3 December 2012

75 Years of The Dandy - new exhibition

The latest exhibition in the Lamb Gallery at the University of Dundee celebrates the 75th birthday of the world's third-longest running comic, The Dandy, created by Dundee publishers D C Thomson.

The first issue of The Dandy was dated 4th December 1937 and it was an instant success. At its height of popularity in the early 1950s it was selling an astonishing two million copies a week.

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.

Curator Matthew Jarron explains, "All the classic favourites are here, including original Desperate Dan pages by Dudley D Watkins, Korky the Cat artwork by James Crighton and Charlie Grigg, as well as Winker Watson by Eric Roberts, Black Bob by Jack Prout and many more. Whether you were a fan of Brassneck or Bananaman, Corporal Clott or Cuddles & Dimples, you'll find them all in the Lamb Gallery."

The exhibition has been created as part of an on-going partnership between DC Thomson & Co Ltd, the University of Dundee Museum Services and the newly established Scottish Centre for Comics Studies based at the University. Dr Chris Murray, Director of the centre, said, "We are proud to be able to help The Dandy celebrate its 75th anniversary, which is a remarkable achievement. 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 The Dandy."

The exhibition is open now (Monday-Saturday) until 7th January (except when the University is closed for Christmas 23 December - 2 January). Admission is free.

For further information call 01382 384310 or email 75 Years of The Dandy - new exhibition.

For media enquiries contact:
Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk
MOBILE: 07800 581902