Saturday, January 5, 2013

The Changing Face Of Gnasher


Gnasher is the most famous dog in British comics, closely followed by The Dandy's Black Bob. He first appeared in Beano issue #1363, dated August 31st 1968 (you can read the full strip here), when Dennis found him on the streets. He was an instant hit, but it took a long time before he was a regular character. He appeared in the following issue, #1364, as a character in Pup Parade illustrated by Gordon Bell.



His next appearence was issue #1370, dated 19th October 1968, and he had changed quite a bit since his first appearence!




As of #1392, dated 22nd March 1969, Gnasher finally started appearing every week with Dennis, something he deserved right from the start!

From then on, he changed almost every issue for the next one and a half years! Here are four of those changes.




#1384 - Gnasher's first appearence in full colour!


But when did Gnasher become Gnasher? These early strips definatly don't star the Gnasher we know and love today, he was far messier back then! I think I've managed to cut it down to a single issue - #1467, dated 29th August 1970. To be even more precise, I think it's the third panel on Dennis' page that marks the start of our current Gnasher! 




6 comments:

TwoHeadedBoy said...

Dennis was DEFINITELY a lot more entertaining before Gnasher arrived, but I've never seen so many of Davey Law's Gnashers together in one place before - think my favourite of that lot is his appearance at obedience school, I'd love a dog like that!

George Shiers said...

My prersonal favourite Dennis strip features a dog, but it isn't Gnasher! This is just a small dog someody gives him!

The dog obedience one is one of the oldest storylines, with the dog biting the instructor's heel, but it's still funny!

Bruce Laing said...

mptGeorge, Don't you mean #1364 instead of #1363 in Gnasher's next appearance in Pup Parade?

George Shiers said...

Indeed I do! Thanks for pointing it out! :)

Peter Gray said...

That last one is by David Sutherland no wonder Gnasher looks like Gnasher...David drew the best Gnasher!!

loved seeing all those late Davy Law still great to see..a fun style..

George Shiers said...

Davy Law's Gnasher was very messy, David Sutherland certainly tidied him up a bit! But for me, that is the exact issue when Gnasher became Gnasher! (although I'm sure others have different opinions.)

My favourite of all of Law's strips has to be Corporal Clott, a very fun, wild strip! Still funny everytime!