£100k toy treasures
HE is the cartoon kid whose antics have had us giggling for generations. Dennis the Menace turns 70 this month, and even Kew Gardens will be marking the occasion. The first comic strip featuring the much-loved character appeared in the Beano back in 1951.
With his spiky black hair, shorts and red-and-black stripy jumper, the eternal
Dennis first appeared in the Beano, 13 years after it was founded, in an issue which hit the shops on March 12, 1951. Issue 452 was dated March 17 – which became his official birthday.
In a weird coincidence, a second comic strip called Dennis the Menace came out in the US on the same day but featuring a different character.
The cartoon was born when Beano editor George Moonie heard a music hall song with the chorus: “I’m Dennis the Menace from Venice”.
Dennis was first sketched out on the back of a packet of cigarettes and the first strip he starred in was in black and white. It wasn’t until months later that cartoonist David Law added the famous red and black jumper to the “world’s wildest boy”. It was knitted for him by his granny.
In 1954, Dennis got a full-page strip as he helped Beano sales 10-year-old terror became a national treasure. To mark his birthday, JAMES MOORE has put together 15 fascinating facts about everyone’s favourite scamp… soar. That same year the female answer to Dennis – Minnie the Minx – joined him in stories. Dennis got his pet Gnasher in
1968. An Abyssinian wire-haired tripe hound, the mutt was based on Dennis’ hair but with a pair of legs added. Dennis’ pet pig Rasher debuted in 1979.
In 1974, Dennis replaced Biffo the Bear on the front cover. Two years later, the Dennis the Menace fan club was launched. It soon had a million members including the likes of Mark Hamill, who was Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. Other celebrity fans of the character have included singer Kurt Cobain, who wore a Dennis-style red and black striped jumper on stage, and the darts player Dennis Priestley, who took the nickname The Menace after him.
In
1991,
Dennis’ shorts and stripy shirt were briefly replaced with a tracksuit, sunglasses and a Sony Walkman. Thankfully, it was a stunt. There have been several TV shows based around the character, including the CBBC animated series Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed which was sold to broadcasters around the world.
Dennis was the mascot for Beanoland at Chessington World of Adventures theme park. He has also appeared in video games including Minecraft.
They will be sold by Vectis Auction House at Thornaby, Teesside, on Tuesday.
Included in the sale is a He-Man figure on its original backing card with a pre-sale value of £3,000.
A special Dennis the Menace tartan is being made to celebrate his birthday. There will also be an interactive Big Bonanza story trail at London’s Kew Gardens over the Easter holidays.
In satirical magazine Private Eye, PM Boris Johnson is styled as “Boris the Menace” while posh MP Jacob Rees-Mogg is likened to his arch rival, Walter the Softy.
Beano editorial director Mike Stirling says: “Dennis has always been about having a laugh.”