11 FEBRUARY 1989, Page 33

Curiously unaware

Sir: Poor old Paul Johnson (The media, 21 January) misses the point about Viz, the adult' comic. It is satire. In fact, all the cartoon strips to which he so painstakingly draws attention are no more than skits subtle and imaginative skits.— on the kind of material one finds in the Beano and the Dandy.

That is why the magazine appeals to People in their twenties, even to a 28-year- old such as myself. Rather than providing evidence of 'moral chaos' it is simply a send-up, something of which Mr Johnson In his avidity to attack 'the cultural progeny of the permissive society' seems curiously unaware.

D. J. Taylor

105 Bishop's Mansions. Bishop's Park Road, London SW6