Remember BANANAGIRL?
Pup Parade won't be in next week's Beano because the comic has a special focus on Bananaman to celebrate the character's 40th anniversary. (He first appeared in Nutty No.1 in 1980.) That made me wonder... do any of you remember Bananagirl?
Bananagirl was the cousin of Bananaman and was introduced as a new pupil in my Super School strip which began in the Beano back in 2008. Bananagirl was the idea of then-editor Alan Digby, and Ian McCloughlin wrote the script. (Iain wrote most of the Super School stories.) She never appeared in a "civilian" identity and seemed to be Bananagirl permanently in order too fit in with the theme of the strip being about superhero kids learning the ropes. She had similar powers to her cousin, being able to fly and some super strength, although she seemed to be smarter than Bananaman.
Super School ended in 2011 and haven't been seen since, nor has Bananagirl. Will she ever return? No idea, but Beano characters often turn up when you least expect them, even decades later (in the case of Big Eggo!) so maybe one day...!
By the way, I've never drawn Bananaman for a comic but I did do a sketch of him last year at a very breezy Comics Salopia last summer in Shrewsbury. Neil Kenny videoed it for the Blast Process YouTube page. Click on the link to see it...
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Of course I remember Bananagirl. Rumour has it that there was meant to be one around the time of Bananaman's creation for Nutty, but I don't fully credit that because... well, it seams a little bit weird to me that even for 1980 (or late 1970s when the character was being created) that they might have felt creating two at the same time with the same powers, just different genders, would be too much for right away, but I could see the idea being thought of when he moved to Dandy or something, after the character was already popular.. Of course... sigh.. the origin of his creation and the origin in the comic itself..
ReplyDeleteof course, I think they did something in the 90s where his origin was in fact related to General Blight.. so the idea of his cousin having the same power, seams a bit off.. but oh well, while I think even humour comics (depending on the style) should have a bit of 'defined rules', it is humour after all, so silly and stupid stuff can happen. not saying it was bad art, but I didn't think much of the style change with him with the last big 'All new Dandy'...
And after Bananagirl, Beano did a Bananawoman for a while.. but while Bananagirl's outfit and design really go well for a female version of Bananaman (though dropping the mask) and also having the 'she is a kid, so skirt' style, Bananawoman's design is.. kinda bland.. Not bad.. just bland.. So, showing off a great Character design in Bananagirl there ^_^
Does this mean bananagirl is your new beano strip ??
ReplyDeleteNo, it's a character I've never drawn before. As I said, I've no idea if Bananagirl will return.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ryan. The editor suggested that her hair bunches should be banana shaped but other than that I came up with the rest myself, although it is heavily based on Bananaman of course.
Banana girl has never been back but I do remember there was a Bananaman strip a couple of years back (I think when Tommy Donbavand was writing it) when he turned up at a convention and there was a female fan in a costume who looked suspiciously like her. Think I pointed it out on twitter to you at the time Lew. :-)
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/ian01604/status/900480815594958848?s=19 found it
ReplyDeleteAh yes! Thanks Ian.
ReplyDelete