Wikipedia - aargh!

[Phoenix]

Now let me see if I can understand this. Swirly says that Dennis got a girlfriend called Matilda. Digi accepts this but reckons that Matilda was created for a TV series, although she did appear a couple of times in the comic. Andy, on the other hand, doesn't remember Dennis having a girlfriend of any description in the comic. Tin Can reports to us that the Wikipedia claims that Matilda was actually Walter's girlfriend, but apparently she was calling herself Winnifred at the time. Jonny partially supports this view by pointing out that she was actually dancing with Walter at the school disco, but does not tell us if Dennis was angry about this. Personally I think this whole issue should go to arbitration before my head spins clean off my shoulders.

I also believe that those people falling over themselves to correct Wikipedia entries should always check their facts first and not go rushing in like a bull in a china shop. Whenever I consult the Wikipedia I do not expect it to mislead me, let alone tell me a load of lies.

[Digifiend]

In Beano issue 3030 dated 12th August, Matilda does make an appearance where she dances with Walter at the school disco. That's the only time I remember her appearing in the weekly comic, but she was seen more often in canon material like Beano Superstars.

Don't forget that many of the later Superstars issues were adaptations of TV episodes. That'd be why (and the only reason why) she appeared in those. The only non-TV ones she's likely to have appeared in are the last two Christmas issues, which were both panto themed. Basically Matilda is a character who like Sergeant Slipper and the Colonel was created for TV, but unlike those two, was very quickly dropped. Her last appearance in Superstars is probably also her final appearance anywhere.

[swirlythingy]

I quote, "gay-bashing".

It would be interesting to see the rest of Euan's comment. Could you quote it all for us please, Swirly.

Sadly, no (quality of modern journalism and all that), but I definitely remember him using the term somewhere. Anyway, here is a BBC News article in which he says something very similar:

And while Dennis looked "quite evil" in the past, he's now been softened for television, to seem "fun" and younger looking, Jarron says. In the late 1980s, the Beano even changed Dennis's attitude to Walter the Softy to avoid accusations of homophobia.

Euan Kerr who edited the Beano between 1984 and 2006 revealed in a book about his time in charge that he turned Walter into a "confident, likeable character" and toned down Dennis's bullying of his swotty, flower picking nemesis . "We eventually gave Walter a girlfriend too as a measure to combat any further criticism," he revealed.

Exactly what 'book' this is, the BBC seem remarkably coy about revealing, but I'm sure half of this forum owns and has memorised a copy.

Ah, here's something else, from the Times (don't worry, it predates the paywall). I'm a bit suspicious about the way that "gay-bashing" only ever appears on its own, in spite of the double quotes, and never in the context of a quoted paragraph from his book. The Daily Mail's article was almost identical. Sounds like it's probably more fool me, then.

[Phoenix]

Those links provide a perfectly satisfactory response to my request, Swirly, so thank you for that.

[Tin Can Tommy]

Someone created an article for Corporal Clott which I added to. After it was changed to a redirect, brought back and expanded by me, vandalised, changed to a redirect and brought back again, now its up for deletion. Totally undeservedly for not being notable enough when shorter running and less popular strips for both the Beano and Dandy have articles of their own and their not being put up for deletion.

Also whats up with the two different wikis set up for british comics. I dont know which one to use?

There's The British Comics Wiki and there's a UK Comics Wiki.

[Digifiend]

Fixed the name on the infobox (it said Desperate Dan instead of Corporal Clott) and put a Keep motion on the delete discussion.

[Peter Gray]

Just been reading the dandy section..very well written...loved seeing the Island of Monsters some nice images there Spy..

[Tin Can Tommy]

I found this gem on the Roger the Dodger article.

9-year old [[Oliver Forde]] from Edinburgh has tried reviving the strip with a two-part story. Roger tries to dodge out of drawing his own strip by going under Fred's Bed. He finds his artist in the [[The Beano|Beano]] office, crying because the editor has left all the poorly-drawn strips in his room. To be continued. This Roger is more of an idiot, who takes a while to figure out things, but his heart is in the right place as he tries to save his former artist.

[Old Freddy]

Oliver Ford, eh? Isn't that yanobandy?

[Digifiend]

Hey, are Harry Rickard and his Wizzo comic really notable enough for Wikipedia? He and Wizzo character Zappy have articles, and guess who made them? Beandand - aka Yanobandy. No offence to Harry, but those aren't notable enough and are bound to be deleted. Oliver should read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:Notability

[WizzKid97]

Hey, are Harry Rickard and his Wizzo comic really notable enough for Wikipedia? He and Wizzo character Zappy have articles, and guess who made them? Beandand - aka Yanobandy. No offence to Harry, but those aren't notable enough and are bound to be deleted. Oliver should read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:Notability

What? Oh my God, I actually do.

That's both surprising and at the same time pretty cool. But I really don't think I'm that important to have my own page on Wikipedia.

[felneymike]

Somebody tagged The Boys' Friend with a notability tag once, that thing once sold tens of thousands of copies right through the empire, and it's likely that most of those were read by more than one person. It was 100 years ago, though...

There is a webcomics wiki with no notability rules (it's simply a huge reference for them, no matter how obscure). Perhaps there ought to be a small press one too.

[Digifiend]

That notability tag was put there three years ago (August 2008), and references have since been added, so I removed it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy%27s_Friend

[Jonny Whizz]

Not strictly comics related, but on my Wikipedia user page I'm trying to add an image but I'm not sure how to. Could anyone please help me?

I agree that Wizzkid/Harry isn't quite notable enough to deserve his own page just yet, but the future may be a different matter...

[Digifiend]

What image is it? Wikipedia has a very strict policy on copyright. This page explains about image uploading, but unfortunately it's been tagged as being too technical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Uploading_images

Anyway, the page you want is this. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Upload
It contains a list of image types, you need to select the one that matches the file type. Is it free, is it copyrighted, is it public domain? Very confusing. That's why, unlike with Wikia, I tend to avoid uploading images to Wikipedia. The only image I have uploaded in fact, was a logo for Wellchester, as it's article was still using it's former name Wellworths.