As regular downthetubes readers know, I recently suggested it was perhaps time the 1980s Dan Dare stories, published in “New Eagle” were collected. Well, there’s a bit of good news on that front – but it requires some patience.
Responding to our suggestion for a polite write-in campaign – thank you to everyone who contacted Titan – I’ve now been told the publisher’s management have previously expressed a strong desire to reprint all the Dan Dare stories published professionally, on both the original Eagle and beyond, at some point.
With the publication of The Evil One next month (24th September), that leaves just 11 Dan Dare stories from the original Eagle to reprint – which I’d suggest will span perhaps three or four collections, although the format of of later stories in the original Eagle does vary.
One story, “Operation Time Trap” runs for some 84 pages for example, while others, such as “Operation Dark Star” run for much less. Some strips were also published as double page spreads – the bane of any comics collection editor – and some in a mix of colour and black and white, which isn’t going to make putting some these final original Eagle collections together easy…
Long term though, we are hopefully on course to see the 1980s Eagle in print in perhaps three years time, at the current rate of publication from Titan. That may seem like an age, and as we also noted, there are some rights issues over the first New Eagle story. “Return of the Mekon“, but we’ve waited this long…
(Of course, with Dan Dare’s 70th Anniversary next year, perhaps Titan Comics may yet be considering increasing its collection output… perhaps editor David Leach will be able to reveal more at this year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival, where he is one of many of the event’s guests…)
Meanwhile, why not enjoy a smashing gallery of New Eagle Dan Dare covers and more, courtesy of the brilliant The Vintage Toy Advertiser web site? Founded in 2010, this wonderful site’s mission is to digitally showcase as much vintage advertising as it can get its ink-stained fingers on: from toys, to film, to music, to comics, video games, fashion, food, drink, household goods, and much more.
TVTA began life in 2010 as a French blog documenting French toy adverts. In 2011, the site moved to its current home and expanded to include international adverts, catalogues and posters that went beyond toys. Today the site is an ad-free, non-revenue platform aiming to serve as an excellent digital archive and resource.
• Check out The Vintage Toy Advertiser’s 1980s Eagle Checklist here
• Check out our Dan Dare Profile Page here
• Dan Dare books on Amazon UK (Affiliate Link)
Dan Dare copyright the Dan Dare Corporation
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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