Les Pretend

Beano strip
strip_name=Les Pretend


caption=
artist=Laura Howell
start_issue=2493
start_date=28 April 1990
finish=Ongoing as reprints
characters=Les Pretend, Des Pretend, Mrs. Pretend

Lesley Presley Pretend is a fictional character in a comic strip (Les Pretend) in the UK comic "The Beano". Originally drawn by John Sherwood, he first appeared in issue 2493, dated 28 April 1990. In each issue, Les pretends to be something and dresses up like it, beginning with a martian in his debut appearance. His dad is called Des (and is thus one of the few Beano parents to be given a name rather than 'mum' or 'dad'), an Elvis Presley fan and impersonator, hence Les' middle name of Presley.

Sherwood continued to draw the strip until his death in late 2003. The strip then disappeared from "The Beano" for a short while, as it was originally planned to retire the character. Eventually, though, it returned to the comic drawn by Trevor Metcalfe, who drew it until 2006. The strip again returned a year later, this time drawn by Laura Howell. This was a one off, and showed Les beating a real Dalek in a Dalek fancy dress competition. [http://itsamouse.com/gas/LauraHowell/images/beano_lesdalek.gif] A Johnny Bean strip by the same artist followed this up with everyone dressed as peas in another fancy dress competition. Les Pretend is still in the Beano drawn by John Sherwood (reprints from the 90's.

The name Les Pretend is likely to be a reference to a popular children's TV programme that existed at the time of the Character's inception: Let's Pretend