The Beano is a British anthology comic magazine created by Scottish publishing company DC Thomson. The Beano has featured comedic strips, adventure strips, and prose stories. Prose stories were, however, phased out in 1955 and adventure strips were phased out in 1975 – the last one being General Jumbo. The longest-running strip in The Beano, originally titled Dennis the Menace (currently titled Dennis and Gnasher), first appeared in 1951. Other long-running characters and series include Biffo the Bear, Minnie the Minx, Roger the Dodger, The Bash Street Kids, Little Plum and Billy Whizz. As of 2015, The Beano had been home to 371 different strips (with a further 17 strips appearing in Comic Idol competitions, but not in any later comics).
This list only features strips in the weekly comic, and does not list strips that only appeared once. It also includes the Comic Idol winners from 1995 to 2010.
Comic strips Source:
Strip title Notes Original artist Other notable artists Start date End date Big Eggo Was the first cover star from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 until issue 326 on 10 January 1948. Returned on 7 March 2018. (Returned for 25 issues from issue 3925 on 10 March 2018 to issue 3950 on 1 September 2018). Reg CarterLew Stringer 1938 2018 1949 2018 Ping the Elastic Man Hugh McNeill 1938 1940 Brave Captain KipperAbout an elderly sailor who was the 'diehard of the Seven Seas'. Torelli Bros 1938 1939 Lord Snooty and his Pals Four series. First from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 to issue 367 on 30 July 1949. Second from issue 440 on 23 December 1950 to issue 811 on 1 February 1958. Third from issue 904 on 14 November 1959 to issue 2565 on 14 September 1991. Dudley Watkins Leo Baxendale, Robert Nixon, Jimmy Glen, Ken Harrison 1938 1991 Whoopee Hank Roland Davies 1938 1939 Hooky's Magic Bowler Hat Charles Gordon 1938 1940 Wee Peem Three series. First from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 to issue 89 on 6 April 1940.
Second entitled Wee Peem's Magic Pills ran from issue 486 on 10 November 1951 to issue 507 on 5 April 1952.
Third series with the title changed to just Wee Peem ran from issue 714 on 24 March 1956 to issue 765 on 16 March 1957. James Jewell Charles Griggs, Hugh Morren 1938 1957 Little Dead Eye Dick Three series. First from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 to issue 20 on 10 December 1938. Second from issue 362 on 28 May 1949 to 368 on 6 August 1949.
The third and final appeared between issue 375 on 24 September 1949 and issue 410 on 27 May 1950. Charles Holt 1938 1950 Hairy Dan Basil Blackaller 1938 1946 Contrary MaryComic strip about a stubborn mule.
The strip's main character reappeared as one of Lord Snooty's Pals in 1950. Roland Davies 1938 1940 Smiler the Sweeper Steve Perkins 1938 1938 Helpful Henry Eric Roberts 1938 1939 Big Fat Joe The strip's main character reappeared as one of Lord Snooty's Pals in 1950. Allan Morley 1938 1939 Rip Van WinkAbout a man who had slept for 700 years and his reaction to the modern (1930s) world. Name references the short story Rip Van Winkle.
Two series, the first of which ran for ten years from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 to issue 336 on 29 May 1948, and the second of which lasted from issue 857 on 20 December 1958 to issue 866 on 21 February 1959. Eric Roberts Gordon Bell 1938 1959 Uncle Windbag Three series. First from issue 1 on 30 July 1938 to issue 20 on 10 December 1938. Second from issue 579 on 22 August 1953 to issue 596 on 19 December 1953. Third from issue 744 on 20 October 1956 to issue 763 on 2 March 1957. Charles Holt Charles Grigg, Bill Ritchie 1938 1957 Monkey Tricks Reg Carter 1938 1938 Tin Can Tommy Torelli Bros 1938 1947 Hicky the Hare Torelli Bros 1938 1939 Good King Coke Two series. First was from issue 21 on 10 December 1938 to issue 177 on 11 April 1942. Second was from issue 256–300 in 1945–1946. Eric Roberts 1938 1946 Frosty McNab Sam Fair 1938 1941 Pansy Potter Also appeared in Sparky. Four series. First from issue 21 on 10 December 1938 to issue 325 on 27 December 1947.
Second titled Pansy Potter in Wonderland from issue 369 on 13 August 1949 to issue 652 on 15 January 1955.
Third series with original title appeared from issue 812 on 8 February 1958 to issue 854 on 29 November 1958.
Fourth series from issue 2474 on 16 December 1989 to issue 2640 on 20 February 1993. Hugh McNeil Basil Blackaller, Sam Fair, James Clark, Charles Grigg, Gordon Bell, Barry Glennard 1938 1993 Boney the Brave Roland Davies 1939 1939 Puffing Billy Hugh McNeill 1939 1940 Tricky Dicky Ant Two series. First from issue 38 on 15 April 1939 to issue 62 on 30 September 1939. Second from issue 358 on 2 April 1949 to issue 374 on 17 September 1949. Torelli Bros James Clark, Allan Morley 1939 1949 The Pranks of Peanut Charles Gordon 1939 1939 Deep Down Daddy Neptune Basil Blackaller 1939 1940 Wily Willie Winkie Unknown 1939 1940 Laddie Longlegs Unknown 1939 1939 Cocky Dick Allan Morley 1939 1947 Winken and Blinken Sam Fair 1940 1941 Doubting Thomas The strip's main character reappeared as one of Lord Snooty's Pals in 1950. James Crighton 1940 1942 Cinderella and the Ugly Sisters Basil Blackaller 1940 1941 Big Heep Basil Blackaller 1940 1942 Musso the WopFeatured the slapstick antics of Benito Mussolini. Sam Fair 1940 1943 The Magic LollipopsFeatured a boy with lollipops that would turn into what you wanted if you licked them.
Two series. First was from issue 152 on 21 June 1941 to issue 306 on 5 April 1947 and the second was from issue 344 on 18 September 1948 to issue 475 on 25 August 1951. Allan Morley 1941 1951 Handy Sandy Two series. First appeared between issue 175 on 14 March 1942 and issue 199 on 13 February 1943, the second between 242 on 7 October 1944 and issue 255 on 7 April 1945. Arthur Jackson 1942 1945 Little Nell and Peter Pell About a girl called Nell and her pet pelican called Peter. Allan Morley 1945 1947 Smart Alec Basil Blackaller 1945 1945 Polly Wolly Doodle and her Great Big Poodle The strip's main characters reappeared as one of Lord Snooty's Pals in 1950. George Drysdale 1946 1947 Sammy Shrinko A strip about a boy with a shrink ray. Allan Morley 1946 1948 Sticky Willie Unknown 1946 1947 Wavy Davy and his Navy Dudley Watkins 1947 1947 Alf Wit the Ancient Brit About a plucky young caveman who wore sandals exposing his toes as opposed to leather shoes. Only appeared in two issues, though lots of unused material was drawn up. Bill Holroyd 1947 1947 Freddy Flipperfeet Reg Carter 1947 1948 Maxy's TaxiAbout a man called Maxy and his Taxi. George Drysdale 1947 1951 Winnie the Witch James Clark 1948 1948 Peter Penguin Reg Carter 1948 1949 Biffo the Bear Was the second cover star from issue 327 on 24 January 1948 until issue 1677 on 7 September 1974. Three series. First from issue 327 on 24 January 1948 to issue 2310 on 25 October 1986.
Second from issue 2445 on 27 May 1989 to issue 2954 on 27 February 1999. Dudley Watkins David Sutherland, Jimmy Glen, Sid Burgon 1948 1999 and 2013 Cocky Jock George Drysdale 1948 1949 Swanky Lanky Liz The strip's main character reappeared as one of Lord Snooty's Pals in 1950. Charles Holt 1948 1949 Smarty Smokum Allan Morley 1948 1949 Hairy Hugh and his Cockatoo Basil Blackaller 1948 1949 Have-A-Go Joe Two series. First ran from 1949 to 1951. The second featuring the same main character but retitled "The Beano Cinema" ran in 1951. Bill Holroyd 1949 1951 Wandering Willie Bill Holroyd 1949 1949 Ding-Dong Belle Bill Holroyd 1949 1951 Danger! Len at Work Bill Holroyd 1949 1950 Sammy's Super Rubber Allan Morley 1950 1951 Dennis the Menace The third cover star from issue 1678 on 14 September 1974. David Law David Sutherland, David Parkins, Nigel Parkinson, Jimmy Hansen, Tom Paterson Barrie Appleby Nigel Parkinson 1951 Present Skinny Flint Basil Blackaller 1951 1951Bucktooth the Boy who Lives in a Barrel Two series. First from issue 464 on 9 June 1951 to issue 487 on 17 November 1951 and the second from issue 503 on 8 March 1952 to issue 512 on 10 May 1952. Bill Holroyd 1951 1952 Willie's Wonder Gun James Clark 1951 1952 Multy the Millionaire Richard Cox 1952 1953 Wee Davie Seven series. First from issue 513 on 17 May 1952 to issue 518 on 21 June 1952. Second from issue 568 on 6 June 1953 to issue 582 on 12 September 1953.
