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{{Short description|Comic strip character from The Beano}}
{{for|the Gears of War firearm|Gnasher Shotgun}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Beano main character
| name = Gnasher
| image = Gnasher.jpg |img_size=190px
| stars = {{ubl|''[[Dennis the Menace (UK)|Dennis the Menace]]'' (1968 – present)|''Gnasher's Tale'' (1977–1986)|''Gnasher and Gnipper'' (1986 – present)|''Gnasher's Bit(e)'' (2011–2014)|''Gnasher's Gnews'' (2012–2013)|''Gnipper'' (2013)}}
| first_issue = 1362
| first_date = 1968-08-31
| first = 1362
| last = 2279, 2286 – present
| creator = Davey Law and Ian Gray
| writer = 
| artist = 
| enemy1 = {{ubl|[[Walter the Softy]]|Foo-Foo (Walter's dog)|Any adult/authority figure|Dennis' mum|Dennis' dad}}
| friends1 = {{ubl|[[Dennis the Menace (UK)|Dennis]] (owner)|[[Bea (Dennis the Menace)|Bea]] (Dennis' sister)}}
| family1 = {{ubl|Gnipper (son)|Gnatasha (daughter)|Gnaomi (daughter)|Gnanette (daughter)|Gnorah (daughter)|Gnancy (daughter)}}
| franchise = {{ubl|''[[The Beano Annual]]'' (1969 – present)|''The Beano Summer Special''|''BeanoMAX''|''Dennis the Menace Annual''}}
| DCT = 
| refs = 
}}
'''Gnasher''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|æ|ʃ|ər}}) is a fictional comic strip character that appears in the British comic magazine ''[[The Beano]]''. He is the pet [[dog]] of [[Dennis the Menace (UK)|Dennis the Menace]], who meets him in 1968's issue 1362, and is also the star of three spin-off comic strips. Gnasher is considered just as iconic as his owner as both have been the stars of many children's television programming and are the unofficial mascots of ''The Beano''. Gnasher reached nationwide news in the 1980s after he disappeared from the magazine for seven weeks, returning with his six newborn puppies, but usually interacts with his son Gnipper.

== Development ==
Although Dennis the Menace was shown with a [[terrier]] in his first story,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace|date=1951-03-17|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=452|editor-last=Moonie|editor-first=George}}</ref><ref name="comedy">{{cite news |last1=Guide |first1=British Comedy |title=Dennis The Menace is 70 |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/dennis-the-menace-is-70/|url-status=live |work=[[British Comedy Guide]] |date=17 March 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210929113225/https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/dennis-the-menace-is-70/ |archive-date=2021-09-29}}</ref> he would not meet Gnasher for 17 years. Dennis' artist [[Davey Law]] decided to give his character a dog companion but struggled to give the dog a perfect design, inspired by [[DC Thomson]] writer Jim Fowler mentioning reading a newspaper story about pets looking like their owners.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} [[Ian Gray (comics)|Ian Gray]] suggested Law should "draw Dennis the Menace's hair, put a leg on each corner and two eyeballs at that end."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2007/09/22/creator-of-beano-dog-gnasher-dies-86908-19829353/|title=Creator of ''Beano'' dog Gnasher dies|last=Dailyrecord.co.uk|date=21 September 2007}}</ref> Gray was a dog breeding hobbyist, and assisted with some of Gnasher's stories and for the stories in ''[[Pup Parade]]''.<ref name="history">{{cite book |title=The History of The Beano: The story so far. |date=2008 |publisher=Waverley Books |isbn=978-1-902407-73-9 |page=195}}</ref>

== Character background ==
Gnasher is a black-haired Abyssinian Wire-Haired Tripe Hound{{r|history|comedy}} who often enjoys chewing and biting anyone and anything, grunting "[[wikt:gnash#Verb|gnash]]!" instead of [[bark (sound)|barking]]. He was a bushy [[Stray animal|stray]] when Dennis found him just as Dennis grew interest in a local [[dog show]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace|date=1968-08-31|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=1362|others=Illustrated by Davey Law|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> Dennis gives him the name "[[:wikt:gnasher|Gnasher]]" and encourages his misbehaviour. The two are inseparable, to the point the comic strip alternates between the titles ''Dennis the Menace'', ''Dennis the Menace and Gnasher'' and ''Dennis and Gnasher''.

