Dennis artist to retire

Monterey - Cartoonist Hank Ketcham, who created 'Dennis the Menace' 44 years ago, said he would retire at the end of the year to concentrate on his more serious painting.

The cartoon strip was named after his rumbustious three- year-old son.

Ketcham, 74, said the inspiration for the character came from his late wife Alice, who 'marched into the studio, banged her fist down on my drawing board and hissed: 'Your son is a menace'.' Reuter