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Dennis the Menace (known as Dennis the Menace and Gnasher since 1970) is a long-running comic strip featured in The Beano children's comic, published by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, Dundee, Scotland, in the United Kingdom. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... This March 2007 does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Image File history File links Dennis UK PNG version of DennisUK.jpg, originally uploaded by Kaysov on 12 June 2003. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the comic strip, the sequential art form as published in newspapers and on the Internet. ... This March 2007 does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... D. C. Thomson & Co. ... For other uses, see Dundee (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ...

The strip first appeared in issue 452, released on 15 March 1951 (cover dated for the off-sale date of 17 March), and is the longest running strip in the comic. From issue 1678 onwards (dated 14 September 1974) Dennis managed to grab the front cover, replacing Biffo the Bear, and has been there ever since. is the 74th day of the year (75th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... Biffo the Bear was a fictional character who had his own comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. ...

Coincidentally three days earlier another Dennis the Menace debuted in the United States. The two strips should not be confused — as a result of this the US series has been retitled Dennis for UK consumption. Dennis the Menace is a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip originally created, written and illustrated by Hank Ketcham since March 12, 1951, which made its debut in only 16 newspapers. ...

Dennis the Menace and Gnasher was first drawn by David Law (1951 – 1970), then David Sutherland (1970 – 1998). David Parkins took over in 1998, but due to his other work commitments, Nigel Parkinson and Jimmy Hansen have drawn the lion's share of the strips for some years. Barrie Appleby did the artwork for the Beano Superstars series, which, towards the end of its run, resorted exclusively to strips based on the TV series (see below). David Law (died [1970AD) was an artist for The Beano, The Topper and The Dandy comics. ... Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... David Sutherland is an artist with DC Thomson, responsible for The Bash Street Kids (1964-present), Dennis the Menace (1968-1998, still does work for annuals) for The Beano and the second version of Jak for The Dandy. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Nigel Parkinson is a British cartoonist. ...

The main recurring storyline throughout the years features Dennis’s campaign of terror against a gang of 'softies' (effeminate, well-behaved boys), particularly Walter. Bad things tend to happen to Walter quite regularly, although he often gets the "last laugh". Effeminacy is character trait of a male showing femininity, unmanliness, womanliness, weakness, softness and/or a delicacy, which contradicts traditional masculine, male gender roles. ...

Dennis usually used to get away with his mischief for a while before ending up getting a spanking from his father, for which Dennis’s father used a slipper. Dennis’s best defence involved sticking a thick book down his shorts. His dad never noticed. Dennis’s grandma also had a slipper, except it was made of elephant skin and called 'The Demon Whacker'. Since the 1980s, however - owing to the burgeoning tide of opinion against corporal punishment of children in the UK - the slipper is no longer used. This article is about the use of spanking as discipline. ... Genera and Species Loxodonta Loxodonta cyclotis Loxodonta africana Elephas Elephas maximus Elephas antiquus † Elephas beyeri † Elephas celebensis † Elephas cypriotes † Elephas ekorensis † Elephas falconeri † Elephas iolensis † Elephas planifrons † Elephas platycephalus † Elephas recki † Stegodon † Mammuthus † Elephantidae (the elephants) is a family of pachyderm, and the only remaining family in the order Proboscidea... The 1980s refers to the years from 1980 to 1989. ... Corporal punishment is forced pain intended to change a persons behaviour or to punish them. ...

Dennis started wearing a striped red-and-black jumper a couple of months after his debut, in May 1951, knitted by his granny for him, which along with his spiky hair has become his trademark. It is notable that another Beano character, Minnie the Minx, also wears this colour jumper. He uses his faithful pea shooter, catapult and water pistol. This March 2007 does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Minnie the Minx is a fictional character in a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. ... A pea shooter is a toy consisting of a long tube that the user can blow through. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A water pistol A squirt gun (or water pistol) is a type of toy designed to shoot water. ...