Although the reader can read Gnasher's thoughts from the [[thought bubble]]s, other characters cannot understand him if he decides to talk in front of them (his dialogue usually represented with most words beginning with [[n]] having the ([[silent letter|silent]]) letter [[g]] in front to represent his barks, e.g. "g[[night]]").{{Refn|Initially, this writing choice was not the case when Gnasher gained the ability to [[break the fourth wall]], as panels in ''Gnasher's Tale'' design puppy Gnasher as never having this impediment.<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=The Beano|date=1977-06-11|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold|title=Gnasher's Tale|issue=|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref> The first instance of a "gn" in that series was "Gn[[wikt:ouch#Interjection|ow]]!" in issue 1827.<ref name=teeth>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-07-23|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=1827|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref>|group=Note}} Dennis can only understand him on [[Hallowe'en]].<ref name="comedy"/>

== "Who's Gnicked Gnasher?" publicity stunt ==
''The Beano''{{'s}} sales ebbed throughout the 1980s, no longer selling millions of issues per week as it had thirty years prior. Aware of how audiences enjoyed watching Gnasher and Dennis' tight bond, sub-editor Alan Digby suggested a [[media prank]] that could cause a sales boost,<ref name="beano"/> leading to the seven-issue long "Where's Gnasher?" saga. It began in issue 2279, initially about Dennis outwitting a man with a giant bag of money from buying Gnasher, but Gnasher later disappeared without explanation and the story ended with Dennis standing alone in his back garden asking the reader if they would help him find Gnasher.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|date=1986-03-22|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2279|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> The following issues would commonly begin with a [[comic panel|panel]] of children holding Gnasher [[picket sign]]s as Dennis and his family either joined the march or tried to cope with Gnasher's disappearance; Dennis also considers adopting a similar-looking replacement, and sets up traps to lure Gnasher back.<ref name="beano"/> Initially baffled by the town's search parties, Dennis' father starts to miss Gnasher when he realises he cannot pretend to spill his wife's terrible meals on the floor for Gnasher to eat when she is out of the room.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace|date=1986-03-29|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2280|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> Part 3 of the saga [[broke the fourth wall]] when Dennis decides to invite himself into DC Thomson's ''Beano'' offices and ask chief-editor Euan Kerr to help.<ref name="merch">{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace|date=1986-04-05|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2281|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> Gnasher's departure would end in issue 2286 when Dennis and Walter find a [[baby transport|pram]] full of puppies outside Dennis' front door, revealing he was caring for his son and five daughters.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|date=1986-11-01|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2286|others=Illustrated by Dave Sutherland|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> He reveals to the reader his children are named [[Nora (name)|Gnorah]], [[Natasha|Gnatasha]], [[Nanette|Gnanette]], [[Naomi (given name)|Gnaomi]], [[Nancy (name)|Gnancy]] and Gnipper.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Dennis the Menace and Gnasher|date=1986-05-10|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2286|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref>

== Star of his own stories ==
===''Gnasher's Tale''===
{{Beano story spinoff
|title=Gnasher's Tale
|startno=1818 |start_date=21 May 1977 |finish_date=31 May 1986 |finishno=2278
|franchise={{ubl|''[[The Beano Annual]]'' 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2001, 2007|''The Beano Summer Special'' 1983, 1985, 1986}}
|first=1818 |last=2278
|comics=yes
|characters=Gnasher, Dennis the Menace, Dennis' dad, with Dennis's mum, Curly, and Pie-Face
|refs=<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1981|date= 1980|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1982|date= 1981|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1983|date= 1982|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Summer Special 1983 |date=1983 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1985|date=1984|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1986|date= 1985|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref name="BA2001"/><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1987|date= 1986|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 1988|date= 1987|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Summer Special 1985 |date= 1985|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Summer Special 1986 |date=1986 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Annual 2007 |date=2006 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.}}</ref>
}}
After co-starring with his owner in ''Dennis the Menace and Gnasher'' for nine years, Gnasher would star in his own strip: ''Gnasher's Tale'', a [[prequel]] series about Gnasher's life when he was a [[puppy]]. [[David Sutherland (comics artist)|David Sutherland]] designed the series, encouraged to show off Gnasher's dynamic expressions,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Riches |first1=Christopher |title=The History of The Beano: The story so far |date=2008 |publisher=Waverley Books |isbn=978-1-902407-73-9 |page=205}}</ref> and his stories debuted in 1977's issue 1818.<ref name="Tale1">{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-05-21|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=1818|others=Illustrated by Dave Sutherland|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref>

