The Demise of My Childhood Comic: The Dandy Says Farewell From Newsstands

Today is the last day you will be able to buy a copy of The Dandy from a UK newsstand. The Dandy has been a weekly comic for 75 years. Today is in fact the 75th anniversary of its first edition, so not only was it a regular part of my childhood, it was a part of my brother's who is a decade older than I am, and also a part of my dad's. This comic has long roots, but sadly theses days it has fewer fans.

In the 50s the comic sold 2 million copies a week, recent sales total only 8,000 a week. This led the publisher to reconfigure The Dandy for a digital age and a new generation of children. Favorite characters such as Bananaman, Korky the Cat, Beryl the Peril, and Desperate Dan, will now be available at Dandy.com where the lunacy, artistry and humor of the original will find its new home.

I have many memories of reading this comic every week, of walking up to the corner shop for my issue, of joining the fan club, of finally receiving it in the post with the daily paper. It is one of the first geek bonds my dad and I have together. A huge part of Christmas was receiving The Dandy Annual that came out every year, we still have a stack in my parents attic that I am now even more reluctant to get rid of. When my first son was born in 2009, my parents bought him a copy though he will not read it for a few more years. I do not know if the dawn of the digital Dandy will also see the demise of this favored UK holiday tradition, so I will be hanging on to my old copies so that my boys may have that same tactile experience I had on Christmas morning. As much as the new website is an absolute delight, there is nothing like holding that familiar package on Christmas morning and devouring new stories.

Goodbye old friend, see you on the internet.