A Dennis the Menace fan club was set up in 1976. By the time it was replaced with The Beano Club in 1998, it had reached over a million members (the millionth occurring in 1988, including actor Mark Hamill in 1979. Millionth member Simon Palmer "met" Dennis (a costumed character) and Beano editor Euan Kerr, and was treated to a traditional slap up comic meal of bangers and mash. The Beano Club was launched to coincide with the comic's revamp, including its logo. A fan club is a group that is dedicated to a well known person, group, idea (such as history) or sometimes even an inanimate object (such as a famous building). ... Year 1976 Pick up sticks(MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Mark Richard Hamill (born September 25, 1951) is an American actor and voice actor. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... Millie, once costumed character mascot of the City of Brampton, is now the Brampton Arts Councils representative. ... The Beano is a British childrens comic published by D. C. Thomson & Co. ... Bangers and mash Look up bangers and mash in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Dennis celebrated his 40th anniversary in March 1991. A special pull out poster supplement (including a story featuring Dennis appearing on This is Your Life, looking back at the last 40 years of menacing) for the comic was produced to celebrate this. Also, for the same reason, an Italian designer was called in to give Dennis a makeover. He now wore a tracksuit, sported a pair of shades, and had a personal stereo on him. However, this revamp lasted only one story - since the strips are written and drawn months in advance of printing, it seems this was a publicity stunt, like when The Bash Street Kids were briefly given similar modernisation for their 40th anniversary in 1994, and when Desperate Dan in The Dandy 'left' the comic on his 60th anniversary in 1997. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... This Is Your Life was a television documentary series hosted by its producer, Ralph Edwards. ... A tracksuit is an article of clothing consisting of two parts- trousers and a jacket. ... The personal stereo is the term given to a portable audio player using an audiocassette player. ... The Bash Street Kids is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano, and is often seen as representative of the comic, rivalling Dennis the Menace. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Statue of Desperate Dan in Dundee, Scotland city centre Desperate Dan is a wild west character in the British comic The Dandy. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

A Dennis the Menace puppet series was produced in the early 1990's for broadcast on the Children's Channel. A Dennis the Menace animated cartoon began airing on BBC One (as part of CBBC) in 1996, with another series following in 1998. Originally called Dennis the Menace in the UK, for international broadcast, the series was renamed Dennis and Gnasher. The show has ceased production, although repeats are frequently shown still. The bouncing ball animation (below) consists of these 6 frames. ... For the BBC radio station, see BBC Radio 1. ... Current CBBC Logo CBBC - short for Childrens BBC - is the brand-name for the BBCs childrens television programmes aimed at children aged between 6 and 12 years old. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

It was announced in October 2007 that a new animated series of Dennis The Menace will be made for the first time in nearly a decade. Like the original, it will also be screened on CBBC. It will reportedly be more up to speed with modern times. It will premiere in 2009. For other uses, see October (disambiguation). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Timeline

March 1951 Drawn by David Law, Dennis the Menace appears for the first time, as well as his dad.

May 1951 Dennis gets his famous striped jersey knitted by his granny aka Whentball. He also teams up with fellow menace Curly.

1952 The strip appears in two colours (red and black). Walter appears for the first time.

Early 1953 Walter is now named.

Mid 1953 Dennis gets expanded to a full page, while earlier strips were only half a page long.

1955 The first Dennis Annual is published, using reprinted stories from previous years.

1957 David Law's style of drawing Dennis changes dramatically, making the characters tall and thin.

1958 After a year of being drawn this way, characters become more or less back the way they were.

1962 Dennis returns to the back of the comic.

August 31, 1968 Dennis find a dog on the street, Gnasher, on his way to the dog show at the local town hall. Gnasher becomes a regular from this point onwards. is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1969 Walter's Dog, Foo-Foo, debuts, replacing Walter's previous dog, Tiddlums.

July 22, 1970 Law retires, and one comic was drawn by Pup Parade artist Gordon Bell. is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pup Parade is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. ...

July 29, 1970 Bash Street Kids artist David Sutherland starts drawing Dennis, although drawing the strip almost identical to David Law. The strip is renamed "Dennis the Menace & Gnasher" when originally it was just called "Dennis the Menace". is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1970 ([[Rf 1970 == January 1 - The Unix epoch begins at 00:00:00 UTC January 2 - The last studio performance of The Beatles oman numerals|MCMLXX]]) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Bash Street Kids is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano, and is often seen as representative of the comic, rivalling Dennis the Menace. ... David Sutherland (comics artist) David C. Sutherland III, game designer director of Country Boys Category: ...

1974 Dennis "menaces" Biffo the Bear off the front cover of The Beano. This March 2007 does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Mid 1974 Sutherland's style starts sinking in on Dennis, with Walter looking slightly different, and the outlines getting slightly thicker.

1975 Walter joins "the softies", Bertie Blenkinsop and Algernon "Spotty" Perkins.

1977 Gnasher Gets his own strip in the comic, called "Gnasher's Tale".

1979 Dennis' pet pig, "Rasher" debuts.

1983 The appearance of Dennis starts getting taller and stockier.

1984 Rasher gets his own strip in the comic, called simply "Rasher".

March 1986 Gnasher "goes missing". Foo Foo's Fairy Story temporarily replaces Gnasher's Tale.

