An exhibition of cartoons which shines a spotlight on the funny side of flying, is being hosted at a museum in Shropshire. Flights of Fancy is a free exhibition at the RAF Museum Cosford which runs until September 24.

It has been produced by members of the Professional Cartoonists’ Association (PCO) and the exhibits formed part of the annual Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival which, this year, was held in April. The exhibition adopts a different theme each year for cartoonists to interpret using a variety of styles, media and humour. This year’s theme was flight.

Flights of Fancy features nearly 80 new cartoons based on the theme of flying, including originals and signed prints, with contributions from more than 40 professional cartoon artists and caricaturists from the UK and abroad. It also includes a series of 6ft panels that were drawn live in front of an audience during the festival.

A spokesman for the RAF Museum Cosford said: "The theme for the 2012 festival was 'flight' and we are delighted to be able to showcase these wonderful illustrations to our visitors. Subjects range from Star Trek, space and aviation to Superman, Leonardo da Vinci, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, balloons and even flying pigs."

The festival also offered visitors the chance to watch artists at work, with 20 of them creating giant cartoons in The Square during the Cartoonists Live weekend, while others created caricatures and ran cartoon workshops for all ages.

RAF Museum Cosford got involved during the festival weekend, erecting a stall in The Square in Shrewsbury to raise awareness of the work of the museum. Assistant Curator Clare Carr said: "The diversity of cartoons within this exhibition shows how imaginative the cartoon artists’ minds are. It’s fascinating to view the cartoons, which are works of art in themselves as well as being humorous and topical. We have received nothing but positive feedback relating to Flights of Fancy, and some people have enjoyed the exhibition so much they have purchased their favourite cartoons to appreciate at home when the exhibition has ended. The variety of cartoons means the display appeals to a wide audience, with some having adult themes and others children will be delighted by."

There are cartoons in various styles, including pen and ink and watercolour, and prices range from £35 to nearly £400.

The Flights of Fancy cartoon exhibition is on display at RAF Museum Cosford until September 24, and is already proving a hit with visitors.

The museum is open daily from 10am until 6pm, with last admission at 5pm.

It seems that quite a few people have tweeted DC Thomson, publishers of The Dandy, about the future of the comic. The publisher's full response is posted below:

A lot of people have tweeted us regarding news reports surrounding the future of The Dandy.

DC Thomson is continuing to develop its magazines operation and portfolio to create an efficient business model that will build on the strength of our existing brands and products. There are many challenges within the industry at present, but we’re excited that the digital revolution has also given us an opportunity to innovate and develop.

We’re celebrating the fact that The Dandy has been in print for 75 years and are doing a lot of planning to ensure that our brands and characters can live on in other platforms for future generations to enjoy.

We will release a special edition of The Dandy to mark its 75th anniversary on December 4th, 2012. This issue will be the last printed and will include a reprint of issue No 1. There’s still a healthy appetite for The Dandy so we’re making it relevant for a new generation.

There are exciting plans in the pipeline to take the title in a different direction and ensure that the next 75 years are just as popular.

We’re counting down 110 days until the 75th anniversary bash and working on some tremendously exciting things for The Dandy's future. What comes online then will set the tone for the future. We’re excited that the digital revolution has given us an opportunity to innovate and develop and we’re confident that future generations will continue to enjoy The Dandy.

Breaking News:

Company bosses at DC Thomson were livid when news of The Dandy’s imminent demise leaked to the outside world and have "locked down" their operation in order to prevent further security lapses.

The company's Chief Executive, Ellis Watson, said: "Now that the cat is out of the bag, I can confirm that this will be our last print edition. I’ve closed loopholes to ensure much tighter internal security, and the website, www.dandy.com, has been taken offline to prevent people trying to hack into it to discover our plans".

The closure of the comic follows a long-term decline in circulation. Sales stand at about 8,000 copies a week, down from more than 2million during the Dandy’s heyday in the 1950s.

However, cartoon strips will continue in an online-only version of the comic while the Dundee-based publisher continues with a review of its portfolio because of 'challenges' in the industry.

The Dandy, which launched in 1937, has featured characters such as Bananaman, Korky the Cat, and Cuddles and Dimples.