Everyone knows Dennis the Menace, the rambunctious, slingshot-wielding troublemaker with a canine sidekick who is a constant source of chaos throughout his neighborhood. However, depending on where fans grew up, a different Menace may spring to mind. There are indeed two Dennis the Menaces that both fit that uncannily specific description, both of whom have starred in comics and comic strips for more than 70 years now, and things only get weirder from there.
North American audiences are likely familiar with the blonde-haired, freckled, overalls-and-stripe-shirt-wearing scamp. The bane of his neighbor Mr. Wilson's existence, Dennis and his stalwart dog Ruff have been a mainstay of newspaper comic strips for more than seven decades now. European fans, however, particularly those in the UK, would probably think of a different character upon hearing the Menace moniker. The Euro version is a dark-haired, (also) stripe shirt-wearing, skateboard-riding hooligan who, similarly to his US counterpart, is almost always accompanied by his loyal dog Gnasher. And while it's curious that two characters sharing the same name also share many of the same and characteristics, things get even stranger when considering they were both conceived entirely independently of one another by creators separated by the Atlantic Ocean. However, things get downright insane when considering the fact that both characters debuted on the exact same day. Seriously.
On March 12, 1951, cartoonist Hank Ketcham's first Dennis the Menace comic strip hit American newspaper stands, introducing the world to a pop culture icon that has lasted decades. But that very same day, in a case of cosmic synchronicity, issue #452 of the British comic The Beano saw a new character by the same name premiered courtesy of cartoonist David Law. Two Dennis the Menaces were both debuted, totally independently of one another, on two different continents, from two different creators, almost simultaneously.
By all accounts, neither artist knew of the other or their work, and considering the fact that no lawsuits were filed, each one was content to let the other continue the adventures of their respective Menaces while continuing work on their own stories. Despite all the similarities in the core aspects of the characters, Ketchum's Dennis was more of an affable well-meaning kid, while Law's is probably more akin to a Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes) type troublemaker. But still, the similarities were striking enough that when 1993' Dennis the Menace movie was released, it was simply titled Dennis in the UK to avoid confusion (and probably infringement lawsuits).
The final insane cherry on top of this sundae of madness is the fact that, while most casual audience members are likely more familiar with the US version, due to the difference in time zones, the UK Dennis the Menace would have been available a few hours earlier, making him the original version. So, in the end, neither character was a ripoff of the other and both are still in publication to this day. But still, the strange case of Dennis the Menace is almost too bizarre for even the funny pages.