May 1986 Gnasher returns, introducing his pups; Gnatasha, Gnannete, Gnancy, Gnaomi, Gnorah and Gnipper. Gnasher and Gnipper replaces Gnasher's Tale.

1987 Dennis' spider, Dasher, appears.

1988 Rasher's strip ends, replaced by Ill Will and the Germs.

1990 Granny's personality also changes drastically, now, rather than a mean old woman, becoming an elderly menace. The slipper is no longer used, partly due to changing attitudes towards child discipline at the time.

1991 Editor Euan Kerr has a word with Sutherland that Dennis is looking too old.

1992 The Menace car is seen for the first time.

1993 Sutherland, understanding Euan's words, starts changing Dennis, although making him look young and cute for a few years. The "Gnasher and Gnipper" strip is now drawn by Barry Glennard, the current artist.

Early 1996 Dennis The Menace is looking like he did again, and for the first time ever, the story is drawn in the same style as the Bash Street Kids.

April 1996 The Dennis the Menace TV series appears for the first time on BBC and TCC. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... TCC may refer to: The Casual Courier The Crackhead Clubhouse, a subforum of the Something Awful forums. ...

1997 The strip is printed in bright, shiny colours, for a short while. This year marks the first appearances of The Colonel, Dennis' neighbour, and Sergant Slipper, the local constable.

August-September 1998 For the 60th anniversary for the Beano, David Parkins draws Dennis the menace, creating Bea some issues later. Bea, is a fictional character in the UK comic strip Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, from The Beano. ...

October 1998 Bea gets her own strip called Beaginnings. She says her first word (Mud) in this strip.

March 2001 Dennis celebrates his 50th Birthday. A poster Drawn by David Parkins (In the style of David Law) is available in the issue.

October 2001 Beaginnings gets renamed Dennis' little sister Bea - the Mini Menace. Also, Nigel Parkinson's style of drawing Bea changes from David Parkins' original style (with huge eyes) to his own style of drawing her.

2003 Jimmy Hansen takes over as the main Artist, although Nigel Parkinson draws the Dennis strip every now and again.

2004 Dennis the Menace Becomes the longest running strip in the Beano ever, beating Lord Snooty.

2004 Walter gets revamped when drawn by Jimmy Hansen and he now bears the appearance of an [[Elvis Impersonator]] with much bigger glasses.

2007 Tom Paterson draws Dennis every now and again, however, it may be noted than in some Beano fact books, Tom Paterson drew Dennis as well.

Characters

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Over the years a variety of subsidiary characters have arisen. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links Ambox_emblem_question. ...

Family

Dennis, Dennis the Menace is a boy of around ten years old; he is solidlly built with a mass of curly black hair, and is habitually dressed in a black and red striped jumper. Dennis is very much the anti-hero; broadly well-intentioned, but utterly amoral, and possessed of a moral code that is widely at variance with that of grown ups and authority: school is boring, homework to be avoided, parents an occupational hazard (at best), and Walter the Softy a traitor to boyhood. Dennis is the indefatigable enemy of all of the above; the bane of a many a teacher's life, the despair of his parents, and the terror of Walter and his chums. Although most of Dennis's escapades and vendettas are doomed to end in retribution, he is never daunted, and always returns the following week enthusiastic for fresh villainy. Even back in the early days, when Dennis was spanked 'severely and often' (to quote his father), the effects were invariably very short lived, the Menace always ready to return to the fray; it didn't matter how often Dennis got whacked by Dad or Teacher, corporal punishment was almost entirely ineffective, and only really to be feared from Granny's dreaded Demon Whacker, which was even known to inspire Dennis to brush his hair and tidy himself up!.

Dad, along with Dennis himself, appeared in the first strip. His hair loss is down to Dennis’s menacing, and his real name has never been given. He also appears in both Bea and Gnasher and Gnipper. The real name of his wife, Mum, has also never been given. According to the letters page of an early 1990s Beano, he was christened "Dennis' Dad". In his twenties he met a girl named "Dennis' Mum", and they knew they were made for each other. According to his report cards, (and some of Dennis' older teachers), he was just like Dennis when he was younger.

