Biffa Bacon
Encyclopedia
Biffa Bacon is a cartoon character
in the British
comic magazine
Viz.
and Fatha
(real names Vermintrude and Basha Bacon) —hail from the Tyneside
region of North East England
and speak in the Geordie
dialect. The strip focuses on their surreal world entirely governed by physical violence where Biffa is constantly subjected to abuse
by his parents - even being kicked in the groin by both of them. Biffa appears to be a visual parody of the character Bully Beef
from The Dandy
although, unlike Bully Beef, Biffa is much more commonly a victim rather than a perpetrator of violence. His mother, even more rough-looking and masculine than his already tough father, bears a striking resemblance to Desperate Dan
, a character from the same comic, including the pronounced stubble. The characters were allegedly inspired by a real family observed by Viz editor Chris Donald
in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne city centre, where the son began an unprovoked assault on another boy; the parents, rather than intervening, began shouting encouragement to their child. As soon as it appeared the victim of the assault was able to defend himself the father joined in the attack that only ceased when police
officers intervened.
Conflict within the strip is usually between:
Generally speaking, the plot of a strip includes a flimsy pretext for Biffa to be violently attacked, and then, just when a reconciliation is in order, the reconciliation emerges as just another flimsy pretext for a violent attack. Often the violence is surreal or impossible – Mutha Bacon's foot flying out of a small handbag to kick Biffa in the teeth, after which she somehow climbs out of the handbag. In the earlier editions of Viz, Biffa's violence was directed against the weedy Cedric Soft, (a parody of Dennis The Menace
's rivalry with Walter The Softy
in The Beano
) but over the years the focus has changed and now the strip almost exclusively focuses on Biffa's abuse at the hands of his parents. However, Biffa's parents have received their comeuppance on a few occasions by receiving - well-deserved - beatings by people tougher and even more psychotic than them: one memorable pasting being had from an irate Gordon Ramsay
. In early 2010, whilst paintballing, Mutha and Fatha made the mistake of - un- beknowingly - picking a fight with a group of Royal Marines on leave from Afghanistan. In early 2007, however, Cedric and his family had their own one-off strip, which the Bacons naturally stepped in to ruin.
Some characters who have extended the Bacon family have appeared and only existed for one strip and then never mentioned again. These include Biffa gaining a new baby brother Basha, and owning a dog called Knacka (a pun of Dennis The Menace
's dog Gnasher and the slang word knacker
). Biffa's uncle Dekka (decking being a term for knocking someone to the floor) has also appeared in a few strips, as has Biffa's grandfather (on his fathers side) who is bald and, like Dekka, wears a Bay City Rollers
vest. Though not of a violent nature, Biffa's grandma has appeared many times. She is "as soft as shite" according to Biffa as she is often forced to give money.
Nevertheless, Biffa and his parents invariably band together to assault against any outsiders who appear in the strip and, as with all Viz cartoons, much of the humour comes from putting the characters against the setting of "ordinary" people. On one occasion, however, the strip (which showed the Bacons going on holiday) ended with all-out war between the Bacons and the McBashers (the Glaswegian equivalent of the Bacons, who refer to them as "soft Geordie
bastards").
The characters and plotlines also bear some resemblance to The Jocks and the Geordies
, another historical comic strip in The Dandy
comic.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic magazine
Comic magazine
Comic magazine may refer to:*A periodical containing comic strips, in the UK referred to as comic.*In the U.S., more commonly referred to as a comic book.*In Japan comic magazines are called manga.*See also Franco-Belgian comics magazines....
Viz.
Overview
Biffa (shortened from Bifferidge) and his family—MuthaMother
A mother, mum, mom, momma, or mama is a woman who has raised a child, given birth to a child, and/or supplied the ovum that grew into a child. Because of the complexity and differences of a mother's social, cultural, and religious definitions and roles, it is challenging to specify a universally...
and Fatha
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
(real names Vermintrude and Basha Bacon) —hail from the Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
region of North East England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and speak in the Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
dialect. The strip focuses on their surreal world entirely governed by physical violence where Biffa is constantly subjected to abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
by his parents - even being kicked in the groin by both of them. Biffa appears to be a visual parody of the character Bully Beef
Bully Beef and Chips
Bully Beef and Chips were fictional characters who had their own strip in the UK comic The Dandy. It started in the 1960s and originally continued until 1997. The strip told the story of two warring boys - a tall, ugly thug called Bully Beef and a softer, more cunning lad called Chips...
from The Dandy
The Dandy
The Dandy is a long running children's comic published in the United Kingdom by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. The first issue was printed in 1937 and it is the world's third longest running comic, after Detective Comics and Il Giornalino...
although, unlike Bully Beef, Biffa is much more commonly a victim rather than a perpetrator of violence. His mother, even more rough-looking and masculine than his already tough father, bears a striking resemblance to Desperate Dan
Desperate Dan
Desperate Dan is a wild west character in the British comic The Dandy. He first appeared in its first issue, dated 4 December 1937. He is apparently the world's strongest man, able to lift a cow with one hand. Even his beard is so tough he has to shave with a blowtorch.-History:The strip was...
