Desperate Dan Ladybird Books

[stevezodiac]

I don't think anyone on this site has mentioned the two Ladybird books that featured DD. Wasn't aware of them myself until I picked one up in the flea market. There were only two I think, the other was Desperate Dad-Diamond Disaster. Published in 1993. Drawn by Ken Harrison. Here are some scans of the one I have, including the endpapers:

[Steve Henderson]

I had the other one that matched the other side of his face, I thiunk there was some dennis the menace ones too, good books

[steelclaw]

Here's a Dennis the menace ladybird books that steve H mentioned for sale on ebay, anymore?

[Phoenix]

Among my reference books I have one called Boys And Girls, which was produced by Ladybird in 2007. It is a colourful 288-page hardback with a dust wrapper, that is essentially a celebration of what the compilers considered to be the pick of the company's output from 'the beginning of things'. I've just checked the Picture Credits and the Index and I'm sorry to have to report that neither Desperate Dan nor Dennis The Menace made the cut. Tootles The Taxi anybody?

[r3tr0_gam3r]

I had this as a kid, no idea what happened to them. There were two each of the Desperate Dan and Dennis. I also saw this Minnie The Minx one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cat-Show-Chaos-Mi ... 25582fe320

[Digifiend]

Among my reference books I have one called Boys And Girls, which was produced by Ladybird in 2007. It is a colourful 288-page hardback with a dust wrapper, that is essentially a celebration of what the compilers considered to be the pick of the company's output from 'the beginning of things'. I've just checked the Picture Credits and the Index and I'm sorry to have to report that neither Desperate Dan nor Dennis The Menace made the cut. Tootles The Taxi anybody?

Probably because the license had expired.

[Gilly]

Brought back some memories thanks for that.

[philcom55]

I'm no expert but the Dan books look a bit like Steve Bright's work to me (as was the 'Golfing with Dennis' book from what I recall). It'd be nice to think that DC Thomson are now enlightened enough to include credits if they ever decide to produce more books along these lines.

[Digifiend]

No, that's definitely Ken. I do agree about credits though. Even Beanotown Racing didn't credit the artists for the cover art and stock artwork used.

[philcom55]

For some reason I was thinking it was drawn by someone else in Ken 's style, but on consideration I'm sure you're right Digi.



Incidentally the Cactusman is a marvelous character in his own right - does anyone know when he made his first appearance, and whether he had a traditional super villain 'origin'?

- Phil R.

[TwoHeadedBoy]

Ah, I'm sure I've got Diamond Disaster somewhere! Published around the same time as Ladybird did Dennis The Menace's Worst Joke Book Ever - still got that, could pick it off the shelf right now. Not so sure about the Desperate Dan one though.