Jonah (comics)

Comic strip character from The Beano

Jonah

Character from The Beano
Publication information
Star of| Jonah
First appearance|

* Issue 817
* (15 March 1958)

Last appearance|

* Issue 3751
* (13 September 2014)

Appearance timeline| Issues 817 – 1090, 2331, 2391 (reprint),[1] 2420, 3093, 3751
Author(s)| Uncredited
Walter Fearn (1958–1963)
Illustrator(s)| Ken Reid (1958–1963)
In-universe information
Family|

* Percival Plugsley (nephew)
* Jinx (sister)

Also appeared in
Beano works|

* The Beano Annual 1960-1964, 2019
* The Beano Summer Special 1988
* Beano Comic Library (17 issues)

DC Thomson works|

* The Dandy (issues 2385, 2386, 2389, 2405, 2407; from 1993 - ??)

[2]

Jonah is a comic strip character published in the magazine The Beano. He made his first appearance in his eponymous comic strip in 1958, illustrated by Ken Reid. Although his comic strip sporadically appeared throughout the magazine, it has been published in other DC Thomson comic magazines.

## Synopsis

[edit]

Jonah is a skinny, gormless, chinless wonder of a sailor, feared by other mariners because of his clumsiness. He has (accidentally) sunk every ship he has sailed on (as well as all other vessels surrounding, at times), and started a war between the nations of Gorgonzolia and Parafinalia, resulting in the utter destruction of the combined fleets of both countries (a possible reference to the Cold War).

Although unconfirmed, he has similarities to the long-established sailor's superstition, which is based on the Biblical prophet Jonah, whose ship nearly sank in a storm).

## Publication history

[edit]

Jonah's series first published in issue 817, authored by an uncredited Walter Fearn and illustrated by Ken Reid.[3] Reid's passion for the artwork over-stretched Fearn's scripts by several panels (sometimes more than 30)[4] but are seemingly trimmed down to print on the back cover of The Beano. The strip finished after issue 1090.[5]

Jerry Swaffield would later illustrate a one-off Jonah strip in 1988.[6]

## Subsequent appearances

[edit]

### The Beano

[edit]

There have been two spin-offs. In the year Jonah ended, a new comic strip began entitled Jinx, also drawn by Ken Reid.[7] This strip was similar to Jonah, but starred Jonah's lisping, equally clumsy sister at school; Jinx ended in 1964.[8] Another, entitled Son of Jonah, drawn by Jerry Swaffield, appeared in The Beano from 2606 to 2957.[9][10] The Jinx series would feature in The Beano Book 1965,[11] and a reprint appeared in issue 4 of The Best of Topper.[12]

Jonah appeared in a background cameo with Big Eggo and Jack Flash in the comic strip Lord Snooty's Day Out in issue 3093, revealing formerly popular characters known by previous generations of readers now live in the Beano retirement home.[13]

The series had a one-off appearance in issue 2331, as part of the Reader's Request series.[14] In 2014, Jonah had a supporting role in The Bash Street Kids, revealing he is Plug's uncle.[15]

Throughout the rest of Beano's media, Jonah's stories have featured in Beano annuals between 1960 and 1964's editions, and a cameo in 2019's, as well as in The Beano Summer Special 1988.[2]

### DC Thomson

[edit]

