Actually, the FA Cup Final today did have its share of exciting moments, but (with thanks to my brother for reminding me of it) isn't this Ball Boy adventure exactly what everyone dreams will happen during a televised big match?
It's not hugely visible here, mostly because he only appears in one panel, but Malcolm Judge's drawings of Ball Boy's friend Benji appear to be based on Golliwog dolls from the character's first appearance up until Judge's death. (It's also still a bit visible on early John Dallas strips so I *think* someone must have eventually pointed it out.)
A shame, because in all other respects apart from the way Judge draws him Benji is pretty progressive for a Black character who debuted in the seventies...
Benjy's not as bad as Lord Snooty's pal Polly, who was still gracing the page opposite to Ball Boy at this point. Back in 1985, not being familiar with the traditional caricature style, I was deeply confused as to what kind of creature Polly was supposed to be...
Oh bloody hell, I'd forgotten about that. Really depressing how much blatant racism was still in the comic so late on.
(I love John Geering's work to bits, but he's one of several artists still doing stereotypical Yellow Peril depictions of Asian characters well into the nineties.)
Actually, this must have been around the time when they finally decided to quietly drop Polly and excise all mention of her from the 'history of the comics' articles that came along with the Beano/Dandy fiftieth anniversary celebrations in 1987/88. Looking through the handful of Beanos in my collection, the last time Polly shows up is September 1985. Snooty's gang tended to only show up in ones and twos in his strip around this time, but by 1986 I've got several with the full cast and no Polly.
Since Benjy stays around, big lips and all, I guess someone must have looked at him too and decided the depiction was okay.
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It's not hugely visible here, mostly because he only appears in one panel, but Malcolm Judge's drawings of Ball Boy's friend Benji appear to be based on Golliwog dolls from the character's first appearance up until Judge's death. (It's also still a bit visible on early John Dallas strips so I *think* someone must have eventually pointed it out.)
A shame, because in all other respects apart from the way Judge draws him Benji is pretty progressive for a Black character who debuted in the seventies...
Benjy's not as bad as Lord Snooty's pal Polly, who was still gracing the page opposite to Ball Boy at this point. Back in 1985, not being familiar with the traditional caricature style, I was deeply confused as to what kind of creature Polly was supposed to be...
Oh bloody hell, I'd forgotten about that. Really depressing how much blatant racism was still in the comic so late on.
(I love John Geering's work to bits, but he's one of several artists still doing stereotypical Yellow Peril depictions of Asian characters well into the nineties.)
Actually, this must have been around the time when they finally decided to quietly drop Polly and excise all mention of her from the 'history of the comics' articles that came along with the Beano/Dandy fiftieth anniversary celebrations in 1987/88. Looking through the handful of Beanos in my collection, the last time Polly shows up is September 1985. Snooty's gang tended to only show up in ones and twos in his strip around this time, but by 1986 I've got several with the full cast and no Polly.
Since Benjy stays around, big lips and all, I guess someone must have looked at him too and decided the depiction was okay.
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