The Beano Comic
The first issue of The Beano was published by DC Thompson in (30th July 1938), and it became the world's longest-running comic issued weekly in 2018, publishing its 4000th issue in August 2019.
Over the years with its sister comic it has producted some of the rarest free gifts. The Beano and Dandy also had another sister comic called, The Magic Comic which lasted for 80 issues until 1941, eventually merging with the Beano.
The free gifts that everyone wants...we aint talking hens teeth, we talking gold fillings in hens teeth,well, the early ones are.
Free Gifts/comics listed to date:
- Beano Comic #1 - (30th July 1938) - whoopee mask
- Beano Comic #21 - (17th Dec 1938) - Christmas Mask
- Beano Comic #36 - (1st April 1939) - The Big-Bang Fun-Gun
- Beano Comic #953 - (22nd Oct 1960) - The Flying Snorter
- Beano Comic #954 - (29th Aug 1960) - Beano Clickitty Clicker (5x versions)
- Beano Comic #1522 - (18th Sept 1971) - The Flying Fizzer
- Beano Comic #1523 - (25th Sept 1971) - The Humming Birdie
- Beano Comic #1678 - (14th Sept 1974) - The Happy Howler Siren
- Beano Comic #1679 - (21st Sept 1974) - Super Zoomer Balloon
- Beano Comic #1818 - (21st May 1977) - Pop Pistol
- Beano Comic #1819 - (28th May 1977) - Super Skimmer
- Beano Comic #1820 - (4th June 1977) - Dennis & Gnasher toffee chew bar
- Beano Comic #1892 - (21st Oct 1978) - Fruity lollipop in packet
- Beano Comic #1893 - (28th Oct 1978) - Dennis glove puppet
- Beano Comic #1970 - (19th April 1980) - Gnasher Snapper (1st version)
- Beano Comic #1971 - (26th April 1980) - Gnasher glove puppet
- Beano Comic #2189 - (30th June 1984) - Black Jack liquorice bubblegum
- Beano Comic #2201 - (22nd Sept 1984) - Gnasher Snapper (2nd version)
- Beano Comic #2202 - (29th Sept 1984) - sheet of 3x stickers (Dennis & Gnasher)
- Beano Comic #2203 - (6th Oct 1984) - leaf Bubble King bubblegum
- Beano Comic #2255 - (5th Oct 1985) - sheet of 3x Beano Stickers (2x Dennis & 1x Plug)
- Beano Comic #2306 - (27th Sept 1986) - Blasting Powder Popping Candy
- Beano Comic #2311 - (1st Nov 1986) - Twirlycoper
- Beano Comic #2360 - (10th Oct 1987) - Highland Toffee bar (mint)
- Beano Comic #2361 - (17th Oct 1987) - Beano Badges (4x versions)
- Beano Comic #2379 - (29th Feb 1988) - Dandy-Beano celebration sticker album + sticker packet
- Beano Comic #2380 - (27th Feb 1988) - panini packet of Dandy-Beano stickers
- Beano Comic #2381 - (5th March 1988) - panini packet of Dandy-Beano stickers
- Beano Comic #2394 - (4th June 1988) - Tangy lemon & Lime chew bar
- Beano Comic #2415 - (29th Oct 1988) - box of Nerd fruit sweets
- Beano Comic #2691 - (12th Feb 1994) - Gnasher Crasher (3rd version of Gnasher Snapper)
- Beano Comic #2753 - (22nd April 1995) - Minnie the Minx badge
- Beano Comic #2834 - (9th Nov 1996) - Dennis 'Wild' badge
- Beano Comic #3303 - (5th Nov 2005) - The Snooty Snout
Beano Comic #1
- dated (30th July 1938)
Free Gift:
whoopee mask
Description:
a cloth mask tied with a leather string, only 1 or 2 known examples.
Not to be confused with the 'Black Cloth Mask' given free with Hotspur comic #1 in 1933.
The Beano Comic #21
- (17th Dec 1938)
Free Gift - Christmas Mask
Description:
cardboard glasses & beard mask. much like the disguise kit used in the Whizzer & Chips and Buster comic in later years.
The Beano Comic #36
- (1st April 1939)
Free Gift - The Big-Bang Fun-Gun
Description:
One of the earliest forms of the banger toys. Reused through the years by many comics.
The Beano Comic #953
- (22nd Oct 1960)
Free Gift: The Flying Snorter
Description:
A balloon free gift with a buzzer on the end with a picture of Biffo.
Additional Details:
This same free gift was given with Sparker #1 (without biffo pic of course) - Sparky gift pictured on right.
The Beano Comic #954
- (29th Oct 1960)
Free Gift:
- The Beano Clickitty Clicker
(5x versions)
Description:
originally presented in a illustrated paper packet the free gift is a metal clicker toy with a beano character painted on the front.
