The Beano Summer Special

The Beano Summer Special is like the Beano with extra comic strips, which as its name suggest was released during the summer months and cost more than the regular comics. This special first started in 1963 with a joint Beano-Dandy summer special and then in 1964 the first Beano summer special appeared. These ran continually until 2003 when they were replaced by Beano specials, which was a series of monthly special Beanos including a Summer Special released in the Summer. In 2006, the Beano specials was discontinued in favour of BeanoMAX. However in 2011 an ultimate summer special exclusive to WHSmith was released and so was the The Beano 3-D Summer Annual 2011. Unlike the traditional Beano of the time, this edition of the comic had a more colourful appearance to it. The front cover of these comics often had one picture which had a caption encouraging the reader to turn to the rear cover to see what happens next. As well as Beano Summer Specials there were also Bash Street Kids Summer Specials.

Year Cover Price Front Cover Contents Image
1973 10 Pence Biffo the Bear riding a train with Bash Street kids as passengers, whilst Gnasher sleeping on track with Dennis the Menace looking on.
1974 12 Pence Gnasher racing to catch a green/white/red beach ball. Front Cover says "Is Gnasher going to ruin the game?" Back Cover says "Ha! Ha! Gnasher just wants to join in the fun!"
1975 15 Pence Bash street kids partaking in a wheel barrow race on the beach.
1977 20 Pence Dennis the Menace and Gnasher jumping from high board with the Bash Street Kids looking on
1978 22 Pence Dennis the Menace and Gnasher busking on the beach.
1980 28 Pence Dennis the Menace and Gnasher in tree attempting to steal food from Bash Street Kids picnic
1981 32 Pence Dennis the Menace and Gnasher at swimming pool riding a dolphin water pistoling the Bash Street Kids
1982 32 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher and the Bash Street Kids taking part in a raft race
1983 40 Pence Dennis the Menace and Gnasher wind surfing.
1984 43 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher and the Bash Street Kids on beach taking part in a sack race.
1985 48 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher pushing Walter the Softy on the swing.
1988 65 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher bouncing on a Bouncy Castle. This comic offers a chane to "WIN A TRIP TO Alton Towers! SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS!" at the bottom.
1989 70 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher riding a donkey over a beach picnic as Bash Street Kids look on horrified.
1992 90 Pence Dennis the Menace, Gnasher and Rasher playing at the playground on a swinging tyre.
1998 £1.10 Dennis the Menace and Gnasher on beach whilst Dennis is roller skating.
D. C. Thomson comics
Currently Running Comics
  • The Beano
  • BeanoMAX
  • Commando
Adventure Comics
  • Adventure
  • Bullet
  • Buddy
  • Champ
  • Commando
  • The Crunch
  • The Hornet
  • The Hotspur
  • The Rover
  • The Skipper
  • Spike
  • Starblazer
  • The Vanguard
  • The Victor
  • Warlord
  • The Wizard
Girls Comics
  • Bunty
  • Judy
  • Mandy
  • Nikki
Humour Comics
  • The Beano
  • BeanoMAX
  • The Beezer
  • Buzz
  • Classics from the Comics
  • Cracker
  • The Dandy
  • Fun Size Comics
  • Hoot
  • The Magic Comic
  • Nutty
  • Plug
  • Sparky
  • The Topper
Pre-School Comics
  • Bimbo
  • The Magic Comic
  • Twinkle
Notable Strips
  • Alf Tupper
  • Baby Crockett
  • Bananaman
  • The Bash Street Kids
  • Beryl the Peril
  • Black Bob
  • Biffo the Bear
  • The Broons
  • Calamity James
  • Cuddles and Dimples
  • Dennis the Menace
  • Desperate Dan
  • Ginger
  • Gnasher
  • Ivy the Terrible
  • Keyhole Kate
  • Korky the Cat
  • Little Plum
  • Lord Snooty
  • Matt Braddock
  • Minnie the Minx
  • The Numskulls
  • Pansy Potter
  • Roger the Dodger
  • Oor Wullie
  • Willy Nilly
  • Wilson the Wonder Athlete
