'Beano' publisher pulps print run over cartoon

The London Daily Telegraph reports that publisher DC Thomson scrapped the entire 200,000-copy press run of the Jan. 8 Beano because a character in a "Ball Boy" story was too similar to Arsenal player Thierry Henry. The character, named Henry Thierry, was French, wore a red jersey and had a shaved head.

Here's Beano editor Euan Kerr:

"In the cold light of day we felt it might cause offence and we did not want to do that so we replaced it. We thought it was safer as we always try not to offend anyone. There were certainly similarities to Thierry Henry. The 200,000 comics never went out of the offices and I think they have been pulped by now."

Thomson printed a new edition using a "Ball Boy" story planned for a future issue.