Despite ''The Beano'' already establishing Dennis (and his family) met Gnasher when he was fully grown, Dennis is also portrayed as younger, and the first story showed his friend Curly wearing a [[Bib (garment)|bib]] and sucking a [[pacifier|dummy]].<ref name="Tale1"/> Each strip begins with a panel of Gnasher addressing the audience as he holds a book implied to contain the anecdote for the episode—its title initially ''Gnasher's Puphood'',<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-05-28|magazine=[[The Beano]]|page=17|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> then changed to ''My Tale by Gnasher'' three strips later.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-06-18|magazine=The Beano|page=17|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> The series changes the origin story to Dennis and his friends finding Gnasher in a [[Bush (plant)|bush]], thinking Gnasher is a hairy worm because of his size.<ref name="Tale1"/> Dennis's father starts loathing Gnasher after Gnasher eats his dinner, and becomes determined to train the puppy, despite Gnasher's hyperactive behaviour provoking, humiliating and injuring him. A few stories imply he understands Gnasher, showing him react to Gnasher's anthropomorphic responses and the two violently arguing at times.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-06-25|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> Other cameos include Dennis' mum and a younger Walter,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-07-30|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-10-29|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> as Gnasher does not hold back from tormenting them as well for his amusement or to get his own way. Other stories are about "Gnasher's firsts", showing him at his first haircut and [[Veterinarian|vet]] visit,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-10-01|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1977-10-08|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|editor-last=Cramond|editor-first=Harold}}</ref> and when he first learnt how strong his teeth are.<ref name="teeth"/>

The series was eventually cancelled after issue 2278,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher's Tale|date=1986-05-31|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2278|others=Illustrated by Dave Sutherland|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> in the wake of the "Where's Gnasher?" saga. Its section was replaced by ''Foo Foo's Fairy Story'', also illustrated by Dave Sutherland, starring [[Walter the Softy|Walter]]'s dog Foo-Foo.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Foo Foo's Fairy Story|date=1986-03-22|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2279|others=Illustrated by David Sutherland|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> When Gnasher reunited with Dennis, ''Gnasher's Tale'' remained cancelled, but would feature in [[The Beano Annual|''Beano'' annuals]] illustrated by [[Barry Glennard]],<ref name=BA2001>{{cite book |chapter=Gnasher's Tale |title=The Beano Book 2001|date=2000 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. |location=Fleet Street, London |isbn=978-0851167282|others=Illustrated by [[Barry Glennard]]|editor-first=Euan|editor-last=Kerr}}</ref> and in ''Dandy and Beano: The Golden Years, Volume II''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Dandy and Beano: The Golden Years Volume II |date=August 1989 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. |isbn=978-0851164366|chapter=Gnasher's Tale |page=85}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===''Gnasher and Gnipper''===
{{Beano story spinoff
|startno=2286|start_date=1 November 1986
|title=Gnasher and Gnipper |comics=yes |franchise={{ubl|''The Beano Annual'' 1989, 1990|''The Beano Summer Special'' 1987, 1988, 1989}}
|characters=Gnasher, Gnipper, Dennis, Dennis' mum, Dennis' dad, Gnasher's daughters}}
In the same issue Gnasher returned, ''Gnasher and Gnipper'' debuted,<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher and Gnipper|date=1986-11-01|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=2286|others=Illustrated by Dave Sutherland|editor-last=Kerr|editor-first=Euan}}</ref> replacing ''Gnasher's Tale''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Riches |first1=Christopher |title=The History of The Beano: The story so far |date=2008 |publisher=Waverley Books |isbn=978-1-902407-73-9 |page=333}}</ref> This series was set in the present day, showing Gnasher bonding with his only son, usually chasing cats and postmen, pestering Foo-Foo, and finding some sausages to eat.<ref name=Savage>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher and Gnipper|date=2018-01-06|magazine=Beano|url=https://www.beano.com/posts/gnasher-gnipper-food-factory|others=Illustrated by Barrie Appleby|last=Savage|first=J D|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=3916}}</ref> Dennis and his family sometimes featured. Around each other, Gnasher and Gnipper communicate through [[speech bubble]]s anthropomorphically, but the dialogue is placed back in thought bubbles around human characters, implying the humans cannot understand them. Occasionally, one of Gnipper's sisters make an appearance to help with a scheme, but most stories usually feature the protagonists irritating adults.