  • Wolf of Kabul
Comic annuals
  • The Beano Annual
  • The Beezer Book
  • The Bimbo Book
  • The Dandy Annual
  • The Hotspur Book for Boys
  • The Sparky Book
  • The Topper Book
  • The Victor Book for Boys
  • Warlord Book for Boys
Character annuals
  • Bananaman Annual
  • The Bash Street Kids Annual
  • Beryl the Peril Annual
  • Black Bob Book
  • The Broons Annual
  • Dennis the Menace Annual
  • The Desperate Dan Book
  • Oor Wullie Annual
Notable Artists
  • Leo Baxendale
  • Gordon Bell
  • Nick Brennan
  • Paddy Brennan
  • Sid Burgon
  • John Geering
  • Barry Glennard
  • Ken H. Harrison
  • Laura Howell
  • Malcolm Judge
  • David Law
  • Allan Morley
  • Dave Mostyn
  • Robert Nixon
  • Gary Northfield
  • Nigel Parkinson
  • Tom Paterson
  • Jim Petrie
  • Ken Reid
  • Bill Ritchie
  • David Parkins
  • David Sutherland
  • Kev F. Sutherland
  • Dudley D. Watkins
  • Wilbur Dawbarn
  • Karl Dixon
  • The Etherington Brothers
  • Andy Fanton
  • Nigel Auchterlounie
  • Lew Stringer
  • Alexander Matthews
  • Jon Rushby
  • Trevor Metcalfe
  • Barrie Appleby
  • Charles Grigg
  • Vic Neill
  • Jamie Smart
See Also
  • Beanotown Racing
  • List of D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd publications
  • List of Fleetway and IPC Comics publications
  • List of Beano comic strips
  • List of Dandy comic strips
  • List of Beezer comic strips
  • List of Beezer and Topper comic strips
The Beano
Current strips
  • Baby Face Finlayson
  • Ball Boy
  • Bananaman
  • The Bash Street Kids
  • Biffo the Bear
  • Billy Whizz
  • Calamity James
  • Dennis the Menace
  • Fred's Bed
  • Gnasher's Bit(e)
  • Gnash Gnews
  • Gnipper
  • Les Pretend
  • Little Plum
  • Lord Snooty
  • Meebo and Zuky
  • Minnie the Minx
  • Number 13 Beano Street
  • The Numskulls
  • Pansy Potter
  • Pup Parade
  • Rasher
  • Ratz
  • Roger the Dodger
  • Simply Smiffy
  • Super School
  • Totally Gross Germs
  • Winston
Notable former strips
  • The Bash Street Kids - Singled Out
  • Beaginnings
  • The Belles of St. Lemons
  • Big Eggo
  • Billy the Cat
  • Colin the Vet
  • Colonel Crackpot's Circus
  • Crazy for Daisy
  • Danny's Nanny
  • Derek the Sheep
  • Fatty Fudge
  • Freddie Fear
  • General Jumbo
  • Gnasher's Tale
  • Gnasher and Gnipper
  • Gordon Bennett
  • Grandpa
  • Hairy Dan
  • Helpful Henry
  • Ivy the Terrible
  • Jack Flash
  • Jimmy and his Magic Patch
  • Joe Jitsu
  • Joe King
  • Johnny Bean from Happy Bunny Green
  • Jonah
  • Lord Snooty the Third
  • The Magic Lollipops
  • Maxy's Taxi
  • The McTickles
  • Morgyn the Mighty
  • The Nibblers
  • Nicky Nutjob
  • Olaff the Madlander
  • Ping the Elastic Man
  • Pirates of the Caribeano
  • Robbie Rebel
  • Richard the Lion
  • Smudge
  • Splodge
  • The Three Bears
  • Tim Traveller
  • Tin-Can Tommy
  • Tom, Dick and Sally
  • Tricky Dicky
  • Wee Ben Nevis
  • Wee Peem
  • The Yeti with Betty
  • Zap Zodiac
Supporting characters
  • Walter the Softy
  • Foo Foo
See also
  • Bash Street School
  • Beanotown
  • The Beano Annual
  • Beano comic libraries
  • BeanoMAX
  • The Beano Summer Special
  • List of Beano comic strips
  • List of Beano comic strips by annual
  • Beanotown Racing


Famous quotes containing the words summer and/or special:

    Lancaster bore him such a little town,
    Such a great man. It doesn’t see him often
    Of late years, though he keeps the old homestead
    And sends the children down there with their mother
    To run wild in the summer a little wild.
    Robert Frost (1874–1963)

    Mr. Christian, it is about time for many people to begin to come to the White House to discuss different phases of the coal strike. When anybody comes, if his special problem concerns the state, refer him to the governor of Pennsylvania. If his problem has a national phase, refer him to the United States Coal Commission. In no event bring him to me.
    Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)