorrect. The correct spelling is rota.

Thanks for correcting me; curse English and its confusing homophones!

[Gilly]

Like the look of the cover of tomorrows Beano.

It again goes back to the cover style between the 1974 to 1998 but also back to the days when the Dennis the Menace comic strip started on the front cover.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 1658_n.jpg

PS sorry I've only just realised I've posted this in the wrong thread.

[Digifiend]

What does belong in this thread though, is four previews they posted on Facebook. Big Time Charlie, Bam-Beanos, BSK CCTV and Stunt Gran. There's more to come after this issue, as Andy's strip is yet to appear.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 553&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 553&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 553&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 553&type=1

[Gilly]

Looks like The Dandy influence is really starting to show on The Beano now then as there is going to be loads of new characters to keep us on our toes and keep the comic fresh.

[WizzKid97]

Really excited for tomorrow's Beano; I'm glad to see them using original characters as well. It's good that The Beano have been following what went well for The Dandy because I for one really enjoyed how the comic always stayed fresh.

It's also good to see Andy Fanton's single-page comic strip hasn't made its debut yet as this shows we can expect more new stories in the future. The Beano really is proving as of late that it is Britain's top comic!

[SID]

Seen a copy. I like the Dennis strip being on the front cover.