Classic Korky returns!

Here's the cover to today's issue of The Dandy (No.3608). Yes, it's the return of the classic version of Korky the Cat with an illustration taken from the cover of The Dandy Book 1967, drawn by Charlie Grigg. (There's a Korky strip inside by Charlie too, also reprinted from that same annual.)

Normally I wouldn't appreciate reprints on covers but this is such an iconic image that it deserves to be seen by today's generation of Dandy readers. There have been many versions of Korky over the years from diverse artists such as James Crichton (the character's original artist in 1937), Robert Nixon, Gordon Bell, Dave Windett, Henry Davies, and, most recently, Phil Corbett. (I even had a crack at Korky myself for a couple of Fun-Size Dandy comics about 12 years ago.) 

For me though, it's Charlie Grigg's version that captures the essence of the character. Whereas Biffo the Bear in The Beano was basically a goody-goody, Korky the Cat was more of an anti-hero. He could be helpful one week, and downright mischievous and sly the next, thinking up ways to outsmart the game keeper or local bullies. He had a cruel streak, too. Look at the sheer glee on his face as he flattens those mice beneath a giant snowball!

When I was a child in the sixties I was always eager to see whether Korky "won" or "lost" that week, because it could often go either way for him. That unpredictability, coupled with Charlie Grigg's fantastic artwork, made Korky a deserving cover star in my view so I'm glad to see him back there this week. 

I'm also chuffed that I have a 'Madvertisement' in this week's issue: Snowman in a Box. I drew this a while back, not knowing which issue it'd be used in, so I'm very pleased that it's inside the one with classic Korky on the cover. 

The Dandy No.3608, 36 full colour pages for £1.99. On sale now!

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By the way, as you know, The Dandy will end its 75 year run in two short weeks so to make sure of your copy of the big 100 page final issue be sure to order a copy directly from D.C. Thomson - just in case your newsagent can't get enough copies. (And according to one newsagent, his supplier has denied him extra copies.) Order your copy now:
https://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/Product-The_Last_Dandy(20121016)-DCS(2)-LASTD(2352).aspx

Fun-Size victims of downsize

After a recent shakeup of their comics line, which saw Classics from the Comics fold and The Dandy given an all-new makeover, publisher D.C. Thomson have decided to close their digest humour comics Fun-Size Beano and Fun-Size Dandy.

The two 68 page comics, identical in format to Commando but using spot colour, had been faring poorly for some time and distribution seemed very limited. As a result they had switched to all-reprint material three years ago.

The comics were launched in 1997, replacing the Beano and Dandy Comic Libraries which had begun in 1982. So sudden was the decision to axe the comics that the last issues advertised the November issues which were destined never to appear. A similar fate befell Classics from the Comics, ending with No.175 last month but carrying an advertisement for issue 176.

It's a sad ending to the twin comics as the Fun-Size titles were a good entry-point for new artists at D.C. Thomson, as well as extra income for established ones. The page rates were not spectacular by any means but the format of the books meant that most pages only needed two panels, sometimes only one. By drawing a 25 page lead strip or one of the ten page back up stories, one could build up a nice momentum and a different pace to the story than in the weekly single pagers.



Around ten years ago I drew several stories for the Fun-Size editions including a few Fiddle O'Diddle strips (above), a Numskulls, a Les Pretend, a Ball Boy, a couple of Korky the Cat strips and, my favourite, I-Spy.


Incidentally, if anyone knows which issue of Fun-Size Dandy this Korky the Cat page of mine was from (below), please let me know as I don't think I have that issue. (Scanned from the original art before I posted it to Thomsons. The Fun-Size books often used the classic versions of the characters so it was a joy to draw Korky in the Charlie Grigg style that I'd grown up with.)


After 28 years it's a great shame that these pocket sized cousins of Dandy and Beano have suddenly folded, although not completely unexpected. The small handy format was once very popular, from the Fleetway Picture Libraries of the 1950s and 1960s to the Starblazer and Football books of the 1980s, but now Commando remains the sole remaining UK comic in this style. Fortunately D.C. Thomson are still committed to producing comics and the weekly versions of The Beano and The Dandy continue as does the monthly BeanoMAX.

http://www.dcthomson.co.uk/