Dennis the Menace and co have taken over one of Dundee’s most iconic buildings in a huge celebration of the Beano’s 80th anniversary.
The McManus Art Gallery and Museum now goes by the name the McMenace after legendary comic characters Dennis and Gnasher, the Bash Street Kids, Rodger the Dodger and Minnie the Minx stamped their mark.
Opening to the public on Saturday, Bash Street’s Back at The McMenace is a four-month-long exhibition showcasing the history of the legendary comic, created in the museum at DC Thomson’s Meadowside building.
It was first published just before the beginning of the Second World War on July 30 1938.
It quickly spread across the world, particularly during the post-war period, when it hit peak readership of about 1.7 million.
Its success meant Dundee became known as the world’s capital of comics.
Today, it still performs strongly in what has become a difficult market and sells just over 34,700 copies a week.
Mike Stirling, head of Beano studios said the exhibition captures the character of the comic perfectly.
He said: “Firstly, it’s amazingly cool that a place known as Dundee’s favourite building would actually re-name itself for a single exhibition.
“That’s never happened before and I don’t think it has happened anywhere in the art world.
“I have to pay tribute to the staff here at the McManus who have poured their heart and soul into it. They are huge Beano fans — much like everyone in the city I would hope — and that shines through.
“For anybody that comes to the exhibition there are actually secret jokes hidden all over the museum.
“It’s like reading a Beano comic. Often you can get the story really quickly but if you return to it and look more carefully at the pictures you’ll start to see the really, really funny stuff.
“The exhibition has mirrored that brilliantly.”
A special focus is being given to the Bash Street Kids and their famous slapstick humour.
The location of the exhibition is given all the more relevance as it also sits right across from the High School of Dundee — the very place the characters are based on.
There is little to highlight Dundee’s role as the birthplace of such iconic comic capers, something Carly Cooper, the McManus’ curator of Social History, wants to change.
She said: “During the quite early years the fact that these comics were from Dundee was kept quite hidden.
“Me and my sisters grew up reading Twinkle and Bunty and I never had any idea they were created in Dundee until I moved here from Ireland.
“It’s hugely important to emphasise it though. It’s something we should be really quite proud of.
“The fact the Beano has been going for 80 years is quite phenomenal.”
The exhibition runs from June 2 to October 21. Admission is free, with opening times 10am to 5pm, Monday-Saturday and 12.30-4.30pm on Sundays.