Jonah appeared frequently outside of The Beano franchise in a variety of DC Thomson's magazines. In 1971, reprints of his Beano strips published in Hornet from issue 395,[16] and then in the entirety of Buddy's run.[17] New stories also appeared in The Dandy as part of "The Dandy-Beano Collection", in which a few Beano characters featured in The Dandy during 1986 and 1988,[18][19][20][21][22] followed by new stories in The Dandy from 1993 where he meets Captain Timmy "Thick" Fogg and can shapeshift into a monster humanoid with the help of a water gypsy's magic earring. Jonah was the star of 17 Beano Comic Library books, notably meeting Puss 'n' Boots from The Topper.[23]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Fearn, Walter (14 May 1988). "Jonah". The Beano. No. 2391\. Illustrated by Ken Reid.
2. ^ a b Jonah. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)
3. ^ Fearn, Walter (17 March 1958). "Jonah". The Beano. No. 817\. Illustrated by Ken Reid. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
4. ^ Riches, Christopher, ed. (2008). The History of the Beano. Waverley Books. p. 120\. ISBN 978-1-902407-73-9.
5. ^ Fearn, Walter (8 June 1963). Cramond, Harold (ed.). "Jonah". The Beano. No. 1090\. Illustrated by Ken Reid. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
6. ^ "Jonah (The Boy who Sank a 1000 Ships)". The Beano. No. 2420\. Illustrated by Ken Reid. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 24 December 1988.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
7. ^ Cramond, Harold, ed. (12 October 1963). "Jinx". The Beano. No. 1108\. Illustrated by Ken Reid.
8. ^ Cramond, Harold, ed. (2 May 1964). "Jinx". The Beano. No. 1137\. Illustrated by Ken Reid. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
9. ^ Kerr, Euan, ed. (27 June 1992). "Son of Jonah". The Beano. No. 2606\. Illustrated by Jerry Swaffield. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
10. ^ Kerr, Euan, ed. (19 June 1993). "Son of Jonah". The Beano. No. 2657\. Illustrated by Jerry Swaffield. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
11. ^ Cramond, Harold, ed. (September 1964). Jinx. D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. pp. 95, 115. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)
12. ^ Jinx. Vol. 4\. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 1989. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)
13. ^ Kerr, Euan, ed. (27 October 2001). "Lord Snooty's Day Out". The Beano. No. 3093\. Illustrated by Ken H. Harrison. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
14. ^ "Jonah". The Beano. No. 2331\. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
15. ^ Stirling, Michael, ed. (13 September 2014). "The Bash Street Kids". The Beano. No. 3751\. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.
16. ^ "Jonah". Hornet. No. 395\. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. 3 April 1971.
17. ^ "Jonah | the Beano". Archived from the original on 21 March 2012.
18. ^ "Comic Cuts". The Dandy. No. 2385\. Illustrated by George Martin. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
19. ^ "Comic Cuts". The Dandy. No. 2386\. Illustrated by George Martin. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
20. ^ "Comic Cuts". The Dandy. No. 2389\. Illustrated by George Martin. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
21. ^ "Comic Cuts". The Dandy. No. 2405\. Illustrated by George Martin. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
22. ^ "Comic Cuts". The Dandy. No. 2407\. Illustrated by George Martin. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.`{{cite magazine}}`: CS1 maint: others (link)
23. ^ Jonah Meets Puss 'n' Boots. Vol. 102\. D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. `{{cite book}}`: `|work=` ignored (help)

* v
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DC Thomson comics

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Humour comics|

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Pre-school comics|

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Notable strips|

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Comic annuals|

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Character annuals|

* Bananaman Annual
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* Beryl the Peril Annual
* Black Bob Book
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* Dennis the Menace Annual
* The Desperate Dan Book
* Oor Wullie Annual

Notable artists|

* Barrie Appleby
* Nigel Auchterlounie
* Leo Baxendale
* Gordon Bell
* Nick Brennan
* Paddy Brennan
* Sid Burgon
* Reg Carter
* Wilbur Dawbarn
* Karl Dixon
* The Etherington Brothers
* Hunt Emerson
* Andy Fanton
* John Geering
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* Charles Grigg
* Ken H. Harrison
* Laura Howell
* Diego Jourdan
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* Allan Morley
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* Tom Paterson
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* David Parkins
* Jon Rushby
* Jamie Smart
* Lew Stringer
* David Sutherland
* Kev F. Sutherland
* Dudley D. Watkins
* Stevie White

Notable writers|

* Mike Chinn
* Gilbert Lawford Dalton
* Alan Grant
* Ian Gray
* R. D. Low
* Grant Morrison
* John Radford
* Cavan Scott
* John Smith

See also|

* List of D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd publications
* List of AP, Fleetway and IPC Comics publications
* List of Beano comic strips
* List of Dandy comic strips
* List of Topper comic strips
* List of Beezer comic strips
* List of Beezer and Topper comic strips

Category

* v
* t
* e

The Beano

* DC Thomson
* R. D. Low

Stories|

| 1938-1939|

* Big Eggo
* Hairy Dan
* Helpful Henry
* Lord Snooty
* Morgyn the Mighty
* Pansy Potter
* Ping the Elastic Man
* Tin-Can Tommy
* Wee Peem

|

1940s|

* Biffo the Bear
* Jack Flash
* Jimmy and his Magic Patch
* Winnie the Witch

1950s|

* The Bash Street Kids (Pup Parade, Simply Smiffy, Singled Out, Winston)
* Dennis the Menace (Bea, Gnasher, Walter the Softy, Rasher)
* General Jumbo
* Grandpa
* Jonah
* Little Plum
* Minnie the Minx (Fatty Fudge)
* Roger the Dodger
* The Three Bears

1960s|

* Billy the Cat
* Billy Whizz
* Colonel Crackpot's Circus

1970s|

* Baby Face Finlayson
* The Belles of St. Lemons
* Gnasher's Tale
* The McTickles
* The Nibblers
* Richard the Lion
* Tom, Dick and Sally

