Time for another look at Christmas comic covers from the past and this blog I'm focusing on just one title, as we look at the Twelve Dandys of Christmas, a selection of various Dandy issues from the last 70 years. Starting off above with the festive edition from 1940 as Korky the Cat makes a Hitler snowman. Artwork is by Korky's first artist James Crighton and the scan is taken from Christmas Comic Posters, a book written by the late Denis Gifford in 1991.
Next up, it's thirty years later and the cover to the Dandy from December 1970. By this time the Korky strip had been taken over by Charles Grigg who produced many splendid covers for the weekly.
Christmas 1974 brings us another Charlie Grigg cover. You'll notice from this selection how often The Dandy's logo changes over the decades!
Christmas 1981 and the cover design hasn't changed much for twenty years, but Charlie Grigg manages to pack in ten panels into a restricted space making the comic look good value for its escalating cover price.
By 1986 Desperate Dan had replaced Korky as the regular cover star. The artwork for this issue, which by now had absorbed Hoot comic, is by Ken Harrison.
Two years later, in 1988, and The Dandy had by now received a bold new look with glossy paper and yet another new logo. Artwork is again by Ken Harrison.
Christmas 1994 and the artwork this time is, I think, by David Parkin.
A nicely decorated 1998 cover by Keith Robson.
The Christmas 2000 cover looks familiar as it's a reprint of the one from 1988! As consolation the interior Desperate Dan reprint, in black and white on its first printing, was coloured for this version.
The Dandy from Christmas 2001 is a busy Ken Harrison production featuring as many of the comic's stars as he could fit in.
By Christmas 2005 The Dandy had undergone a well-publicized revamp with Desperate Dan shunted inside. The Bananaman cover for this issue is by Steve Bright.
Although there was the usual Christmas edition of The Dandy in 2006 (not pictured) D.C. Thomson also produced a Dandy Christmas Special for that year. The cover here features the revamped Desperate Dan, literally square-jawed, by Ken Harrison using a slightly different style.
More Christmas covers soon!
Is it just me or is anyone else bored witn these christmas covers now?
ReplyDeleteSorry you're bored Jimboo. I thought people might be interested in the range of Christmas covers that have appeared over the years. Perhaps not. The topic will conclude next week after a few more blogs on the subject.
ReplyDeletePedantic says: You've done it again!
ReplyDelete"in black and white on it's first printing"
I know you'll change it though!!
I think this has been a really good idea for a topic and I've enjoyed looking through the covers from over the decades and finding out who drew them. Thanks for pulling them all together for us - looking forward to the rest.
ReplyDeleteLew, I, for one never tire of seeing classic old comic covers and look forward to seeing each fresh batch you post.
ReplyDeleteIt is after all, a blog about British Comics..and CHRISTMAS is just around the corner, so what better time to write about British Christmas comics than now?
I'm sure your blog is read by a great number of British comic enthusiasts, but sadly hardly any contribute their comments. Come to think of it, they won't even be reading this comment either!
Keep up the great work and keep 'em coming!
Thanks Dave. It's hard to tell how many people are actually reading this blog as I'm not sure how hits are calculated. As for the Christmas covers, although this blog is mainly about UK comics get ready for a few international Christmas comics being shown here soon!
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose there's any chance of uploading a full issue of a Christmas comic? (Preferably Beano or Dandy)
ReplyDeleteNo sorry. Don't want to risk copyright infringement.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the Christmas covers too Lew. That Dennis Gifford book of Christmas covers is a real treasure trove and is well worth people seeking out.
ReplyDeleteThink Ebenezer Jimbo is well and truly outnumbered Lew! The is one of the best features yet!
ReplyDeletePiley