TO UPDATE OR NOT TO UPDATE? THAT IS THE QUESTION...

Images copyright D.C. THOMSON & Co., Ltd

Comparing the BERYL The PERIL strip in the DANDY ANNUAL for 2013 with that of the Beryl strip in the late, lamented weekly, I note that her father is different in both strips.  In the Annual, it's the 'original' father (who was surely DENNIS's Dad's twin brother), while in the weekly, it's an updated version who has a little hippy beard.  Over in The BEANO, I see that Dennis also has a new set of parents.  Perhaps, in Dennis's case, it's to tie-in with his TV cartoon series, but, if not, I'm bound to ask why they make such changes?

I can't help but think it's a misguided attempt to 'update' the look of the strips to appeal to a modern audience.  What such an approach overlooks is that kids don't bother with such things, even if they notice them.  It's adult editors who get their knickers in a twist over Dennis's or Beryl's Dad looking 'too middle-aged' for today's young readers.  When I was a kid, teachers wearing gowns and mortarboard hats in the WINKER WATSON strip weren't something that most 1960s youngsters had ever experienced outside of an old WILL HAY movie, but it never seemed anomalous in the slightest.  We probably just subconsciously assumed that schools where teachers wore such apparel existed somewhere.

There is something inherently ludicrous-looking about the way artist DAVEY LAW drew Dennis's Mum and Dad which was funny to see, so to 'update' them (and in the process diminish the visually humorous aspect of Dad's pinstripe suit and Mum's woolly jumper) is to miss the point entirely.  Leave these comic strip icons alone, DCT editors, and instead focus on making the strips funny, rather than worrying about them looking 'with it'.  Having said that, however, I've actually been getting a few chuckles from The Beano recently, and this week's Dennis strip was a nice little read.  If the comic continues in the same vein, I might continue to buy it, but I'd still prefer to see the characters with their original set of parents, rather than the new, young, trendy ones they've been given in recent years.

What do the rest of you crazy Crivs think?  Do you agree, disagree, or couldn't care less?  Then let rip in the comments section.

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Incidentally, look at the lettering on the above pages.  Note that the easiest one to read at a glance is the classic Dennis story.  Now if only D.C. THOMSON would take note.

EXPLOSIVE POWER ACTION From The 1960s...

Copyright relevant owner

The '60s.  They say that if you remember them, you weren't there.  I say that if you weren't there, how could you remember them?  (I'm clever that way.)  What was so special about the '60s then?  "The era of the three B's", as they're described, but there was a lot more to them than the BEATLES, BOND and BATMAN.

There was also DOCTOR WHO, The DALEKS, STEPTOE & SON, Z CARS, SUPERCAR, YOGI BEAR, CRANE, The SAINT, FIREBALL XL5, The BARON, MAN In A SUITCASE, STINGRAY, The CHAMPIONS,  The MAGIC ROUNDABOUT, THUNDERBIRDS, The MONKEES, The ADVENTURES Of ROBIN HOOD, CAPTAIN SCARLET, The MAN From U.N.C.L.E., The FLINTSTONES, The PRISONER, JOE 90 and loads of other programmes that, to people of a certain age, the mere mention of will conjure up images of happy childhood days.

Then there were the toys: the MARX BUMP'N'GO DALEK, the CORGI ASTON MARTIN DB5, BATMOBILE, THRUSHBUSTER (er, don't ask), CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, the various DINKY GERRY ANDERSON vehicles, the AURORA GLOW-In-The-DARK MONSTER polystyrene plastic model kits, MAJOR MATT MASON, The ZEROIDS and, of course, ACTION MAN.

The swinging '60s also belonged to The MARVEL AGE Of COMICS, with such spectacular superheroes as The FANTASTIC FOUR, The INCREDIBLE HULK, The SENSATIONAL SUB-MARINER, THOR The MIGHTY and The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, to name but a few.  In Britain, most of us discovered our Bullpen buddies through the pages of comics like WHAM!, SMASH!, POW!, FANTASTIC and TERRIFIC, published by ODHAMS PRESS.

Having just mentioned all the preceding programmes, toys and comics, you're no doubt wondering where the accompanying images are.  You'll simply have to make do with the ad from FANTASTIC #15 at the top of this post, 'cos  I ain't knocking myself out!