We continue my first theme month since joining TGWTG in September. And with Doug Walker retired as a reviewer its only fair that we, the other forum members, pick up the pace. So I'm sure he won't mind me "borrowing" the Old vs New format, this one time!
If you were here last week, I told you that the Dandy comic is closing down and in my retrospective, I said it was due to the format drastically changing. But was it as bad? Is the comic from the year it dies just overlooked? or am i just wearing Nostalgia Goggles when looking at the old style?
I have 2 considerations,
- Any strips with the same characters will be compared
- the left-over strips will be treated as one entry and be compared
Cover
Again, for those who read bogger box office, You'll know i don't have a scanner or google links, You have to take my word for it, or Google Image search the issue number . For the old style i couldn't find in my search all over Leinster a 90's era dandy so i got the next best thing a 04 comic(issue 3276) before that years reboot. For the new style i picked up the latest issue (at time of writing the manuscript of this review)(issue 3600) in Dublin.
on the old style we have the format that has made the dandy so popular: a 3-panel strip or a"free laugh" this was always the best at it entices the reader to buy it as opposed to a splash page cover of scene that probably is not in comic itself.
The new style cover does not have that problem, as it's cover scene of Nuke Noodle picking up Matt smith and beating up Daleks with him as a weapon(Really!) is repeated inside the comic. the fact that it's drawing readers to a scene repeated is not as surprising as reading a different story about Dan.
Winner: old style.
Desperate Dan
(Davidson/Harrison version vs Jamie Smart version)
The most famous Dandy character of them all has being there since issue 1, but in 2 years the design has being changed as well as his story dynamic and personality. A desperate Dan story always went like this.
- Dan sees his friends doing an activity (e.g. Skipping)
- Dan breaks the MacGuffin for said activity
- Not wanting to upset his friends, Dan, fixes the broken toy
- Dan uses a bigger stronger thing to use for himself (e.g. Telephone cables as skipping rope!)
The Jamie Smart version sees him changed, removing his cast and putting him in more western style adventures on the back page. Here in an encounter with Billy the kid (a...well, a kid) Dan comes off as a bully not the gentle giant/Friend to all children as he is remembered.
WINNER:OLD STYLE
Bananaman
(Steve bright version vs Wayne thompson version)
Worldwide Bananaman is well known his 1980s cartoon voiced by the goodies has being picked up by nickelodeon in America, the format hasn't changed as it's still a homage/parody to Silver age comics. In 2004 we had the 103 tv episodes reprinted in the dandy as Bananaman's original creator had passed away. In the new version we has a cartoonly brightly coloured original story albeit short being demoted from 4 pages to just one. But the new style gets the point for originality.
WINNER: NEW STYLE
Keyhole Kate
(Sid burgon reprint vs Paterson/metcalfe reprint)
I admit, i never liked Keyhole Kate stories, who looks through keyholes has anyone ever looked through keyholes is a better question! The character has being uncancelled so many times that she was officially discontinued in 07.
WINNER: NO CONTEST!
Cuddles and Dimples
(Barrie Appleby version vs Nigel Parkinson reprint)
The Anarcistical Babies never failed to get a 9-year old me in stitches, or their long suffering parents and pets for that matter. in the old style Dad is trying to teach the parrot to speak for the pet show. But the babies are causing mayhem causing dad to shout threats, which the parrot relays in front of the judges, kicking Dad out of the pet show.
the Art shift in the new comic saddens me. the anarchy is now a growing pains story about the misunderstandings children have about how the world works. the grotesque features of the babies are stylised and the parents clothes modernised, and the dialogue of the babies is less childish. Her in a reprint before being axed, the boys think mum is laying an egg. Pretty tame if you ask me!
WINNER:OLD STYLE
Winker Watson
Steve white Manga-esque version Vs Steve white original character design
The story of the school-boy who lives in a boarding school surviving teachers,rich kids,bullies,his bumbling uncle as a P.E. Teacher, bank robbers and even aliens hasn't lost his charm. still a 2-pager, the newer stories are now part work, rather than a one-shot every week.
WINNER:NEW STYLE!
OTHER CONTENT WAR!
Old(jimmy's green Genie, Ollie fliptrik, Brain duane, Blinky, Sneaker,Owen goal, Hyde and shriek, Bad max)
vs New (Blubba and bear, Madvertisement, Bully Beef and Chips, Corporal Clott, Spotted Dick, My Dad is a Doofus, Brass Neck, Silly Moo, The Bogies, Puss N' Boots Nuke noodle,Beryl the Peril, George version Dragon and 3 pages of comic shorts)
As strange as it sounds the comic from the year the coffin nails are hammered, has more 90's era characters in it but only because the sad fact that they are reprints. the Modern era stuff are all flash designed with very little movement drawn into them. However the old style wins out with its eclectic mix of styles, humour and themes,While the stuff in 3600 original content looks like it was drawn by the same person, striping these new characters of any unique qualities or personalities.
OVERALL WINNERS: THE OLD DANDY!
No comments:
Post a Comment