A modern Beano

The classic children’s comic, The Beano, celebrated its 85th anniversary on July 30, but it also emerged that the national treasure is now written with today’s woke culture in mind, according to a national news source.

Mike Stirling, who is in charge of The Beano’s creative direction, has revealed that new Beano characters are assessed and written with input from Inclusive Minds, a group that promotes ‘inclusion, diversity, equality and accessibility in children’s literature.’

The famous Bash Street Kids have a few new classmates this year, joining the likes of not­so­bright Smiffy, is artist Khadija Raad, who wears a hijab; Mandira Sharma, a girl struggling with anxiety; and Rubi, a wheelchairbound scientist with ginger hair.

Some of the gang’s favourites have also had a name change. The descriptively named character Spotty is now Scotty, while Fatty now has the name, Freddy. The rationale is to send a more positive message to young ones feeling insecure about acne or weight problems.

With the threat of being labelled ‘woke,’ The Beano’s creative director said: ‘We have never seen that as a negative term. It’s awareness and being awake to things.’