7 December 2012
Illustrious history illustrated in Dandy exhibition
The 75th birthday of The Dandy and the launch of its new digital version will be celebrated at a University of Dundee exhibition this weekend.
The event takes place at the Tower Building's Baxter Suite at 2pm on Saturday, 8th December. The Dandy is the third-oldest comic in the world, and the exhibition looks back over the illustrious and illustrated past of the much-loved DC Thomson publication, as well as looking to its online future to coincide with this week's launch of the Digital Dandy.
The exhibition features original artwork from DC Thomson's collections dating back to the earliest years of the comic, much of which has never been shown in public before.
The launch event will also give an exclusive insight into the Digital Dandy led by Dr Chris Murray, director of the Scottish Centre for Comics Studies (SCCS) based at the University.
Dr Murray will be discussing the process of taking the comic online with former editor Morris Heggie, Digital Dandy editor Craig Ferguson, writer Dan McGachey, long-time DC Thomson artist David Sutherland, and Stephen White, one of the artists closely involved in the process of creating the Digital Dandy.
"We are proud to be able to help The Dandy celebrate its 75th anniversary, which is a remarkable achievement," said Dr Murray. "Of course, the comic is also in a process of transition, as the final print version goes to press and is replaced by a new digital Dandy. This promises to be an exciting and innovative step forward for comic and its beloved characters."
The exhibition and launch have been created as part of an on-going partnership between DC Thomson & Co Ltd, the University of Dundee Museum Services and the SCCS. The exhibition is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday-Saturday until 7th January, except when the University is closed between 23rd December and 2nd January). Admission is free.
More information is available by emailing museum@dundee.ac.uk or c.murray@dundee.ac.uk.
Notes to editors:
Dundee is one of the great powerhouses of comics production, not just in the UK, but internationally. The publisher DC Thomson is at the heart of the city, with its long running comics, The Beano and The Dandy, and a host of beloved characters, such as Dennis the Menace, Desperate Dan, and the Bash Street Kids.
Building on this local tradition and expertise, the University of Dundee is currently leading the way in this emerging academic field, with modules on comics at undergraduate level and the UK's first Masters course in Comics Studies.
The Scottish Centre for Comics Studies (SCCS) is based at the University, bringing together researchers, teachers, archivists, artists and writers, industry professionals, and others involved in the promotion of Comics Studies.
The end of the print version of The Dandy and the launch of its digital equivalent is a landmark for UK comics.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07854 953277 |
