You wouldn't usually expect to see Dennis the Menace or the Bash Street Kids loitering around the hushed, high-ceilinged halls of a national archive. Generally, those places are for dusty manuscripts, Mary Queen of Scots’ letters, and map scrolls so old they practically crumble if you look at them wrong. But honestly, the Beano National Library of Scotland connection is one of those rare moments where high-brow culture and "maximum mayhem" actually shook hands.
It’s a bit surreal. On one side, you have the National Library of Scotland (NLS) in Edinburgh, which has been the "nation’s memory" since the 1920s. On the other, you have a comic born in Dundee in 1938 that’s basically built on the foundation of being a nuisance to adults.
Yet, in August 2025, for the Library's 100th anniversary, the two worlds officially collided. They didn't just put a few old comics in a glass case. They actually released a special, limited-edition centenary Beano where the Bash Street Kids literally get lost in the NLS archives.
The Centenary Comic: When the Bash Street Kids Invaded the Archives
If you were lucky enough to be in Edinburgh or at Kelvin Hall in Glasgow on August 7, 2025, you might have snagged one of the 500 physical copies of this thing. It's a collector's item now, but the story inside is what’s really interesting.
The plot basically follows the Bash Street Kids as they cause absolute chaos while trying to navigate the library's vast collection. It’s a clever meta-joke. The NLS holds over 30 million items, so getting lost isn't exactly a stretch of the imagination.
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The cover itself features the iconic George IV Bridge building, but with the typical Beano flair. Seeing a landmark that usually feels quite "establishment" being treated with the same irreverent slapstick as a school playground is, frankly, refreshing. It’s a deliberate move by the library to say: "Hey, we aren't just for researchers with three PhDs; we’re for anyone who loves a good story."
Why the Beano is Actually "Serious" History
It’s easy to dismiss comics as kid stuff, but the NLS doesn't see it that way. Because they have legal deposit status, they can claim a copy of every single thing published in the UK and Ireland. That means every issue of the Beano since 1938—from the very first one to the 4,000th and beyond—is technically a matter of national record.
Think about what those comics show:
- Wartime Morale: During WWII, paper shortages were so bad the comic went fortnightly, but it never stopped. Artists like Dudley D. Watkins were actually exempt from war service because their work was considered so vital for public morale.
- Social Shifting: You can literally track the change in British parenting and schooling through how the "Slipper" or the "Cane" slowly disappeared from the strips.
- Language Evolution: The word "beano" itself is old British slang for a bean-feast or a rowdy party.
When you go into the reading rooms today, you can request these archives. Seeing a 1950s issue with its yellowed, thin newsprint makes you realize that this isn't just a comic; it's a timestamp of what Scottish and British kids were laughing at while the world was changing outside their windows.
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The Dennis the Menace "Gap" in the Collection
Even a national library has its "holy grail" hunts. For years, there have been efforts to fill the gaps in the early Dandy and Beano runs. While the NLS has an incredible collection, the very early issues—the ones from the late 30s—are incredibly rare because, well, kids in the 30s didn't exactly treat their comics like museum pieces. They read them until they fell apart.
In recent years, the library has been quite vocal about wanting pre-1970 editions to ensure the national record is complete. It’s a weird thought: your grandad’s old stack of comics in the attic might literally be the "missing piece" of Scotland's literary history.
How to actually see the Beano at the National Library
You don't just walk in and grab a comic off a shelf like a regular library. It's a bit more "Mission Impossible" than that (but with less lasers and more librarians).
- Get a Library Card: You can't just wander into the reading rooms. You need to register, which involves showing ID and proving you have a reason to be there (even if that reason is "I want to study the history of Gnasher").
- Consult the Catalogue: Use the NLS online system. Searching for "DC Thomson" or "The Beano" will bring up thousands of results.
- The Wait: Once you request an item, it usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes for a staff member to retrieve it from the deep archives (which are sometimes several floors underground).
- The Reading Room: You'll be given a specific desk. No pens allowed—pencils only—and you certainly can't bring in a Ribena.
A Living Memory, Not a Dead One
The collaboration between the Beano and the National Library of Scotland isn't just a one-off marketing stunt for a birthday. It’s part of a bigger shift in how we think about "culture."
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Amina Shah, the National Librarian, has been pretty open about the fact that a love of reading often starts with comics. For many people in Scotland, the Beano was the first thing they ever read independently. By archiving it, the NLS isn't just saving paper; they're saving the childhood experience of millions of people.
It’s also about acknowledging Dundee's massive contribution to the world. DC Thomson is a powerhouse, and for a long time, the "high arts" ignored the "low arts" of comic strips. This partnership basically says that Dennis is just as important as Robert Burns when it comes to understanding who the Scots are.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re interested in diving into this world, don't just take my word for it.
- Visit George IV Bridge: If you're in Edinburgh, even just visiting the lobby often features small rotations of the "Treasures" collection where comics sometimes pop up.
- Check the Digital Gallery: The NLS has started digitizing parts of their collection. While copyright keeps the full modern Beanos offline, you can often find early advertisements and related social history on their site.
- Kelvin Hall in Glasgow: This is where the Moving Image Archive is, but they also have access to the library’s digital resources and hold events that are often way more "hands-on" than the main Edinburgh site.
The reality is that the Beano isn't just some 80-plus-year-old relic. It's still being printed every week in Dundee, and the NLS will be there to catch every single issue for the next hundred years, too.
To see the collection for yourself, start by registering for a library card online before you visit, as it saves a ton of time at the registration desk. If you can't make it in person, browse the digital gallery of Scottish life to see how the library categorizes popular culture alongside its most "serious" treasures.