2008 annuals now in Smiths

[stevezodiac]

Looked in WH Smith today and saw the new annuals on sale, Beano, Dandy, Beano/Dandy 70 years in the classroom plus the Broons/Oor\ Wullie reprints hardback. The only one they didn't have is the paperback Broons or Oor Wullie (not sure which one it is this year). Had a quick flick through and the Beano/Dandy has printed the comic strips as if they are actual copies of the pages from the comics, ie yellowed and with a definite border to show the edge of the comic. In a nutshell it gives the impression of being a comic collector's scrapbook with pages sellotaped or glued in.

[NP]

Perhaps you had too quick a flick, Colonel Zodiac, because while the Dandy/Beano book does have a few early pages direct from the printed comic, it mainly prints the original artboards, which have of course also discoloured with age, but show up all the printers marks, corrections and even some pencil marks! For fans of Beano and Dandy comics, a real feast for the eyes, and even some previously unpublished stuff and rare items! (I'm not on a commission, I just think it's great!)
If anyone's interested, the DANDY annual is just that, not a DANDY EXTREME annual, so I expect all you erstwhile Dandy fans to put it on your Christmas list!

[Steve Henderson]

Perhaps you had too quick a flick, Colonel Zodiac, because while the Dandy/Beano book does have a few early pages direct from the printed comic, it mainly prints the original artboards, which have of course also discoloured with age, but show up all the printers marks, corrections and even some pencil marks! For fans of Beano and Dandy comics, a real feast for the eyes, and even some previously unpublished stuff and rare items! (I'm not on a commission, I just think it's great!)

Agreed! the best thing about the birthday celebrations has got to be the fact that we have been given access to original stuff in gallerys and things which is great! Nothing beats original artwork! Theres a Beano book coming out soon thats going to be documenting the history of the Beano and I'm looking forward to it because it looks like it will have just that - original art work!

[stevezodiac]

I had a feeling some of the art looked a bit untidy, thanks for correcting me. I wonder if Smiths will sell the annuals for 4.99 each as in previous years.

[AndyB]

Currently on buy one, get one half price.

[Raven]

I had a feeling some of the art looked a bit untidy, thanks for correcting me. I wonder if Smiths will sell the annuals for 4.99 each as in previous years.

They're £4.99 in at least some branches of Waterstone's.

[Lew Stringer]

This year's Viz annual (Sub-titled The Last Turkey in the Shop) is out now. 160 pages hardcover (like wot annuals used to be) packed with strips and features from issues 152-161. Artwork by Paul Palmer, Davey Jones, Simon Thorp, Alex Collier, Simon Ecob, me (page 139), and many more.

And with about 22 panels to a page, even hard core UK fans can't say it's not value for money.

RRP is £10.99 but I'm sure you'll find it cheaper on Amazon or discounted in shops.

Lew

[Conor B]

I was in Borders the other day looking for a flick through the Bash Street Kids book to see how much it has changed. I couldn't see it anywhere, making me very disappointed as it was the only place that I could trust to have it nearby. My auntie asked the lady so she went onto a ladder - right to the VERY top shelf (on a very high bookcase!) and brought down a few!! I looked through it for about 5 minutes.
But...only two of the four reprints were originally intended to be Bash Street Kids stories! In it were...

A new "Space Cadets" strip as the main feature
(The Beano All-Stars) "It's A Funny Old Game" (1999)
A Pirate style one, can't remember the name (2002)
(The Beano All-Stars) "Pop Idiots" (2004)
"Wild About Harry" (poss. 2001-2?)

Also forgot to mention that there are no features at all, other than the inside front and back covers which introduce you to the kids using "CGI" pictures

[AndyB]

I'm pretty sure that Space Cadets is a reprint.

[PaulTwist]

This year's Viz annual (Sub-titled The Last Turkey in the Shop) is out now. 160 pages hardcover (like wot annuals used to be) packed with strips and features from issues 152-161. Artwork by Paul Palmer, Davey Jones, Simon Thorp, Alex Collier, Simon Ecob, me (page 139), and many more.

And with about 22 panels to a page, even hard core UK fans can't say it's not value for money.

RRP is £10.99 but I'm sure you'll find it cheaper on Amazon or discounted in shops.

Lew

I'd buy it if I didn't already have the original comics - have every issue of Viz since around 1995, when I was old enough to buy it (just about!). Seriously, any fans of old-school British comics who are (a) old enough to buy it (I'd suggest 16 or older), (b) able to cope with a little bit of "strong" language and (c) have somehow never encountered Viz before would do well to pick this up.

[THE MOOSE]

I remember sending away for the first issue of VIZ after seeing it advertised in Private Eye - got the first issue and thought, frankly, it was total crap - even got a letter a few weeks from the "VIZ lads" sending me my free "ICE CREAM" - .... a paper cut out of an ice cream cone - little did I know as I ripped up this first issue that it would be soooooo good , and worth a small fortune - then again I had all the X men from Neal Adams reign till John Byrne ( the Dave Cockrum years in betwen) and gave them away as well to Cancer Research - anyhoooo VIZ is soooo funny buy it!!!!

[Earl]

I was disapointed by the new look of the Egmont published Rupert Annual.

[stevezodiac]

I picked up the Oor Wullie book from my local Tesco (Surrey Quays) tonight for a fiver. Their annuals are five quid each or two for eight pounds. The also had the Oor Wullie/Broons book as well. (I have never worked out how to get the pound sign on my keyboard despite having my pc for about six years now - you get used to it, tried accessing keyboard settings but nothing happened).

[Peter Gray]

my keyboard is americanised as well...when it crashed it was rebooted and tided up....
my 2 with shift is @ instead of "
that why I always write out pounds........America don't have a pound sign

[NP]

How to get £ and de-Americanise your keyboard:
Click Start
Go to Control Panel.
Up pops 'Regional and language options'. Click on that.
Click 'Language' tab.
Under 'Details', look for default input language
From the drop down menu select 'English (United Kingdom)-United Kingdom.
Click OK
Then click Apply.
FINALLY, click OK and then you will be in England again!

(My first job: Computer programming in 1978, no screens, just punch cards and a computer the size of a room, Elliot, for you in the know!)