Exclusive early unveiling of Dr Wullie Manhattan

Published On Wed 22 Jun 2016 by Grant Hill

Hybrid creations have been a staple feature of comics for decades and graduating students from the University of Dundee will be among the first to cast their eyes upon Oor Wullie-as-Dr Manhattan when he is unveiled today.

The University is a sponsor of Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail, a major public arts event will see the streets of Dundee and beyond come to life with a spectacle of colour as 50 giant Oor Wullie sculptures are installed in the city this summer.

In recognition of the University’s position as one of the UK’s foremost centres of comics scholarship and creation, it was decided that its statue should be designed by celebrated Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons. Dave, an honorary graduate of Dundee, has reimagined Wullie in the radioactive blue of one of his most famous creations.

All 50 statues will be officially unveiled throughout the city next Monday but the exclusive early unveiling is taking place at the University to enable graduating students and their families to get their picture taken with Dr Wullie Manhattan. He will be on display outside the University’s Tower Building in Nethergate from today until the end of August.

“We are delighted to finally come face-to-face with Dr Wullie Manhattan,” said Jon Urch from the University’s Public Engagement team. “Thanks to Dave Gibbons we’ve been able to bring two legends of the comics world together and I’m sure this will catch the interest of Dave’s legion of fans around the world.

“He is sure to prove a hit with students and staff too, and our graduates will have the chance to get a graduation photo with a difference. Oor Wullie is a major part of the Dundee story and this will be the perfect memento of their time here.”

Oor Wullie’s Bucket Trail is a collaboration between The ARCHIE Foundation, DC Thomson and Wild in Art that aims to capture the hearts and minds of the public and encourage locals to become tourists in their own city as well as attracting visitors to Dundee.

The Oor Wullie sculptures have been beautifully decorated by local and national artists as well as household names from the worlds of film, music, art, animation and fashion. The statues will then be on show for 10 weeks at the location chosen by their sponsor before they are auctioned to help raise funds for The ARCHIE Foundation’s Tayside Appeal to create a twin theatre suite for the children’s hospital.

For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk