History Comicbook / TheDandy

** In one Dandy Book, Dan's greatest enemies [[EvilCounterpart Dangerous Dan McGrew]] and [[PlantPerson Cactusman]] managed to hold the editor of The Dandy hostage, so that [[DangerouslyGenreSavvy they would always win]]. Naturally, they didn't succeed [[spoiler:and Dan managed [[ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections to pull a few strings]] with the editor of ComicBook/TheBeano. The last page of Dan's story showed the two baddies [[CrossoverPunchline on the cover of the latest issue of The Beano]], [[CoolAndUnusualPunishment reduced to picking daisies]], where a [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK certain spiky-haired youth]] observed them from a distance... ]]

** Conversely, there were {{Comic Book Adaptation}}s of ''[[Film/TheLittleRascals Our Gang]]'' (1937-47) and ''PotsworthAndCompany'' (1993-94)

* WorldsStrongestMan: Desperate Dan. One memorable strip (reproduced in the Beano and Dandy 50 Golden Years book) shows various exotic strongmen from countries all over the world competing, each of them lifting up huge weights, other people or even an elephant...only to reveal that Dan has tunnelled up from beneath and is holding up the podium, all the strongmen and everything they're lifting as well!

See TheBeano, The Dandy's partner-in-mischief.

** The Smasher looks ''really'' suspiciously similar to [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] from supposed rival comic TheBeano, even though his personality is different.

* NoFourthWall: As with TheBeano, characters from The Dandy have been known to have a chat now and then with their writers and artists.
** In one Dandy Book, Dan's greatest enemies [[{{EvilCounterpart}} Dangerous Dan McGrew]] and [[PlantPerson Cactusman]] managed to hold the editor of The Dandy hostage, so that [[{{DangerouslyGenreSavvy}} they would always win]]. Naturally, they didn't succeed [[spoiler:and Dan managed [[{{ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections}} to pull a few strings]] with the editor of TheBeano. The last page of Dan's story showed the two baddies [[{{CrossoverPunchline}} on the cover of the latest issue of The Beano]], [[{{CoolAndUnusualPunishment}} reduced to picking daisies]], where a [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK certain spiky-haired youth]] observed them from a distance... ]]

* RaceLift: In the digital comic's story Retro Active, Kat has dark skin. She's actually a sucessor to [[TheBeano Billy the Cat]]'s former sidekick Katie, who is white.

* TakeThat: ''TheBeano'' and ''ComicBook/TheDandy'' have a friendly rivalry which often involves taking popshots at each other (e.g. characters being threatened with the possibility of getting sent to the other comic).

* {{Expy}}: The Smasher looks ''really'' suspiciously similar to [[ComicStrip/DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] from supposed rival comic TheBeano, even though his personality is different.
** Depending on who you ask, Hector Spectre is either an expy or a SpiritualSuccessor to an earlier character called Edd Chumley, who appeared in a strip called ''Meet Edd: He's A Ghost'' in TheBeezer [[ComicBook/TheTopper and Topper]]. Both strips involved [[HeadlessHorseman headless ghosts]] in Elizabethan get-up with rural dialects and accompanied by a grey cat, both drawn by David Mostyn. The main difference was that Hector haunted a stately home, whereas Edd's home was said to be long since demolished. It's likely that a different main character was created as Edd looked very much like a [[DistaffCounterpart male version of Molly.]]

* [[GoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] SuperHero: There's actually a 1940s superhero, The Amazing Mr X, who got brought back as part of the superhero team in digital strip Retro Active.

The print version of the comic ceased publication on its 75th anniversary in December 2012; an online version lasted just 13 issues before the comic ended for good in July 2013. However the ''The Dandy Annual'' will continue to be published for the foreeable future.

The print version of the comic ceased publication on its 75th anniversary in December 2012; an online version lasted just 13 issues before the comic ended for good in July 2013.

** In fact, in both this comic and TheBeano, almost all of the characters seem to crave large meals (often referred to as a [[AntiquatedLinguistics "slap up feed"]]). Traditionally, such a "slap up feed" (often depicted as a massive pile of mashed potatoes with sausages sticking out of it, but sweets, pies and cakes are also popular) was the usual reward at the end of a strip if the characters won whatever contest or outsmarted whichever opponent appeared in the plot that week, and it still crops up today. There's a fascinating historical context to this: WorldWarII happened early in the development of these comics, when rationing and hardship meant that the idea of being able to gorge on large meals or piles of sweets actually ''was'' something for the children reading the comics to dream of.

* ComicsMerger : Merged with Hoot and Nutty (original home of ComicStrip/{{Bananaman}}).

** Depending on who you ask, Hector Spectre is either an expy or a SpiritualSuccessor to an earlier character called Edd Chumley, who appeared in a strip called ''Meet Edd: He's A Ghost'' in TheBeezer [[TheTopper and Topper]]. Both strips involved [[HeadlessHorseman headless ghosts]] in Elizabethan get-up with rural dialects and accompanied by a grey cat, both drawn by David Mostyn. The main difference was that Hector haunted a stately home, whereas Edd's home was said to be long since demolished. It's likely that a different main character was created as Edd looked very much like a [[DistaffCounterpart male version of Molly.]]
* FriendToAllChildren Desperate Dan is always solving the neighbourhood kids' problems in ridiculous, over-the-top ways.

Not to be confused with TheDandy.

