Unlike any previous covers, it features Dennis the Menace’s many faces (and noses) to encourage readers to support Red Nose Day’s ‘make your face funny for money’ campaign. The special issue of The Beano goes on sale Wednesday 11th March 2015.
The cover is the creation of Dennis the Menace illustrator Nigel Parkinson, and is inspired by an illustration from a vintage The Beano Annual. To celebrate the special issue, the cover also features a rarely-used gold metallic ink. The ink is used by the title to mark significant occasions, say the publishers, and has only been used once before, to celebrate Jessica Ennis-Hill winning Gold at the 2012 Olympics.
The publishers say: In the Red Nose Day Special, Red Nose Day comes to Bash Street School. Competition hots up as Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids all enter the funny face contest. Determined to win at all costs, mischievous troublemaker Dennis the Menace enlists the help of his dog, Gnasher, to scare Teacher off letting anyone else win. The funny face competition takes a number of turns, including Bananaman aka Little Eric’s secret identity almost being revealed, Lord Snooty being disqualified for cheating (shock horror) and Plug finally winning the ‘Funniest Face of Bash Street School’ award – despite thinking it was a beauty contest!
The Beano Editor Craig Graham said, “This week’s special issue sees The Beano celebrating all things Red Nose Day. We want to encourage our readers to get involved with the ‘make your face funny for money’ campaign, and Dennis and the gang show them how to do just that, albeit in the most mischievous way possible.
“We also hope that fans of the comic will like the cover we’ve created. It’s based on some beautiful classic artwork from a vintage Beano Annual and we thought it perfect for this occasion; the number of frames fits the number of Red Nose Day noses perfectly – it was clearly meant to be!”
The special Red Nose Day issue of The Beano goes on sale Wednesday 11th March 2015. Red Nose Day returns on Friday 13th March, and this year the public have been asked to ‘make your face funny for money’.