David Sutherland illustrated until 1993 and was succeeded by Barry Glennard. The series declined throughout the 2000s as ''The Beano'' prepped for the new [[Dennis the Menace and Gnasher (2009 TV series)|''Dennis the Menace'' cartoon]] and did not return until 2014.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}} Its recent artist is [[Barrie Appleby]], with scripts by Danny Pearson and JD Savage.<ref name="Savage"/><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnasher and Gnipper|date=2017-03-11|magazine=Beano|last=Pearson|first=Danny|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=|others=llustrated by Barrie Appleby|editor-last=Anderson|editor-first=John}}</ref> ''Gnasher and Gnipper'' has featured in ''The Beano Annual'', ''The Beano Summer Special'' and in issue 168 of the ''[[Beano comic libraries|Beano Comic Library]]''.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Gray |editor1-first=Ian |editor1-link=Ian Gray (writer) |chapter=A Christmas Tail |title=Beano Comic Library |date=31 December 1989 |publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|volume=168}}</ref>
{{clear}}

===''Gnasher's Bit(e)''===
Gnasher received a solo series again in 2011 with ''Gnasher's Bit(e)'', illustrated by Jimmy Hansen and then Barrie Appleby, authored by an uncredited Ryan C. Gavan. It ended in January 2014.

=== ''Funsize Funnies'' shorts ===
==== ''Gnipper'' ====
Gnasher's son received his own, eponymous three-panel gag-a-day in ''Beano''{{'s}} Funsize Funnies section from January to July 2013, with artwork by Canadian artist Graham Howie.<ref>{{cite web |title=Graham Howie - Gnipper |url=http://grahamhowie.com/page11.htm |publisher=Mr Site |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130050819/http://grahamhowie.com/page11.htm |archive-date=2016-01-30 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

====''Gnash Gnews''====
''Gnash Gnews'' was a mini-strip which featured in ''Funsize Funnies'' from  issues 3660 to 3681, illustrated by [[Barrie Appleby]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnash Gnews (Funsize Funnies)|date=2012-11-10|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=3660|others=Illustrated by Barrie Appleby|editor-last=|editor-first=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Gnash Gnews (Funsize Funnies)|date=2013-04-20|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd.|issue=3681|others=Illustrated by Barrie Appleby|editor-last=|editor-first=}}</ref>

== Reception and legacy ==
Although "Who's Gnicked Gnasher?" failed to resurrect ''The Beano''{{'s}} sales in the long term, the saga received nationwide attention. Distraught readers telephoned and wrote to DC Thomson to both voice their worry for Gnasher's safety or help look for clues,<ref name="beano">{{cite book |title=Beano : 80 Years of Fun |date=2018 |location=London |isbn=9781845357023 |pages=61–67 |chapter=Gnasher Goes Missing}}</ref> and The Dennis the Menace club sold Gnasher badges to identify other readers also helping Dennis.<ref name="merch"/> Radio presenter [[Mike Read]] broadcast the news on his [[BBC Radio 1]] show (which was dramatised in issue 2281),<ref name="merch"/> and newspapers like ''[[The Times]]'' reported the disappearance frequently.<ref name="beano"/> The series would be reprinted in the 1990 ''[[Dennis the Menace Annual]]'' as a 16-page story entitled ''Who's Gnicked Gnasher?''<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Who's Gnicked Gnasher? |title=Dennis the Menace Annual 1990 |date=1989 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated |isbn=978-0851164557}}</ref> ''The Beano'' re-created the saga in 2014, in which Dennis would ask [[Bear Grylls]] to help with the search.<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=The Mail on Sunday: The Beano|date=2014-04-06|magazine=The Beano|publisher=D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd}}</ref>

Gnasher's debut appearance featured in [[Royal Mail]]'s commemorative ''Dennis the Menace'' 70th anniversary stamps.<ref>{{cite news |title=Dennis the Menace: Royal Mail stamps mark 70 years of Beano character |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-57671019 |work=BBC News |date=1 July 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230604171445/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-57671019 |archive-date=2023-06-04 |quote=A set of 10 stamps celebrating 70 years of Beano bad boy Dennis the Menace has been issued by the Royal Mail. Six of them look back at the evolution of the comic book character from his black-and-white days in 1951 to the arrival of his pet dog Gnasher.}}</ref> Gnatasha had her own strip in ''[[The Beezer]] and [[The Topper (comics)|Topper]]'', and appeared in the 1994 ''[[The Beezer Book|Beezer Book]]''.

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=Note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Children's literature}}
* [https://www.beano.com/posts/beano-superstars-gnasher Gnasher bio on beano.com]
* [http://www.beanotown.com beanotown.com]
* [http://farm1.static.flickr.com/1/171516_33aace8ac7_m.jpg First introduction of Gnasher]

{{D. C. Thomson Comics}}
{{Beano}}

[[Category:Beano strips]]
[[Category:Comics characters introduced in 1968]]
[[Category:Fictional dogs]]
[[Category:Comics about anthropomorphic dogs]]
[[Category:Comics spinoffs]]
[[Category:1977 comics debuts]]
[[Category:Male characters in comics]]
[[Category:DC Thomson Comics characters]]
[[Category:Dennis the Menace and Gnasher]]