1980s|

* Calamity James
* Danny's Nanny
* The Germs
* Gnasher and Gnipper
* Ivy the Terrible
* Number 13 Beano Street

1990s|

* Beaginnings
* Betty and the Yeti
* Crazy for Daisy
* Gordon Bennett
* Joe King
* Les Pretend
* The Numskulls
* Tim Traveller
* Tricky Dicky

2000s|

* Colin the Vet
* Derek the Sheep
* Freddie Fear
* Joe Jitsu
* Johnny Bean from Happy Bunny Green
* Lord Snooty the Third
* Olaff the Madlander
* Ratz
* Robbie Rebel
* Splodge
* Super School

2010s|

* Bananaman
* Corporal Clott
* Meebo and Zuky

Other media|

| Spin-off media|

* The Beano Annual
* List of Beano comic strips by annual
* Beano comic libraries/Fun Size Comics
* EPIC Magazine
* The Beano Summer Special
* Dennis the Menace Annual
* The Magic Comic
* Plug

|

Adaptations|

* Bananaman (TV series) (BBC, 1983-1986)
* The Beano's Dennis the Menace and Gnasher Show (TCC, 1990–91)
* The Beano Video (1993)
* The Beano Videostars (1994)
* Dennis and Gnasher (BBC, 1996–98)
* Dennis and Gnasher (BBC, 2009–13)
* Dennis & Gnasher: Unleashed! (BBC, 2017-present)
* Banananman Musical (2017-2018)

Creator staff|

| D.C. Thomson artists|

* Leo Baxendale
* Paddy Brennan
* Jim Petrie
* Ken Reid
* Dudley D. Watkins

|

Freelance artists|

* Barrie Appleby
* Nigel Auchterlounie
* Gordon Bell
* Basil Blackaller
* Nick Brennan
* Sid Burgon
* Reg Carter
* Wilbur Dawbarn
* Hunt Emerson
* Andy Fanton
* John Geering
* Barry Glennard
* Harry Hargreaves
* Ken H. Harrison
* Laura Howell
* Diego Jourdan
* Malcolm Judge
* David Law
* Trevor Metcalfe
* Allan Morley
* David Mostyn
* Vic Neill
* Robert Nixon
* Gary Northfield
* David Parkins
* Nigel Parkinson
* Tom Paterson
* Mike Pearse
* Dean Rankine
* Bill Ritchie
* Jon Rushby
* Cavan Scott
* Duncan Scott
* Jamie Smart
* Lew Stringer
* David Sutherland
* Kev F. Sutherland
* Stevie White

History|

* The Beano timeline

Category

* v
* t
* e

The Dandy

Final strips|

* Bananaman
* Blinky
* Desperate Dan
* Keyhole Kate
* The Numskulls
* Retro Active

Former strips|

* Addie and Hermy
* Bad Max
* Barney Boko
* Beryl the Peril
* Black Bob
* Blinky
* The Bogies
* Bully Beef and Chips
* Colonel Crackpot's Circus
* Corporal Clott
* Cuddles and Dimples
* Fiddle O Diddle
* Freddy the Fearless Fly
* Harry Hill's Real Life Adventures in TV Land
* Helpful Henry
* Jak and Todd
* The Jocks and the Geordies
* Jonah
* Korky the Cat
* Marvo the Wonder Chicken
* Mr. Meecher, the Uncool Teacher
* My Own Genie
* Owen Goal
* Peter's Pocket Grandpa
* Potsworth & Co.
* Puss 'n' Boots
* The Smasher
* Strange Hill
* Winker Watson

Writers and Artists|

* Barrie Appleby
* Nigel Auchterlounie
* Leo Baxendale
* Gordon Bell
* Basil Blackaller
* Paddy Brennan
* Nick Brennan
* Sid Burgon
* Wilbur Dawbarn
* Karl Dixon
* Lorenzo Etherington
* Andy Fanton
* John Geering
* Ian Gray
* Denis Gifford
* Charles Grigg
* Ken H. Harrison
* Harry Hill
* Allan Morley
* David Mostyn
* Robert Nixon
* Gary Northfield
* David Parkins
* Nigel Parkinson
* Tom Paterson
* Jim Petrie
* Ken Reid
* Jon Rushby
* Duncan Scott
* Jamie Smart
* Ron Smith
* Lew Stringer
* David Sutherland
* Dudley D. Watkins
* Stevie White

Adaptations|

* Bananaman (1983–1986)
* Grandpa in My Pocket (2009–2014)

See also|

* The Dandy Annual
* The Desperate Dan Book
* Fun Size Dandy
* Hoot
* Nutty

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