The Broons and Oor Wullie mark 90th anniversary with pop-up exhibitions

Exhibitions celebrating the 90th anniversary of The Broons and Oor Wullie are taking place this weekend.

The National Library of Scotland has teamed up with DC Thomson to bring “braw times” to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.

There will be pop-up displays showcasing rare items from the national collections, as well as special costumed guests, giveaways and fun activities suitable for all ages.

The strip cartoon icons have been a household name for generations.

For Sheila Mackay, The Broons and Oor Wullie have been part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Sheila Mackay is an avid collector STV News

She told STV News: “As a child, my mother used to buy them every year, every Christmas, and it started in 1963 when I was born. She started to buy us the books until I was old enough to read, so I started to read them, and obviously I enjoyed them.

“And as I got older, I wanted to collect the older versions. I’ve got about three to go to get the entire collection of the annuals.”

She visited the first exhibition in Edinburgh’s National Library of Scotland on Friday.

Many Scots have fond memories of unwrapping The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals at Christmas, but what is it that’s helped the comics remain so relevant for nearly a century?

National Library of Scotland’s head of published collections, Graeme Hawley, said: “People are dead excited about it. Over the last 90 years, it’s passed down through generations.”

DC Thomson assistant archivist Barry Sullivan added: “I think good storytelling and fun never go out of fashion, and certainly the storytelling itself and the art were strong enough.

“But the masterstroke was the Scots language. It’s uniquely Scottish, unashamedly Scottish, and it’s one of these things that people love.”

Rob, from England, came with his son Colin.

The Broons and Oor Wulie first appeared in the Sunday Post newspaper in 1936 STV News

He said: “It was lovely seeing how much it means to people and how something that’s so old is still so popular today.

“It’s such a nice little introduction to a different style of language and a different way of looking at culture.”

At 90, Norma Harley was born the same year as Oor Wullie. She would read the comics every week when her parents bought the Sunday papers growing up.

“Well, he was just a lovable boy, really. He was always getting into trouble.

“You got the Sunday papers and you got that bit out of it and read it. It was just part of your life then.”

Alison, who visited the exhibition with her daughter Connie, said the comics had helped encourage her to read more.

“She and her sister will sit in the corner and read for a long time in silence,” she added. “They love them.”

The Broons first appeared on March 8, 1936 in The Fun Section of The Sunday Post. Oor Wullie debuted the same week.

In 1939, DC Thomson gathered the comic strips into an album, creating the first annual. The first Broons annual was published in 1939, followed by the first Oor Wullie annual in 1940.

The annuals have alternated publication ever since, except for a two-year break during the Second World War due to paper rationing.

The Broons and Oor Wullie 'loved for generations' — The Broons and Oor Wullie ‘loved for generations’ STV News

Among the highlights on display are the very first appearances of Oor Wullie and The Broons in The Sunday Post. Visitors of all ages have enjoyed seeing how the characters and artwork have subtly evolved over the decades.

Both first annuals will be on display at all events, alongside a reel of comic strips from the past 90 years charting how famous characters – from Paw Broon to Wee Eck – have changed over time.

Thomas Hawkins, editor of The Sunday Post, added: “Very few fictional characters have lived as vividly in Scotland’s imagination as Oor Wullie and The Broons.

“From boosting morale during the Second World War to putting a smile on readers’ faces during the Covid pandemic, Oor Wullie and The Broons have been a reassuring constant in a world in flux.

“We’re delighted to be working with the National Library of Scotland to showcase the remarkable history and origins of Scotland’s favourite ‘schoolboy’ and best-loved family.

“Whether you’ve grown up reading the annuals or are discovering them for the first time, we hope families will enjoy celebrating this special anniversary with us.”

The pop-up exhibitions are also taking place in Glasgow’s National Library of Scotland at Kelvin Hall on Saturday, July 25 and DC Thomson headquarters in Dundee on Sunday, July 26.