Bea is Dennis’s little sister, born in issue 2931, dated 19 September 1998. She has her own strip (Bea, originally Beaginnings) and sometimes appears in Dennis the Menace and Gnasher. Bea, is a fictional character in the UK comic strip Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, from The Beano. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

Granny, real name "Gertrude", is Dennis's and Bea's Dad's 80-year-old mother. She owned the Demon Whacker, as above, but in the late 1980s/early 1990s, she got her own strip - Go, Granny, Go! drawn by Brian Walker. As a result, she transformed from the indulgent Granny who used the Demon Whacker when necessary to a very active elderly lady who enjoyed her motorbikes. This was also partly because by this time, The Beano no longer punished its characters with the slipper. Go, Granny, Go! is a comic strip which used to be occasionally featured in the Beano. ...

Denise is Dennis's cousin, bearing a striking resemblance to Beryl the Peril, although she too wears a red and black striped jumper. She appeared in just a few stories (at least two, both reprinted in the 60 Years books), visiting along with her cat 'Santa Claws'. She generally managed to out-menace Dennis, showing considerable fortitude against the Softies, and at the local boxing club. Dennis seemed to be quite glad to see the back of her. She also appeared in Beano Superstars No 59 titled Dennis and Denise. Source: http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/ComicInformationPages/TemplateCoversProper.asp?ImgIndex=../images/covers150/Beano_90.jpg

Pets

Gnasher is a black dog who first appeared in issue 1363, dated 31 August 1968. He is supposedly an "Abyssinian wire-haired tripehound", although sceptics have suggested that he looks more like a mop of Dennis’s hair, with eyes, and teeth gone for a walk on their own. He has extremely strong teeth that can leave teethmarks in seemingly anything, and is usually called upon by Dennis to 'gnash' their way out of situations; however, he usually prefers to bite the postman. His name comes from the British slang for teeth (nashers). Trinomial name Canis lupus familiaris The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. ... is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Since 1986 Gnasher has had a son, Gnipper, who appears with him in the separate strip. Gnipper is not owed by Dennis the Menace. Gnasher and Gnipper. He first appeared in issue 2286, dated 10 May 1986. Gnipper's name is a pun since 'to nip' something means to give something a small bite, while 'nipper' is a slang term for a young child. Gnasher also has several daughters, their names being Gnatasha, Gnaomi, Gnanette, Gnorah and Gnancy, though these tend not to be seen much. Gnatasha had her own strip in The Beezer and Topper, and appeared in the Beezer Book 1994. Gnasher also used to have another strip, Gnasher's Tale, which began in 1977 and continued for another nine years. (It is rather unusual for cartoon animals to have children; usually they just have nephews e.g. Mickey Mouse, Scooby Doo.) Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Gnasher and Gnipper is a comic strip in The Beano starring the dog Gnasher (from Dennis the Menace), his son Gnipper, Dennis Father and Dennis Mother. ... is the 130th day of the year (131st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... The Beezer (called The Beezer and Topper for the last 3 years of publication) was a British comic that ran from (issues dates) 21 January 1956 to 21 August 1993, when it unofficially merged with The Beano. ... Topper may refer to: Look up topper in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Gnashers Tale was a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano that the fictional character Gnasher used to star in. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Mickey Mouse is an Academy Award-winning comic animal cartoon character who has become an icon for The Walt Disney Company. ... Scooby-Doo IS THE SHIT is a short ass-running American animated television series produced for your mom Saturday morning television in several different versions from 1969 to the present. ...

Rasher is a pig (hence the name) and is Dennis’s other loyal pet, first seen in issue 1920, dated 5 May 1979. He loves to eat swill and was rescued by Dennis. Rasher also has children, their names being Oink, Snort, Grunt, Squeal, and Squeak. He also used to have his own strip called Rasher, which started in 1984 and continued for another four years, with a few one off appearances after that. For the breakfast food see Rashers. ... For other uses, see Pig (disambiguation). ... is the 125th day of the year (126th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ... This article is about the year. ...

Dennis has also been seen with his pet spider called Dasher (named "Sidney" in the animated series). He first appeared in about 1987, as a tool to scare Softy Walter, and was the mascot of the Beano website when it launched in 1997. Originally the spider was all black, but when it reappeared in 1997, it was red and black, matching Dennis's jersey. Diversity 111 families, 40,000 species Suborders Mesothelae Mygalomorphae Araneomorphae  See table of families Wikispecies has information related to: Spiders Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... A website (alternatively, Web site or web site) is a collection of Web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that is hosted on one or several Web server(s), usually accessible via the Internet, cell phone or a LAN. A Web page is a document, typically written in HTML... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

He also has a new fish named Splasher. He appeared first in 2006. However, it appears this was just a one off, rather like the Bat Dennis had for a pet in a Halloween issue, as neither have been seen since. For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Friends

