Solution to Cover Stories by Phylax

 Cover Stories by Phylax - SOLUTION

The answers which much be replaced are CAT (→KORKY), DESPERATE (→DAN), BEAR (→BIFFO), MINX (→MINNIE), OSTRICH (→BIG EGGO) and MENACE (→DENNIS). These all suggest strips that have appeared on the cover of The Beano or The Dandy.

The entry KORKY must then be changed to DANDY, and BIFFO to BEANO, the comics in which they appeared.

Finally, the entry WARBLES must be changed to either CUDDLES or DIMPLES, this pair of twins having featured on the cover of Dandy between 1999 and 2000.

With DIMPLES being an alternative for CUDDLES at 10d.

Explanations

Across: 5 (S MATE) after O, 13 (penit)ENTIA(ry), 14 S(chefller) PALE, 15 ((g)ET ON) + I (gig)AN(tic), 16 S + HAS around RE, 17 CA(ugh)T, 18 INT(r)O, 19 DIES E(lmswel)L, 20 A NO(b)LES, 21 (SLOO(p) RED)*, 23 CE IN DENT produces DECENT, 24 B in RE(v)EL, 27 SPEED* + RATE, 28 (SO< + SO) after M(asseur), 29 SPICE around A, 30 DOG SHIP, 34 (LATE EG)*, 35 ROD + E(ating) N(ative) T(rees), 37 (he)WING, 38 B(each w)EAR, 40 LINING*, 41 GEN< + A TED, 42 (ARMLEG - (veno)M)*; ref drink, 43 FREE around R, 44 ROE (a)STI.

 

Down: 1 SEE K, 2 LINE< around TO, 3 TO in (S RED), 4 S(hr)INKS, 6 NAIL in S(ainsbury')S, 7 MIN(i) X, 8 A B STAIN, 9 EP A + (SO DON)<, 10 ((R)hythm B(lues)) in WALES, 11 EVENS after (E L), 12 PROTESTS*, 21 (h)ORSE ILL E, 22 REPINER with CL replacing P, 25 ((LAX APE)< around I), 26 (C in SHIRT*) after O, 27 DE TIN + EU<, 30 MACE around EN, 31 ORG(y) EAT, 32 (EFT in HE) + (pon)D, 33 INF(ring)ERS, 36 AID< + R(att)Y; ref Adrian Mole, 39 (r)O(a)D(i)E(s) A(t).