Everyone knows that summer really begins when the comic Summer Specials arrive! Well, although summer isn't scheduled until 21st June, this year's Dandy Summer Special just landed on my doormat so get the suncream and deckchairs out and soak up those rays! (Ah, it's just started to rain.)
I'm very pleased to have been involved with this, drawing a new half page illustration for the comic. There are four other half page illos by other artists, Laura Howell, Nigel Parkinson, Nic Brennan, and Wayne Thompson. The rest of the 68 page package is comprised of classic seaside Dandy reprints plus a very funny new 6 pager by Nigel Auchterlounie and Steve Bright. (Steve Bright also drew the covers.) Bearing in mind that the staff were all working remotely due to the pandemic they've done a great job. It should be in the shops soon, or you can order it directly from the publisher at this link:
https://www.dcthomsonshop.co.uk/dandy-summer-special-2021
It was a joy to be commissioned to put classic characters such as Bully Beef and Dirty Dick into the drawing. (Being ancient, I remember the day Bully Beef and Chips started in The Dandy back in 1967!) I hope I've done them justice.
Here's how my artwork looked at the pencil stage. Note the pile of 1960s Dandys used for reference...
...and here's how it looked at the inking stage...
After inking was completed, I scanned it into my iMac, cleaned it up and coloured it in Photoshop.
Although The Dandy weekly ended back in 2012 it's good to know the title still lives on as a Summer Special and all-new annual. Always keep a Dandy handy!
 |
| Covers by Steve Bright. |
|
It'd be remiss of me not to mention that there's the Beano Summer Activity Special available too, with all new content and free stickers! I'm not in that one but there's a ton of new pages by Nigel Parkinson and others so check that out.