Dennis also has two main friends. Curly was the first to appear, appearing a few months after the strip started in 1951. He has a lot of blonde, curly hair, hence his name. In a 1996 episode of the animated TV series entitled 'The Bath-Night Club', we learnt he has a little brother named Spiky. He has spiky hair, and, according to Curly, could not escape and was put in the bath. The next day he started smelling of soap and began prancing about with Softies and girls. The episode was reprinted in print form in 1998 as Number 81 of The Beano Super Stars. Year 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

Pieface (Real name Kevin, but doesn't call himself "Kevin"--because he eats pies not Kevins) is Dennis's other friend. His favourite food is pies, hence the name. It was revealed in the cartoon series that his real name is never used on the account the Kevins were not what he ate. He does enjoy a good meal. This article is about the baked good, for other uses see Pie (disambiguation). ...

The Softies

Together, Dennis, Curly and Pie-Face battle the Softies, a group of children who enjoy things such as teddy bears, dolls and flowers. The most famous, Dennis’s greatest sworn enemy, is a character called Walter. He has a pet poodle called Foo-Foo and a cat named Fluffy. The two most other frequently seen Softies are Algernon 'Spotty' Perkins and Bertie Blenkinsop, who are usually seen playing with him. Walter, Spotty and Bertie once had a competition to decide who had the cutest teddy, but they agreed that they were all lovely. In a 1984 strip both their pets were seen, two dogs called Yorkie and Papillon, although it did not state which pet belong to which Softy. Other softies include Sweet William, Dudley Nightshirt, Jeremy Snodgrass and Nervous Rex, a character who is scared of everything and everyone. Also, there is a softie called Suit Guit. For other uses, see Teddy bear (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Doll (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ... Walter the Softy is the fictional enemy of Dennis the Menace in the British childrens comic The Beano. ... For the political insult see poodle (insult). ... This article is about the year. ...

The temptation to beware of is to classify Walter as 'good' and Dennis as 'bad' simply because one is well-behaved and the other not-- (both boy's fathers are white collar workers, but Walter's Dad appears to be a couple of pay scales up on Dennis's); below Walter's prim virtue lies a deep vein of spite that he is usually too cowardly to express, he actively practices his highly manipluative 'winning simper', and his eagerness to please grown ups seems to imply a whole series of hidden agendas.

The Softies seem to be bound together much more by fear of the Menaces than by any real mutual liking; though they are scrupulously polite to each other, they have occasionally decided to pick on someone perceived as much weaker than they are. In one story they even went as far as being cruel to an animal by dropping Dennis's cousin Denise's cat into a puddle.

While Dennis's attacks on Walter did sometimes seem very close to bullying, a little closer reading often revealed that the 'little soft boy' really did deserve most of what he got.

Television series

Main article: Dennis the Menace (1996 TV series)

This article is about the animated British TV series. ...

Influence on popular culture

Darts player Dennis Priestley is known as "The Menace" and wears a shirt with the familiar red and black horizontal bands. For the British doo-wop revival band of the 1970s and 1980s, see Darts (band). ... Dennis Priestley (born July 16, 1950 in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, is a two-time World Darts Champion, one for the BDO and one for the PDC and is nicknamed The Menace. Known for his slow style of play and tremendous mental strength, he is considered as one of the great...

In recent years, the satirical magazine Private Eye has carried comic strips featuring a character sometimes called Beano Boris or Boris the Menace, a blond-haired version of Dennis the Menace, who bears a suspicious resemblance to the politician Boris Johnson. Private eye may mean: Look up Private eye on Wiktionary, the free dictionary Private Eye a fortnightly British satirical magazine-newspaper, edited by Ian Hislop (as of 2005) A private investigator, a private detective for hire (see also crime fiction and detective fiction) Private Eye, a song by Alkaline Trio... Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964, New York)[2] is a British Conservative Party politician, journalist and former editor of The Spectator. ...

See also

• Dennis the Menace (U.S.)
• Dennis the Menace Annual
• Beryl the Peril
• Minnie the Minx

Dennis the Menace is a daily syndicated newspaper comic strip originally created, written and illustrated by Hank Ketcham since March 12, 1951, which made its debut in only 16 newspapers. ... Dennis the Menace Annual is the current name of the book that has been published since 1955 to tie in with the childrens comic The Beano, specifically the Dennis the Menace comic strip. ... Beryl the Peril was created by David Law, the creator of Dennis the Menace, for Issue 1 of The Topper comic in 1953. ... Minnie the Minx is a fictional character in a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano. ...

External links

• Toonopedia profile
• Timeline on Thebeanocomic.com