** Also CharacterizationMarchesOn - in the early stripe, he was a desperado (as his name implies) and willing to use violence. Nowadays, he's a much better-natured guy (although [[BewareTheNiceOnes you do NOT want to make him mad]]).

* BigEater: Hungry Horace, Tom Tum, Plum MacDuff, Greedy Pigg... that's at least ''four characters'' who have this as their entire gimmick. There's also Desperate Dan, who shows this in his love for massive [[TrademarkFavouriteFood Cow Pies]][[note]]A Cow Pie is, apparently, an ''entire cow'' inside a pie, with the horns and tail sticking out[[/note]].

* CoolAndUnusualPunishment: New favourite ''Kid Cops'' always ends in one of these.

* TrademarkFavouriteFood: Desperate Dan and Cow Pies.

The most popular characters to appear in The Dandy are [[WorldsStrongestMan Desperate Dan]], [[FunnyAnimal Korky the Cat]], [[HeroicDog Black Bob]], [[BoardingSchool Winker Watson]], ComicStrip/{{Bananaman}}, [[EnfantTerrible Cuddles and Dimples]], [[Series/HarryHillsTVBurp Harry Hill]], [[BratsWithSlingshots The Smasher]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} The Jocks]] and [[NorthEastEngland The Geordies]], [[TheBully Bully Beef]] and Chips, [[{{Tomboy}} Beryl the Peril]], [[RobotKid Brassneck]] and [[ThePeepingTom Keyhole Kate]].

The most popular characters to appear in The Dandy are [[WorldsStrongestMan Desperate Dan]], [[FunnyAnimal Korky the Cat]], [[HeroicDog Black Bob]], [[BoardingSchool Winker Watson]], {{Bananaman}}, [[EnfantTerrible Cuddles and Dimples]], [[Series/HarryHillsTVBurp Harry Hill]], [[BratsWithSlingshots The Smasher]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} The Jocks]] and [[NorthEastEngland The Geordies]], [[TheBully Bully Beef]] and Chips, [[{{Tomboy}} Beryl the Peril]], [[RobotKid Brassneck]] and [[ThePeepingTom Keyhole Kate]].

* AnimatedAdaptation: {{Bananaman}}

* ComicsMerger : Merged with Hoot and Nutty (original home of {{Bananaman}}).

* SuddenlyVoiced: Desperate Dan in the digital title. Surprisingly NOT {{Bananaman}}, even though he once had a TV series.

''The Dandy'' is a long running children's comic published in the [[BritishComics United Kingdom]], running several different stories and characters. Published by [[Creator/DCThomson D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd]]. The first issue was printed in 1937, making it the world's third longest running comic, after DetectiveComics and Il Giornalino.

* {{Discontinuity}}: In December 2012, they launched a digital Dandy to replace the closed down print comic. It rebooted at the end of March 2013 because the original attempt had been littered with technical bugs, such as stories stretching beyond the frame making them un-navigable, and loading problems. Some stories were shuffled around in the re-released issues, for example, the Desperate Dan story originally in issue 1 is now in issue 2, because issue 1 used a new one.

** Conversely, there were {{Comic Book Adaptation}}s of ''OurGang'' (1937-47) and ''PotsworthAndCompany'' (1993-94)

** In one Dandy Book, Dan's greatest enemies [[{{EvilCounterpart}} Dangerous Dan McGrew]] and [[PlantPerson Cactusman]] managed to hold the editor of The Dandy hostage, so that [[{{DangerouslyGenreSavvy}} they would always win]]. Naturally, they didn't succeed [[spoiler:and Dan managed [[{{ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections}} to pull a few strings]] with the editor of TheBeano. The last page of Dan's story showed the two baddies [[{{CrossoverPunchline}} on the cover of the latest issue of The Beano]], [[{{CoolAndUnusualPunishment}} reduced to picking daisies]], where a [[{{DennisTheMenaceUK}} certain spiky-haired youth]] observed them from a distance... ]]

* {{Expy}}: The Smasher looks ''really'' suspiciously similar to [[DennisTheMenaceUK Dennis the Menace]] from supposed rival comic TheBeano, even though his personality is different.

* BigEater: Hungry Horace, Tom Tum, Plum MacDuff, Greedy Pigg... that's at least ''four characters'' who have this as their entire gimmick. There's also Desperate Dan, who shows this in his love for massive [[TrademarkFavouriteFood Cow Pies]][[hottip:*:A Cow Pie is, apparently, an ''entire cow'' inside a pie, with the horns and tail sticking out.]].

The print version of the comic has ceased publication on its 75th anniversary in December 2012 but it will continue [[http://www.dandy.com online]].

The most popular characters to appear in The Dandy are [[WorldsStrongestMan Desperate Dan]], [[FunnyAnimal Korky the Cat]], [[Franchise/{{Lassie}} Black Bob]], [[BoardingSchool Winker Watson]], {{Bananaman}}, [[EnfantTerrible Cuddles and Dimples]], [[Series/HarryHillsTVBurp Harry Hill]], [[BratsWithSlingshots The Smasher]], [[UsefulNotes/{{Scotland}} The Jocks]] and [[NorthEastEngland The Geordies]], [[TheBully Bully Beef]] and Chips, [[{{Tomboy}} Beryl the Peril]], [[RobotKid Brassneck]] and [[ThePeepingTom Keyhole Kate]].

Not to be confused with TheDandy or El Dandy, who is not to be doubted.

Not to be confused with TheDandy.