And a happy 90th birthday to the best-loved Scots boy who never grows old Oor Wullie and other comic strip heroes on pedestals.
The spiky-haired blond laddie in dungarees sits proudly on his bucket in Dundee laughing at his latest jape.
To celebrate his connections with the city’s Sunday Post where he first appeared in 1936.
Dan’s the man: Desperate Dan in Dundee
And near to other child’s comic strip characters Desperate Dan, Dennis the Menace & Gnasher and Minnie the Minx.
Boys will be boys: With Wullie in Dundee
All of whom lift Dundonians’ spirits every day as they pass through the city centre.
Which should be the way of it rather than be reminded how we are subjugated by warmongers and titans of empire.
Hang on Snoopy, hang on
Dundee should act as a template to the rest of the world although we shouldn’t altogether despair.
As there are towns and cities where our favourite cartoon strip heroes are celebrated.
Step forward Charles Schulz’s birthplace, Saint Paul where Charlie Brown and his pals are immortalised.
So that’s Charlie, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and Snoopy again with Woodstock.
While America’s favourite trier is also put on a pedestal across the land and naturally at the Charles M. Schulz Museum.
Aye, aye, it’s Popeye
Muscling in: Popeye in Illinois
Now what we all look for in a statue is a strong structure that will resist any forces which we think you’d agree is Popeye.
The 6ft Sailor Man flexes his muscles in Segar Memorial Park to honour hometown creator Elzie Crisler Segar in Chester, Illinois.
Now everyone has their own favourite comic strip character.
Blistering Belgium, Tintin
Muscling in: Popeye in Brussels
And I would think the War Room bookshelf particularly bare without Tintin looking over me.
While Belgium’s most famous boy reporter is rightly celebrated across the land.
And touchingly is commemorated with his faithful companion Snowy at the Centre Culturel d’Uccle in Brussels.
While, and perhaps we shouldn’t look too closely at the reasons why.
Outside Hotel Memling in the former Belgian colony of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
There are, of course, those of our favourites who we have come to know many miles from their home.
And from Darkest Peru
Step up Paddington
who we all know came from Darkest Peru.
Of course, no immigrant, has been so taken to the hearts of British people as the duffel-coated bear.
And Paddington Bear statues can be found across London and in 23 towns, cities and beauty spots throughout the UK and Ireland.
As part of the Paddington Visits trail.
As well as back home in Peru, in the capital Lima and in Machu Picchu.
Now we don’t know for certain if Oor Wullie and Paddington have ever met but if we had our way…
