downthetubes Italian partner, the Fumettomania Factory Association, who are enthusiasts of British comics and have supported work of organisations here in the UK, recently launched one of their “Special Projects”, a series of articles devoted to Eagle comic star Dan Dare.
In the latest article, available in Italian and English, reproduced in the latter here with permission here, Daniele Tomasi interviews Alberto Foche, the Spanish artist behind the drawings for Dan Dare – He Who Dares, a story written by Peter Milligan and published by Titan Comics in 2017 as a four-issue miniseries, later reprinted in collection in 2018, as yet unpublished in Italy.
The interview, preceded by a charming self-portrait, is rounded out on the Fumettomania Factory edition by a bibliography of his works, not only in comics but also in Illustration field.
Alberto, whose many credits include Titan Comics, Urban Style Comics and Marvel Comics, very kindly gave permission to publish a rich gallery of preparatory drawings created specifically for his “Dan Dare” assignment, including studies of characters, environments and spaceships, cover sketches and uncoloured inked pages – which allow us to fully appreciate his inking style. The full gallery features on Fumettomania Factory.
“This wonderful gallery of images will delight anyone who enjoys seeing the various stages of an artist’s creative process,” says Daniele Tomasi, co-editor of the Dan Dare Special Project.
The Interview
Alberto Foche Duarte (aka Alberto Foche, born 19th December 1979) is possibly best known to regular downthetubes readers for his work for Marvel, as well as Titan Comics Dan Dare mini series, “He Who Dares”. A two-time winner of the annual Asociación Mutantes Paseantes contest, based in San Roque, Cádiz, and once in the City of Algeciras. In 2002, he received an accésit in the Prix de Comics of the Junta de Andalucía.
Self taught, Alberto, represented by the Radebu: Comic Book Author Agency, saw his first comics work appeared in Wet Cómics, for Malaga-based Spanish publishers Editorial Megamultimedia, in 1996.
Last year, he launched his latest creator-owned project, Deep Space Raiders, through his subscriber-based Patreon channel.
Let’s start with some general information about you: date and place of birth, city where you grew up, hobbies and favorite books as a child and teenager.
I’m Spanish, born in La Línea de la Concepción, a town south of Cádiz, near Gibraltar, in 1979. I remember drawing since I was a child; I always did. I also enjoyed playing soccer with friends, which was a lot of fun. You could say I’m a normal neighbourhood kid, from a working-class family.
I started to notice that I enjoyed drawing comics more than usual, more than my classmates, who also drew, when we were about 10 or 11. At that age, I was passionate about the anime series, Saint Seiya – Knights of the Zodiac. Later, when Katsuhiro Otomo‘s film, Akira, came out in my hometown, it marked a turning point in my outlook on life and drawing, and I realised what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I think both Akira and Dome were readings that left an indelible mark on me, even in the way to narrate certain scenes. Otomo is a fundamental author in my education.
Dan Dare Concepts for “He Who Dares” by Alberto Foche 
Further Dan Dare Concepts for “He Who Dares” by Alberto Foche 
Dan Dare redesigns and spaceship designs by Alberto Foche 
Digby Concepts for “He Who Dares” by Alberto Foche 
Professor Peabody concepts for “He Who Dares” by Alberto Foche 
Mekon concepts for “He Who Dares” by Alberto Foche
Did you attend any schools or courses to learn how to draw comics, or are you self-taught?
Since, in my hometown, there was nothing similar to an art school, nor an high school to prepare me academically, I and many others, who were passionate about comics like me, were forced to be self-taught. We often got together, meeting spontaneously in cafes, where we discussed what we were reading and showed each other the pages we’d created. It was a period of “blind” learning.
Later, thanks to a trip to Barcelona to visit the comics convention El Salón del Cómic de Barcelona, I received an assignment to create comics for an erotic magazine, Wet Cómics, which was my first paid professional job.
What tools and materials do you use to create a comic?
When I started, and for the first few years, I used pencil and ink, always inking with a brush. And when I needed to colour, I used watercolors. Then came the digital age, and for over 20 years I’ve been using digital programs to complete all my processes. It saves a lot of time and allows for more detail in certain phases of creation. I started using Corel Draw and Photoshop, now I use Gimp.
Which artists have influenced you the most?
Some have influenced me, others I’ve simply admired for their incredible talent. I’ve followed and studied Katsuhiro Otomo. Maybe there’s something of him in what I do, but I don’t know. For me, he’s the greatest living talent in the world of comics.
Before Moebius‘s death, perhaps the two would have shared that podium, in my opinion. They are forces of nature, geniuses who emerge from time to time and advance the medium.
Frank Frazetta is another inspiration, not only for his boundless talent, but for his life itself; he is an example of tenacity, willpower, and genius.