There are five verisons:
1. Dennis the Menace
2. Minnie the Minx
3. Biffo the Bear
4. Little Plum
5. Danny from the Bash Street Kids
Beano Comic #1523
- dated (25th Sept 1971)
Free Gift:
The Humming Birdie
Beano Comic #1522
- dated (18th Sept 1971)
Free Gift:
The Flying Fizzer
Description:
Flying Balloon toy
The Beano #1678
- dated (14th Sept 1974)
Free Gift:
The Happy Howler Siren
Description:
plastic whistle toy in envelope
Additional Information:
Dennis the Menace takes over front cover from Biffo
Beano Comic #1679
- dated (21st Sept 1974)
Free Gift:
The Super Zoomer Balloon
Beano Comic #1818
- dated (21st May 1977)
Free Gift:
Pop Pistol housed in envelope
The Beano Comic #1819
- (28th May 1977)
Free Gift:
Super Skimmer
Description:
plastic skimmer projected by rubber band,came housed in an illustrated paper packet
Beano Comic #1820
- dated (4th June 1977)
Free Gift:
Dennis the Meance & Gnasher toffee chew bar
Beano Comic #1892
- dated (21st Oct 1978)
Free Gift:
Fruity lollipop in packet
Beano Comic #1893
- dated (28th Oct 1978)
Free Gift:
Dennis the Meance pvc glove puppet
Beano Comic #1970
- dated (19th April 1980)
Free Gift:
Gnasher Snapper (1st version)
Description:
A 2nd version of the Gnasher Snapper appeared 4 years later with issue #2201
Beano Comic #1971
- dated (26th April 1980)
Free Gift:
Gnasher pvc glove puppet
The Beano Comic #2189
- (30th June 1984)
Free Gift:
Black Jack liquorice bubblegum
Beano Comic #2201
- dated (22nd Sept 1984)
Free Gift:
Gnasher Snapper (2nd version)
Description:
The 1st version of the Gnasher Snapper appeared 4 years earlier with issue #1970
Beano Comic #2202
- dated (29th Sept 1984)
Free Gift:
sheet of 3x stickers
Description:
sheet of 3x stickers with Dennis & Gnasher
Beano Comic #2203
- dated (6th Oct 1984)
Free Gift:
leaf Bubble King bubblegum
Description:
packet of bubble gum with backing card
Beano Comic #2255
- dated (5th Oct 1985)
Free Gift:
sheet of 3x stickers
Description:
2x Dennis stickers & 1x Plug sticker
The Beano Comic #2306
- (27th Sept 1986)
Free Gift:
Blasting Powder Popping Candy
Beano Comic #2311
- dated (1st Nov 1986)
Free Gift:
Twirlycoper
Beano Comic #2360
- dated (10th October 1987)
Free Gift:
Highland toffee bar (mint flavour)
The Beano Comic #2361
- (17th Oct 1987)
Free Gift:
Beano badges (4No.)
1. Dennis head with 'Beano title'
2. Minnie the Minx head badge
3. Wilfred 'from Bash Street Kids' head badge
4. 'Never BEE without a Beano' badge
Additional Details:
Badges came taped to the cover. difficult to find the comic without tape stains or loss of cover art from tape removal
Beano Comic #2379
- dated (20th Feb 1988)
Free Gift:
panini Dandy-Beano Celebration sticker album including a packet of stickers.
more packets of stickers was given out over the next two issues.
Beano comic #2380
- dated (27th Feb 1988)
Free Gift:
packet of panini Dandy-Beano stickers
Description:
packet of stickers to use used in the sticker album that came with issue #2379.
Stickers where taped to the cover with a large 'FREE' tape leaving alot of covers with surface loss.
Beano comic #2381
- dated (5th March 1988)
Free Gift:
packet of panini Dandy-Beano stickers
Description:
packet of stickers to use used in the sticker album that came with issue #2379.
Stickers where taped to the cover with a large 'FREE' tape leaving alot of covers with surface loss.
Beano Comic #2394
- dated (4th June 1988)
Free Gift:
Tangy lemon & lime chew bar
Beano Comic #2415
- dated (29th Oct 1988)
Free Gift:
box of NERDS fruit sweets
Description:
These sweets where glued to the cover of the comic. often sweets could melt in the heat leaving comics stained.
Beano Comic #2691
- dated (12th Feb 1994)
Free Gift:
Gnasher Crasher
Description:
This is the 3rd version of the Gnasher Snapper, 1st appearing in the 1980s
Beano Comic #2753
- dated (22nd April 1995)
Free Gift:
Minnie the Minx plastic badge
Beano Comic #2834
- dated (9th Nov 1996)
Free Gift:
Dennis 'Wild' badge
Beano Comic #3303
date - (5th Nov 2005)
Free Gift:
The Snooty Snout
