Beano comic strip changes colour for World Mental Health Day

The comic giant said it will be giving away 20,000 free Beano comics for households to encourage children to read more.

Beano is turning its iconic Dennis comic strip yellow to support YoungMinds’ #HelloYellow campaign in support of World Mental Health Day (Beano/PA)

Beano has turned its iconic Dennis comic strip a different colour in support of World Mental Health day this month.

The special edition strip sees Dennis dressed in yellow and black stripes instead of his usual red and black attire.

The colour change is Beano’s move to show support for children’s charity YoungMinds, which is currently running a #HelloYellow campaign.

The campaign encourages people to wear yellow to show their support for creating a brighter future for young people’s mental health.

The new comic strip, which went on sale on Wednesday, centres on this year’s World Mental Health Day theme of “How You Feel Matters”.

It encourages children to talk about their mental health by exploring Dennis’s “Numskulls”.

The Numskulls are a series of Beano characters who live in the mind and control the brain and all senses, so if they are having a bad day, it is likely Dennis is too.

I hope as many children as possible can read this week’s edition and show that mental health issues affect everyone, even Dennis

Mike Sterling, Beano

With research showing that reading has a positive effect on children’s mental health and the fact that one in five children do not own a book, Beano said it will give away 20,000 free Beano comics on October 10 – this year’s World Mental Health Day – via shop.beano.com/free-comic.

Mike Sterling, Beano’s “director of mischief”, said: “There is more and more research highlighting the positive effects that reading has on the mental health of young people and we are proud that our continued partnership with YoungMinds promotes reading for children.

“I hope as many children as possible can read this week’s edition and show that mental health issues affect everyone, even Dennis.”

Deirdre Kehoe, of YoungMinds, said: “The number of young people needing mental health support is growing every day but too many face barriers when they try to get the right support. We can’t let young people face these challenges alone.

“Wearing an item of yellow for Hello Yellow is one little thing we can all do to support the young people in our lives and by raising vital funds for YoungMinds, we can make sure no young person feels alone with their mental health.”