Happy Birthday Beano

 It was 85 years ago today you rolled off the printing presses.

Since then, there have been 4,000 editions, and 7,000 characters have walked across your pages.

You have seen us through wars, a nasty epidemic and the Great Freeze of 1947 and 1962-3.

And now you are introducing new characters to reflect the social changes in the country.

So, I hope the birthday cake is up to the event.

And on a personal note, you have entertained me and my kids over 60 of your 85 years.

Pictures, Beano covers no. 2803, April 6th 1996, & No. 2893, December 27th, 1997, from the collection of Ben

So Happy birthday Beano

It is 85 years almost to the day,

That your anarchic humour

And outrageous characters 

Marched across your pages,

To delight generations.

I will have first come across you,

Around 1957 on a wet playtime

In Edmund Waller School

When the rain came down like stair rods,

We spent the time in the steamy damp classroom

With old, donated copies of comics

And I fell across you.

Happily I was hooked.

Spending the rest of my child hood

With Minnie, Biffo, Dennis, and the Bash Street Kids.

I aspired to be Danny but in truth was more Plug or Smiffy

Still in the fullness of time I introduced you to

Our Ben who at nearly 40

Still gets his Beano Annual at Christmas

While our Josh walked with the Dandy.

So on Monday when it is your official birthday

I will be spending the day with back copies of your annuals,

A selection of your comics

And my own special edition  of the Beano dated 1949

Along with one of my game packs

Happy brithday ....... with love

And thanks for all the laffs.

Pictures; Beano Annual 1989, and Games pack courtesy of DC Thompson & Rocket Licensing, donated by Seaways Fish & Chip shop, Menai Bridge

This month 70 years ago ………………

Picture; The Beano No.379 October 22nd, 1949