On the other hand, when I discovered American superhero comics, I was deeply impressed by the work of Adam Hughes. Studying his drawing style, and especially his inking, helped me improve significantly in that field.
As an artist, do you earn enough to live decently, or do you have to supplement your income with other jobs?
Currently, I dedicate myself exclusively to comic book drawing, but I’ve gone through phases in which I had to reconcile comic book drawing with other types of work, such as that of a graphic designer in design agencies.
On a professional level, how important is a Patreon like yours, which serves as a portfolio?
It’s very important – I’d say fundamental – to have an online presence, whether through a gallery or on social media.
The first contact with publishers now happens through links to your galleries. It’s much easier and faster because they can quickly get a feel for what you do.
In my case, there have been times when they’ve contacted me directly through social media to propose work, sending private messages to engage in conversation. Everything is much simpler than before.
When you worked on Peter Milligan’s Dan Dare miniseries, were you already familiar with the character? What was it like working on that story?
It’s funny, because I knew the character from the comics, but especially from the Spectrum 128k game from the 1980s. When I spoke with my agent and then the editor to do the tests, I always had in mind the shooter game on that old cassette player.
As for working on that project with Peter Milligan on the script and David Leach as editor, it was an honour.
I think the script was already completely written when I arrived, and they were just looking for an artist to bring it to life, so I never had any contact with Peter Milligan; I always spoke with David, or his assistant when he was busy.
I remember doing a lot of concept art in the early stages because they wanted to give a fresh look to the entire Dan Dare universe, and this had to be evident in the ships, suits and uniforms.
Between your first professional assignment at the Salón del Cómic de Barcelona and your assignment for Dan Dare, had you done anything else? And what did you create next?
Before Dan Dare, I had published both comics and role-playing game illustrations. Afterward, I continued working as an illustrator for role-playing games and drew comics for independent publishers in the United States, until I began collaborating with Marvel in 2021. There, I worked on series such as Spider-Man, Midnight Sons, Bishop and Black Panther.
What are you currently working on, and when will it be released?
I’m currently drawing [the first volume of L’Inca blanc] a book for a French publisher, in collaboration with a French writer Serge Perrotin [whose credits include Terra incognita, L’Autre Terre, Sphères and, most recently, Lynx, published by Éditions Paquet – Ed]. It’s a story set in the 17th century, featuring travel, action and characters with incredible lives.
Alberto, thank you for talking with us and good luck with all your projects!
• Follow Alberto Foche on Patreon | Instagram
Head downthetubes for…
• Fumettomania Factory Association’s version of this interview with Alberto Foche in Italian
• More Dan Dare Special Features on the Fumettomania Factory Association site
• downthetubes: Comic Creator Spotlight: Alberto Foche Duarte
• Alberto Foche Duarte: Marvel Comics Portfolio
• Tebesfera: Alberto Foche Profile
Coming Soon: L’Inca blanc (“The White Inca”)
By contract, Alberto is not allowed to talk too much about the forthcoming story L’Inca Blanc (“The White Inca”), or share previews of the work, but Serge Perrotin has teased some sample pages, revealing L’Inca blanc is a three book series, to be published by Soleil, set in both Europe and South America, in the sixteenth century. The story depicts a broken man who finds redemption when he comes to contact with the last descendants of the Inca empire.
“Several books, archetypes of the Picaresque narrative, made me want to write L’Inca Blanc,” Serge said last year. “Among them, Gary Jennings’ novel Aztec, which tells the story of an old Aztec narrating his life in the Inquisition Court, Noah Gordon’s The Physician, and, as for comics, the great Les Indes fourbes, by Alain Ayroles and Juanjo Guarnido.”
• Dan Dare: He Who Dares is available from bookshops and online retailers (AmazonUK Affiliate Link)
Written by Peter Milligan | Art by Alberto Foche
ISBN: 978-1785861475 | 112 Pages
Dan Dare returns in an all new adventure, written by Peter Milligan, in which he faces a sinister new foe sent by a deadly ancient evil that threatens not only all life in the solar system, but the very galaxy itself!
• In Review: Dan Dare – He Who Dares
Review by Andrew Darlington
• Alberto Foche is represented by the Radebu: Comic Book Author Agency
Want to Contribute to the Fumettomani Special Dan Dare Project?
“The next deadline for submitting Dan Dare-themed drawings or new articles is 30th October 2025,” say Mario Benenati and Daniele Tomasi, editors of the Dan Dare Special Project.
“We need this deadline to plan a possible new schedule. It’s understood that you can submit your work whenever you have it ready, and even after that date. We understand that you artists’ work commitments are demanding, so we’re very flexible and understanding.” Contact them here
This Special Project is non-profit and just for informative purposes, as the images used which are © of the rights holders
Dan Dare © Dan Dare Corporation
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as 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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