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The Smasher is back in The Dandy Annual 2014, and here's a sneak preview of one of the three pages featuring the character that I've done for the book. The Smasher originated in The Dandy in 1957 as, I suppose, their answer to The Beano's Dennis the Menace. For many years The Smasher was illustrated by Hugh Morren, and later by Brian Walker. I wrote and drew three Smasher strips for last year's annual (and one for the final issue of The Dandy in December 2012) and was pleased to be asked to provide three more for this year's book.
If the logo looks familiar it's because I scanned it from a 1960s Dandy, cleaned up the scan, reduced it a little, and re-coloured it. D.C. Thomson have created some excellent, and timeless, logo designs over the years so it was ideal.
The Dandy Annual 2014 will be published in just a few short weeks time, in early July. You can pre-order it now from Amazon.
It looks great! I'm looking forwards to recieving my annual!
ReplyDeletenice touch with the logo..
ReplyDeletethe summer theme will be right for July's release..
I think annuals should come out in September it seems silly to me..
The idea is to give the books a longer shelf-life, and consequently more opportunity for people to buy them. (Therefore higher sales, in theory.) Some parents could buy the books as treats for the summer holidays for example, whilst others could wait until Christmas. With the absence of Summer Specials it makes sense to bring out the books earlier. That is, if the bookshops put them on display when they should.
DeleteBy the way Peter, there's a winter theme Smasher strip in the book as well, and another set in an indeterminable season, so I've tried to cover everything. :)
DeleteI bet one of Smasher's snowballs will break a window!
DeleteThanks for explaining why the annuals are out early..I understand now..
No windows are involved in the Smasher stories I did. :)
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