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| Wally | |
| Character Information | |
| Debut: | Where's Wally? (1987) |
| Species: | human |
| Gender: | Male |
| Items: | key, walking stick, kettle, mallet, cup, backpack, sleeping bag, binoculars, camera, snorkel, belt, bag, shovel, books |
| Family: | Woof (pet) Mamma Waldini (mother) caveman (ancestor) |
| Home: | Wally's house The Land of Wally's |
| Aliases: | Walter, Holger, Willy, Charlie, Waldo |
| Birthday: | {{{birthday}}} |
Wally is the star of the "Where's Wally" series. The character is known for his distinct wardrobe of a red and white striped shirt, blue jeans, brown boots, red and white striped socks, glasses, and his red and white bobbled hat. He has traveled all over the world, through time, and to distant magical lands.
Wally isn't the only one like him; he comes from the Land of Wally, which is a land filled with Wally just like him. Wally is always ready for an adventure with his walking stick in hand, and trusty dog Woof by his side. His favorite hobbies are reading and collecting things from his many travels.
The character's age is unknown, but the creator had said if he did have an age, he'd be 32. His height is described as "tallish" and weight as "lightish". Waldo has a happy-go-lucky attitude and is often seen with a smile on his face.
Waldo first appeared in 1987 in the book Where's Wally?. Over the years Waldo's appearance changed only slightly (see below).
Creating Wally
The Evolution of Waldo
When Martin Handford was asked to create a book showcasing his artistic talent, the character Wally was born to provide a link between each scene. The feeling was that a book full of crowd scenes would have no central theme, but adding a wacky character for the reader to look for adds a purpose to each page. "That's who Wally is -- an afterthought," Handford said, "[but] as it turns out, the fans were more interested in the character than in the crowd scenes."