Britain’s longest-running comic The Dandy produced its final print edition on its 75th anniversary on Tuesday and will relaunch as a purely online publication.
In its 1950s heyday, The Dandy, featuring Desperate Dan, Bananaman and Korky the Cat, sold two million copies a week, but circulation has dwindled and is now around 8,000.
Publisher D.C. Thomson admits the move online is a leap into the unknown. The Dandy will be available to download and as a smartphone and tablet application.
The final printed edition features a cameo by Beatles star Paul McCartney, who said in 1963 it was his ambition to appear in the comic, and a pull-out of the first issue from December 4, 1937.
The website has new animated strips, featuring voiceovers and sound effects. Users will also be able to play interactive games and watch videos.
While access to the website is free, online issues are priced at £1.49 ($2.40, 1.85 euros) each, with a yearly subscription costing £29.99.
“I appreciate it’s almost a deliberately naive venture into the unknown for a publisher that’s been cutting down trees for 75 years, squishing them flat and smearing ink all over them,” said D.C. Thompson chief executive Ellis Watson.
“We’re not super-slick, we’re not Silicon Valley, but what we are is some pretty talented animators and storytellers that are really excited about seeing if we can introduce these wonderful characters to another couple of generations.”
Final edition of UK comic The Dandy after 75 years