, a character from the same comic, including the pronounced stubble. The characters were allegedly inspired by a real family observed by Viz editor Chris Donald
Chris Donald
Chris Donald is the founder of, and one of the principal contributors to, the British comic magazine Viz...
in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne city centre, where the son began an unprovoked assault on another boy; the parents, rather than intervening, began shouting encouragement to their child. As soon as it appeared the victim of the assault was able to defend himself the father joined in the attack that only ceased when police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
officers intervened.
Conflict within the strip is usually between:
- Mutha and Fatha vs Biffa. (This is the most common kind of fight: Mutha and Fatha always win, though they sometimes claim that Biffa won in order to justify some other act of meanness on their part.)
- Some or all of the Bacons vs anyone else. (The Bacons usually win.)
- Mutha vs Fatha and Biffa. (This is quite rare. Mutha always wins.)
Generally speaking, the plot of a strip includes a flimsy pretext for Biffa to be violently attacked, and then, just when a reconciliation is in order, the reconciliation emerges as just another flimsy pretext for a violent attack. Often the violence is surreal or impossible – Mutha Bacon's foot flying out of a small handbag to kick Biffa in the teeth, after which she somehow climbs out of the handbag. In the earlier editions of Viz, Biffa's violence was directed against the weedy Cedric Soft, (a parody of Dennis The Menace
Dennis the Menace (UK)
Dennis the Menace, later called Dennis the Menace and Gnasher and now Dennis and Gnasher, is a long-running comic strip in the British children's comic The Beano, published by D. C...
's rivalry with Walter The Softy
Walter The Softy
Walter the Softy, or Softy Walter as he is sometimes called, is the fictional antagonist of Dennis the Menace in the British children's comic The Beano. He made his first appearance in the Beano in 1953. He is a prime target of Dennis and his friends...
in The Beano
The Beano
The Beano is a British children's comic, published by D.C. Thomson & Co and is arguably their most successful.The comic first appeared on 30 July 1938, and was published weekly. During the Second World War,The Beano and The Dandy were published on alternating weeks because of paper and ink...
) but over the years the focus has changed and now the strip almost exclusively focuses on Biffa's abuse at the hands of his parents. However, Biffa's parents have received their comeuppance on a few occasions by receiving - well-deserved - beatings by people tougher and even more psychotic than them: one memorable pasting being had from an irate Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
. In early 2010, whilst paintballing, Mutha and Fatha made the mistake of - un- beknowingly - picking a fight with a group of Royal Marines on leave from Afghanistan. In early 2007, however, Cedric and his family had their own one-off strip, which the Bacons naturally stepped in to ruin.
Some characters who have extended the Bacon family have appeared and only existed for one strip and then never mentioned again. These include Biffa gaining a new baby brother Basha, and owning a dog called Knacka (a pun of Dennis The Menace
Dennis the Menace (UK)
Dennis the Menace, later called Dennis the Menace and Gnasher and now Dennis and Gnasher, is a long-running comic strip in the British children's comic The Beano, published by D. C...
's dog Gnasher and the slang word knacker
Knacker
A knacker is a person in the trade of rendering animals that are unfit for human consumption, such as horses that can no longer work. This leads to the slang expression "knackered" meaning very tired, or "ready for the knacker’s yard", where old horses are slaughtered and made into dog food and glue...
). Biffa's uncle Dekka (decking being a term for knocking someone to the floor) has also appeared in a few strips, as has Biffa's grandfather (on his fathers side) who is bald and, like Dekka, wears a Bay City Rollers
Bay City Rollers
The Bay City Rollers were a Scottish pop band who were most popular in the 1970s. The British Hit Singles & Albums noted that they were "tartan teen sensations from Edinburgh", and were "the first of many acts heralded as the 'Biggest Group since The Beatles' and one of the most screamed-at...
vest. Though not of a violent nature, Biffa's grandma has appeared many times. She is "as soft as shite" according to Biffa as she is often forced to give money.
Nevertheless, Biffa and his parents invariably band together to assault against any outsiders who appear in the strip and, as with all Viz cartoons, much of the humour comes from putting the characters against the setting of "ordinary" people. On one occasion, however, the strip (which showed the Bacons going on holiday) ended with all-out war between the Bacons and the McBashers (the Glaswegian equivalent of the Bacons, who refer to them as "soft Geordie
Geordie
Geordie is a regional nickname for a person from the Tyneside region of the north east of England, or the name of the English-language dialect spoken by its inhabitants...
bastards").
The characters and plotlines also bear some resemblance to The Jocks and the Geordies
The Jocks and the Geordies
The Jocks and the Geordies were fictional characters who had their own comic strip in The Dandy comic. It ran from 1975 until the early 1990s....
, another historical comic strip in The Dandy
The Dandy
The Dandy is a long running children's comic published in the United Kingdom by D. C. Thomson & Co. Ltd. The first issue was printed in 1937 and it is the world's third longest running comic, after Detective Comics and Il Giornalino...
comic.