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Minnie the Minx was created by Leo Baxendale at the suggestion of Beano editor George Moonie, her first appearance being in issue 596 (Dec 19th 1953). Although an obvious attempt to capitalise upon the success of Dennis the Menace, Minnie has always had charms of her own. Right from the start the strip has made good use of the sheer novelty value of its star being a girl. From the start, Baxendale characterised Minnie not so much as a female Dennis as "an Amazonian warrior" who specialised in beating up boys - often dozens at a time! At the same time, though, there also is a subtlety in the relationship between Minnie and her father which could never exist between Dennis and his dad.
Jim Petrie took over the strip from Baxendale in 1962 and went on to draw it for almost forty years. His trademarks include dogs peeping out of bushes, and characters licking their lips with multiple tongues. Over the years his style loosened, with more use of close-ups and split perspectives, and more interesting framing.
Jim retired in 2001 and was replaced by Tom
Paterson. His style is, as
you would expect, somewhere between Petrie's and Baxendale's,
with the added bonus of Paterson's own unique touches (yes,
including the smelly sock).
TOP: Minnie as drawn by Leo Baxendale (1960)
LEFT: Tom Paterson's Minnie in action (2001)
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