Everybody We Know Loves The Beano... Damn Right :) (Beano, the)

Name: khrys

Hello doyoo user, You have to be logged in to use these functions... Login or register Close window

Send message to member

Product:	Beano, the
Date:	07/05/01 (425 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fun, Innocent, Cheap

Disadvantages: Different Artists, Some Characters Have Been Away Too Long, Adults Claim It Is For Children

Okay, I know I really shouldn't be reading The Beano. It's not as if I get read it every week...

Okay, I do. I read the Beano every single week, and love it. It has everything a small child, or an older person with a childs spirit trapped inside them, could ever want.

Colourful pictures, genuinely funny events, plus subtle humour picked up on my people like me, lovable characters, each unique, characters that come back after years of "holiday", and a guaranteed fun experience for all.

Who can forget characters such as Dennis the Menace and Minnie the Minx, who have lasted out so long, even through different artists and thus different appearances. Dennis' absolute happiness with which he attacks his "menacing" is not something to warp childrens minds at all; it is very entertaining. His faithful dog Gnasher has also survived for some time, plus the other Menace Animals include Dasher the spider, and Rasher the pig. Dennis' secret of always remaining 10 years old, and always using the trusty weapons such as the peashooter and catapult, make him the absolute idol of every child who has ever read the comic.

We then also have the likes of the Bash Street Kids, who have appeared on the centre pages of the comic for I don't know how long, and Les Pretend, whose active imagination is sure to bring something new each week. There are often clashes between the "Menace Gang" and the Bash Street Kids, usually in the form of a water fight or football match, and it is always fun to see who will come out on top.

My personal favourite character, however, is Calamity James. You have to feel sorry for the poor lad who is always getting hurt, or damaging things, and as a result getting hurt. And for those who watch closely, you can notice "little squelchy thingies" in almost every cartoon. The way James is drawn to have such a happy outlook even though he is doomed to failure from t
he word go, is something that I look forward to every time I read.

I also enjoy reading the likes of The Numskulls (five little people inside the head of Ed, who control how he moves etc: Brainy, Snitch, Radar, Cruncher, and Blinky), Roger The Dodger (another favourite: a very clever, sneaky boy who gets out of all kinds of troubles using his dodge books and wits alone), Number 13 (haven't seen them for a while, but basically a family consisting of a vampire, a frankenstein-esque creation, werewolves, ghosts, bats, etc), and The Three Bears (Ma, Pa, and Little Ted, three lovable bears who have their own problems to deal with, living in a cave in a desert, raiding Hank's Store for food). Cartoons such as this always make me laugh, even thouh I know the Beano is aimed at a younger audience!

I suppose one of the other things that is good about the Beano is this: the stories are not rigged. You do not have each episode ending with the character coming off best, and living happily ever after. There are often episodes in which Dennis, Roger, or any other character, will come unstuck, and end up losing his battle with his father/sergeant Slipper/his teacher, etc.. This makes each episode unpredictable, and fun to read.

All in all, I do not have a bad thing to say about the Beano. You get excellent quality cartoons at a very low consistent price (currently 55p), and sometimes you get a free gift too (usually some sweets or a lolly, or some stickers! I enjoy the sweets!!). This is entertainment at a timeless best, and I would advise adults who think they are "too old for it" to buy a copy today, and hide it inside their Daily Telegraph and read it!

-k

Summary: