Pup Parade, or The Bash Street Pups as you may know them, arrived in The Beano issue #1326, dated 16th December 1967. Illustrated by Gordon Bell, the pups looked very different in the beginning to what we know them today!
The original series ended in 1988, lasting over 20 years! The Pups then moved to The Topper the following year, still drawn by Bell. It remained there until the comic ended in 1990. They then even survived the merge with The Beezer, lasting for another good two years!
Since June of last year, The Beano started reproducing old strips by Bell from the 1980's, giving them a fresh lick of paint! The result was very nice, only ending in April of this year.
Nigel Parkinson took over from the reprints, and the Pup Parade strips that appear in the Beano today are all brand new!
The Bash Street Pups weren't the only dogs to begin in the late 60's! In August of 1968, Dennis the Menace got his world famous sidekick - Gnasher! At the end of his first appearence in issue #1363, Dad sent Gnasher to Pup Parade, where he appeared the following week.
