Beano comic artist David Sutherland dies aged 89

19 January 2023, 20:56 | Updated: 19 January 2023, 21:02

Beano comic artist David Sutherland has died aged 89.

The DC Thomson artist drew some of the UK's most beloved strips, including The Bash Street Kids and Dennis the Menace, both of which appeared in The Beano on a weekly basis.

Announcing his death on Thursday an official statement from Beano said: "Today we have the sad job of telling the world that our dear friend David Sutherland OBE has passed away.

"David joined Beano in 1959 as a freelance contributor and over the last 63 years has become one of the most important Beano artists in its history."

It added: "David viewed himself as a resident of Beanotown, living alongside our characters that he loved and he will live on there forever, and always be in the hearts of Team Beano and the millions of kids who have enjoyed his strips every week."

Mr Sutherland was recognised in this year's New Year Honours list and was made an OBE for services to illustration.

Speaking after his OBE is was announced in December, he said: "When I entered the DC Thomson art competition more than 60 years ago, I couldn't have guessed where it might lead.

"I've been so lucky to be able to do something I love for a living, and work with so many talented writers whose words have helped bring these characters to life."

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Mr Sutherland had been drawing The Bash Street Kids since 1962 and was responsible for Dennis the Menace from 1970 until 1998.

His work with DC Thomson began in 1959 when he entered a drawing competition organised by the Dundee-based company.

Although he did not win, his entry made a good impression and he was offered the chance to illustrate adventure strips for the comic.

It was at then that he began to work on The Beano on adventure strips including Danny On A Dolphin and The Great Flood Of London.

His talent was recognised and he was soon working on some of the most famous Beano strips, and understudied for established comic creators.

He drew his final comic strip at the end of last year which will appear in next week's issue of Beano, to be published on Wednesday.

Mr Sutherland was born in Invergordon in the Highlands in 1933 and was the youngest of three children.

At the age of two, his mother died, so his father, with his three children, moved to Stirling to be with family to help raise them.

Shortly afterwards, the family moved to Kirkintilloch near Glasgow.

There, Mr Sutherland joined Rex Studios where he learned about art and illustration while attending evening classes at Glasgow School of Art before going to work at DC Thomson.

Tributes haver since poured in for the cartoonist, with his wife, Margaret, saying: "David only put his pen down last month when he took ill. Drawing was his life; it made us forget the age he was.

"He was getting older but we never noticed it. He just kept going and the editors remained happy with his work."

John Anderson, Beano editor, said: "No one will ever repeat what David achieved over 60 years. He was one of a kind, a genuine legend. It is the end of an era.

"Given that David started working for DC Thomson in 1959 and had been drawing The Bash Street Kids since 1962, he is the single most important illustrator in Beano history."

Christopher Thomson, Chairman of DC Thomson, said: "David was a tremendously talented artist and creative and we are immensely grateful for the outstanding contribution he made over the last 60 years.

"He brought joy to our beloved audiences – children and adults alike – and to those who were fortunate enough to work alongside him.

"He will be much missed and his legacy will undoubtedly have a lasting impact for many years to come."

Current Dennis & Gnasher illustrator Nigel Parkinson said: "The nation and its children and grandchildren and great grandchildren have all loved David Sutherland’s joyous, happy, teeming-with-life, hilarious drawings nearly every single week in Beano for 60 years, he has touched the heart, tickled the funny bone and amused the eyes of millions."