Childsplay

Royal Mail postage stamp c 2010

Back on the equinox in 1954, an event happened in Glasgow which introduced new censorship laws to the United Kingdom. Police Constable, Alex Deeprose, was called to a reported incident of vandalism in the Southern Necropolis graveyard - on attending he was greeted with the sight of hundreds of schoolchildren, some armed with knives and sticks. Reason being the children believed a vampire was at large, which had already kidnapped and eaten two local boys. It was blamed on American comic books, thus legislation was introduced by the government banning the sale of magazines and comics portraying "incidents of a repulsive or horrible nature to minors". (BBC)

"Comic book expert Barry Forshaw said getting their hands on one of the underground American horror comics had been like finding the Holy Grail for schoolyards of British children reared on the squeaky clean fare found every week inside the Beano and Dandy - both of which are produced in Scotland. 

The story of the Gorbals Vampire had been a gift to the unlikely alliance of teachers, communists and Christians who had their own individual reasons for crusading against the corrupting influence of American comics"

 The squeaky clean Dandy last year fulfilled Paul McCartney's "childhood dream" by gracing him within, starring alongside horned-pie lover Desperate Dan.  I noted it here, given McCartney's Olympic closing "red threaded" performance of Hey Jude, not forgetting the Tribe of Dan.

The squeaky clean Beano yesterday hit the headlines given Camilla and Charles' visit to DC Thomson - the comic's producers - to open a new printing press. It seems that the regal-pair also make an appearance within the hallowed pages in a fresh "top secret guest issue", Camilla opening a library for Dennis the Menace, Charles proposing an organic allotment for the Bash Street Kids.  (Daily record)

Beano editor, Craig Graham, noted that "We know that kids do love the royals. I think after last year, with the Jubilee, it's really still at the forefront of their minds and we know that they really enjoy reading about them, seeing them and finding out what they're doing"

Royal Mail postage stamp c 2010

cheers