Dandy Summer Special 2007 - out now

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 12 Jul 2007, 12:33

Despite rumours to the contrary, there IS a 2007 Dandy Summer Special. Just published, and reviewed here:

http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2007/07 ... ished.html

philcom55 · Post by **philcom55** » 12 Jul 2007, 13:30

Also has anyone noticed that a lot of Summer Specials like this now come with 'variant' editions produced exclusively for WH Smith's?

And on the subject of Dandy does anybody else think the bloody 'severed ear' given away with the current issue is taking a bit of a risk? It's ironic that the stories themselves have been forced to cut down any hint of graphic violence in recent years, yet something like this would surely have rated a chapter to itself in any British version of Seduction of the Innocent published during the 1950s or 1960s!

- Phil Rushton

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 12 Jul 2007, 18:02

philcom55 wrote:Also has anyone noticed that a lot of Summer Specials like this now come with 'variant' editions produced exclusively for WH Smith's?

And on the subject of Dandy does anybody else think the bloody 'severed ear' given away with the current issue is taking a bit of a risk? It's ironic that the stories themselves have been forced to cut down any hint of graphic violence in recent years, yet something like this would surely have rated a chapter to itself in any British version of Seduction of the Innocent published during the 1950s or 1960s!

- Phil Rushton

Yeah, I thought it crossed the line, but then I asked myself am I thinking that because I'm losing sight of how kids would react? And decided I was. So then I thought "Nah, kids would love it."

In a way it's the modern equivalent of those "free scars" that were given away in Fantastic 40 years ago or the "fake bloody finger" that Blackpool joke shops used to sell. Remember that? A realistic looking severed finger with a bloodied end?

Kids love that sort of stuff because they (hopefully) don't have the life experience to have seen anything similar in real life. Harmless fun.

Anyway, I'm preaching to the converted. Like you suggest, it's the po-faced public that might react differently.

Lew

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 13 Jul 2007, 11:18

The thing with the Dandy Summer Special these days, and this years is the 44th edition not including the first combined special in 1963, is that it is only a slightly beefier equivalent of the weekly, soon to be fortnightly, comic. To the extent that when I went to my local newsagent to pick up my weekly copy this week I was told that 'You seem to have two copies of the Dandy today' and it took me several moments to work out that one of them, given their equivalent size, was actually the summer special. More expensive 'free gift' though.

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 13 Jul 2007, 11:26

Re 'gory' free gifts. It's not the gifts themselves so much but the editorial suggestions that sometimes accompany the gifts that you can call into question. Not long ago a 'gory' gift was given with either the Dandy or Beano with the instruction 'Go on, scare your granny!' Tongue in cheek, as this undoubtedly was, I still think it is unwise to give some of evil little gobshites that pass for kids these days any ideas!

Steve Bright · Post by **Steve Bright** » 13 Jul 2007, 11:34

Kashgar wrote: I still think it is unwise to give some of evil little gobshites that pass for kids these days any ideas!

I've always been hugely impressed by the very measured, balanced and carefully considered contributions you make to this forum, Ray.

I see no reason not to continue doing so.

colcool007 · Post by **colcool007** » 13 Jul 2007, 18:05

Kashgar wrote:Tongue in cheek, as this undoubtedly was, I still think it is unwise to give some of evil little gobshites that pass for kids these days any ideas!

Most of them will be too busy with their i-Pod, PS2, Xbox or Bebo to even think of visiting their Granny! I too was impressed with Ray's measured and considered contributions to the site as well...

Lew Stringer · Post by **Lew Stringer** » 13 Jul 2007, 19:49

Kashgar wrote:Re 'gory' free gifts. It's not the gifts themselves so much but the editorial suggestions that sometimes accompany the gifts that you can call into question. Not long ago a 'gory' gift was given with either the Dandy or Beano with the instruction 'Go on, scare your granny!' Tongue in cheek, as this undoubtedly was, I still think it is unwise to give some of evil little gobshites that pass for kids these days any ideas!

Considering how young some girls are when they have kids now it's likely that their kids' grannies are only in the forties, so I think they can take it.

Interesting point though. Most old comics encouraged kids to use their free gifts on their pals, not their family IIRC. (See Baxendale's covers to the early issues of Wham! and Smash! for example.)

What next? Hey kids! Shop your neighbour to the rozzers as a suspected terrorist! Nah, only governments sink that far.

Lew

Kashgar · Post by **Kashgar** » 14 Jul 2007, 11:34

In this litigation crazy age it is probably wiser for editors to suggest kids exact mayhem on their nearest and dearest rather than on some other kid in the playground. You can just see the headlines 'Beano forks out ?100,000 to kid traumatised by 'shocking' free gift'. After all, whether your granny is forty or seventy she's not liable to set the wheels of justice turning even if you have tried to scare her witless with a prankish free gift.
Rest assured, it's always open season on a loved one.

Brendan McGuire · Post by **Brendan McGuire** » 14 Jul 2007, 13:31

Today's kids would have to pull the crack-pipe from their grannies' vice like grip before pulling a prank. Then a quick burst from granny's AK-47 would bring a halt to that malarky. Or is that just Stevenage?

Cap Haggis · Post by **Cap Haggis** » 15 Jul 2007, 01:11

No Brendan, sadly that seems to be all to many placs in the UK and the world !!! maybe it was always like that (in relative terms) but Im not 100% sure!

tolworthy · Post by **tolworthy** » 16 Jul 2007, 00:00

philcom55 wrote:does anybody else think the bloody 'severed ear' given away with the current issue is taking a bit of a risk?

They're giving away Vincent Van Gogh's severed ear? At last we know what happened to it! I knew that he wrapped it in a newspaper, but I didn't know that it was the Dandy.

On this forum we have long recognized that comics are read by lovers of fine art. it's good to see the Dandy has finally woken up to its ageing and educated readership. Hopefully the next free gift will be Jiř? Kol?ř's severed finger, or Degas' missing eyeball. This is what we want!

Captain Storm · Post by **Captain Storm** » 16 Jul 2007, 21:32

Hee Hee,it's great to see everybody getting so flustered over some plastic piece of crap

We've been seeing these things given away free with comics for years and to the best of my knowledge no insane criminals have sited such freebies from their youth as being the instigator of their life of crime.So chill out guys

Peter Gray · Post by **Peter Gray** » 16 Jul 2007, 23:09

I've enjoyed Brassneck...Cuddles and Dimples, Bananman/Beryl, Desperate Dan and Genie.....

If the Dandy is to be fortnightly I hope there will be more monthly specials...as this was great...

Muffy · Post by **Muffy** » 17 Jul 2007, 11:20

Why not give away a selection of genuine bones from Jesus' fingers, in packets of ten (or has that been done, re- Blackadder)..

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