Third from issue 615 on 1 May 1954 to issue 616 on 8 May 1954. Fourth from issue 619 on 29 May 1954 to issue 625 on 10 July 1954. Fifth from issue 659 on 5 March 1955 to issue 667 on 30 April 1955. Sixth retitled 'Wee Davie and King Willie' ran from issue 680 on 30 July 1955 to issue 712 on 10 March 1956. Seventh series ran from issue 760 on 9 February 1957 to issue 798 on 2 November 1957 with the same title as the previous one. Ken Hunter 1952 1957 Kat and Kanary Three series. First from issue 526 on 16 August 1952 to issue 713 on 17 March 1956. The second from issue 770 on 20 April 1957 to issue 794 on 5 October 1957.
The third from issue 819 on 29 March 1958 to issue 841 on 30 August 1958. Charles Grigg Leo Baxendale, Albert Holroyd, Gordon Bell 1952 1958 The Nippers Richard Cox 1952 1953 Roger the Dodger Two series. First from issue 561 on 18 April 1953 to issue 928 on 30 April 1960.
The second began on issue 980 on 29 April 1961 and is still ongoing. Ken Reid Gordon Bell, Bob McGrath, Robert Nixon, Tom Lavery, Frank MacDiarmid, Barrie Appleby, Jamie Smart 1953 Present Big Hugh and You One of the first strips to feature the reader as a character. Bill Holroyd 1953 1953 Matt Hatter George Drysdale 1953 1955 Little Plum Four Series. First from issue 586 on 10 October 1953 to issue 2310 on 25 October 1986.
Second from issue 2436 on 25 March 1989 to issue 2470 on 18 November 1989. Third series ran from issue 3154 on 28 December 2002 to issue 3364 on 20 January 2007. The fourth series consisting of reprints of the third series ran in 2011. Fifth series began in 2013. Fifth series began in 2013. Leo Baxendale Ron Spencer, Tom Paterson, Hunt Emerson 1953 2015 Minnie the Minx Was the fourth cover star for the Christmas issue celebrating her 60th anniversary in issue 3715 on 14 December 2013. Leo Baxendale Jim Petrie, Tom Paterson, Ken Harrison, Laura Howell, Nigel Parkinson 1953 Present When the Bell Rings (name changed to The Bash Street Kids in issue 748 on 17 November 1956) Leo Baxendale David Sutherland 1954 Present Jenny Penny Jimmy Thompson 1954 1955 Dick on the Draw Jimmy Thompson 1955 1955 Clumsy Claude-The Blunder Boy Bill Ritchie 1955 1955 Prince Whoopee Two series. First from issue 680 on 30 July 1955 to issue 759 on 2 February 1957.
Second from issue 799 on 9 November 1957 to issue 841 on 30 August 1958. Charles Grigg George Drysdale 1955 1958 Scrapper Two series. A spin-off of the Lord Snooty strip starring Scrapper Smith. First from issue 680 on 30 July 1955 to issue 769 on 13 April 1957.
Second from issue 880 on 30 May 1959 to issue 890 on 8 August 1959. George Drysdale/Albert Holroyd 1955 1959 Grandpa Two series. First from issue 680 on 30 July 1955 to issue 798 on 2 November 1957.
The second ran from issue 1522 on 18 September 1971 to issue 2200 on 15 September 1984. Ken Reid Robert Nixon, Jimmy Glen 1955 1984 Our Ned Albert Holroyd 1956 1958 Daniel the Spaniel Ken Hunter 1956 1956 Johnny on the Hop (He brings The Beano from the Shop) George Drysdale 1956 1956Pooch Bill Ritchie 1957 1957 Parachute Reg Albert Holroyd 1957 1957 Wizards at War Charles Grigg 1957 1957 Dippy the Diver Hugh Morren 1957 1957 Fusspot Annie Jimmy Thompson 1957 1958 Bringing up DennisDennis the Menace spinoff with Dennis as a baby. Ken Wilkins 1957 1958 Quick An' Slick Frank MacDarmiad 1957 1958Pom-Pom (The Boy who Brightens Darkest Africa) Gordon Bell 1958 1958 Jonah Ken Reid 1958 1963Cookie Ken Wilkins 1958 1958 Betty's Grandad Hugh Morren 1958 1958 Dashalong Dot Gordon Bell 1958 1959 Joe for Champ Hugh Morren 1959 1959 The Three Bears Five series. First in 1959. The second ran from 1960 to 1985. The third ran from 1988 to 1995.