Desperate Dan Pie-Eater's Club

In the year 1950, The Dandy was read by 2 million people. Desperate Dan's Pie Eater's Club began in 1978 and by 1980 half a million kids had paid their 40 pence to join up. If you saw someone else wearing the badge you were supposed to say, “Howdy, what time is it?” and they were meant to reply, “Cow Pie time.”

The print version of The Dandy comic lasted 75 years, after it’s anniversary celebrations were over it became online only. I wonder how many members of Dan’s Pie Eaters Club were either Hindu or Vegan?

I like to think he appealed to everyone at least a little bit. When I read Dan’s adventures I was a child growing up in the 70s and pretty much anything to do with America and / or cowboys was of interest to me. The characters in The Beano all seemed to be naughty whereas the characters in The Dandy seemed to be obsessed with being fed.

I couldn't get into the adventures of Corky the Cat – he was something of a Goody Two Shoes. But Dan was rather fascinating and I always enjoyed it when we were introduced to other members of his family. The American actor Robin Wiliams unwisely appeared in a movie version of Popeye. Maybe one day the British Pop Star Robbie Williams will star in a film version of Desperate Dan? Stranger things have happened.

Harry Pye