B7 Comics has teamed up with bestselling author and screenwriter Alex de Campi (Rogue Trooper: Ghost Patrol and Duncan Jones’ Madi: Once Upon A Time in the Future) and Marc Laming (James Bond, Eden, Endeavour) for a three-book reimagining of the classic British adventure strip Dan Dare, with the full approval of the rights holders The Dan Dare Corporation.
“A dying planet, a desperate mission – and a first contact that may spell the end of human life as we know it…” sets the scene for these all-new Dan Dare comic book adventures.
A crowdfunding campaign for Book One, “First Contact”, will officially launch on 1st February 2026 and, if successful, Dan Dare: First Contact will be published in Q4 2027. The script for Book One has already been written, and Marc is itching for take-off – and, in fact, has already drawn some early concept art!
Stay tuned as B7 Comics – publishers of Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies and the graphic novel, Hancock: The Lad Himself – count down to project launch, as they will be posting the first eight fully lettered and coloured pages of the book on the Kickstarter campaign page.
Dan Dare: First Contact is being planned as a 112-page, graphic novel which will be offered as an eBook, paperback, hardback and premium Kickstarter-exclusive hardback edition.
“Alex and I are huge fans of Dan Dare from Frank Hampson and Frank Bellamy’s original stories of the 1950s and 60s, through to 2000AD’s more anarchic take on the character in late 70s. We are both extremely excited to bring Colonel Dare to a new audience,” says Marc Laming.
“I think our tale has something for fans of the original Eagle stories and for lovers of modern sci fi action of the screen and books.”
Writer Alex de Campi adds; “It’s truly been an honour to be given the opportunity to bring Dan Dare to a whole new generation, making the story feel exciting and modern without losing any of the charm and wonder that has kept it a beloved classic for so long.
“Also, Marc is such a gifted artist (and a great guy!), I couldn’t ask for a better creative partner to bring this story to life.”
Colin Frewin, CEO of the Dan Dare Corporation says: “The thrilling creative combination of Alex de Campi, Marc Laming and Dan Dare – Pilot of the Future, brings together a completely new and exciting dimension to one of the worlds legendary comic characters. Dan Dare is set for a dynamic new adventure never seen before – so hold on tight!”
B7 Comics are the publishers of the graphic novel Hancock: The Lad Himself, Mr Jones’s Smoking Bones and the scifi thriller, Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies. The publishing imprint of UK indie B7 Media, well known for its genre output including such well-known sci-fi brands as Blake’s 7, The Martian Chronicles and I Robot. B7 were producers of the critically acclaimed Dan Dare audio reboot (2017).
“Alex de Campi and Marc Laming’s take on Dan Dare immediately feels fresh and exciting, at times terrifying, offering a very different sort of space opera that is a race against time to keep our planet alive, but crucially still retains the feeling of hope and wonder that is the heart of any Dan Dare adventure” says B7 Comics publisher Andrew Mark Sewell.
Sewell goes on to say; “Dan Dare is the exemplary British adventure hero. Like his aviator predecessor Biggles, he represents the best of British qualities: courage, determination, stoicism and a wry sense of humour. Alex and Marc and the B7 Comics’ team have ambitious plans for future stories for Dare and his friends.”
• Dan Dare: First Contact is illustrated by Marc Laming and written by Alex de Campi, published by B7 Comics. Dan Dare: First Contact is a circa 112-page, slightly oversized graphic novel which will be offered as an eBook, paperback, and premium Kickstarter-exclusive hardback edition.
Meet the Team…
Alex de Campi is a bestselling author and screenwriter with a strong pedigree in classic sci-fi adventure. She teamed up with Duncan Jones to create the Image Comics graphic novel Madi; recently completed the graphic novel length Rogue Trooper: Ghost Patrol with artist Neil Edwards in 2000AD, where she writes regularly (and where she also wrote the fan favourite space adventure, Full Tilt Boogie, recently released as a complete collection by Rebellion).
She has written on both Blade Runner: Black Lotus with Shinichiro Watanabe and on their recent HBO animated series Scavengers Reign, where she was a creative consultant. She is known for her strong character writing and pacey, suspenseful adventure stories (you should also check out her Image Comics graphic novels Bad Karma and Dracula, Motherf**ker!). Her favourite sci-fi novelist is Stanisław Lem.
Marc Laming is a comic book artist and illustrator living in the United Kingdom, best known for his work on Marvel Comic’s Star Wars comics. He is currently working for DSTLRY on the taught thriller Endeavour, and is also developing several new creator-owned books with a murder’s row of comic writers. His work, which includes Star Wars, Endeavour, Eden, Planet Hulk and James Bond, has been published by Les Humanoïdes Associés, Marvel, DC/Vertigo, Fleetway, Valiant, Ubisoft, IDW, Dark Horse, Image Comics, Dynamite and Boom!
B7 Comics is the publishing division from indie film and audio drama producer B7 Media, offering new comics spanning SF, mystery and adventure. Under the B7 Comics imprint, titles include sci-fi thriller Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies,written by John Freeman (Doctor Who) with art by Neil Edwards (Fantastic Four); and Keith Page and Stephen Walsh’s acclaimed graphic novel Hancock: The Lad Himself, charting the rise and fall of legendary comic Tony Hancock. Blending classic comic storytelling with a modern style and also looking to spotlight comic gems from around the globe both past and present, B7 Comics will offer a range of series spanning science fiction, action-adventure, spy-fi, steampunk, fantasy and gothic horror.
The Dan Dare Corporation owns the global rights including Film, Television, Radio, Publishing and Merchandising to the Eagle Comic and ten associated strips including Dan Dare – Pilot of the Future. The Eagle Intellectual Property is a stunning collection of Guardian Characters and Crusader Storylines. When the Eagle was launched in 1952, it set a remarkable comic book publishing record selling nearly one million copies in its first week, thrilling a huge new young audience and the legacy now continues right across different multimedia platforms.
DDC produced the 26-part hit CGI TV series Dan Dare – Pilot of the Future in LA with music by Elton John and was distributed to over 130 countries by Columbia TriStar in LA. This was followed by the highly successful exhibition ‘Dan Dare and the Birth of High Tech Britain’ at the Science Museum in London, visited by over one million people. DDC has produced over 60 publications in multi languages, together with new comic novels for Rebellion, Virgin Comics and Titan Books.
The Dan Dare Corporation develops, exploits, and protects the Intellectual Property rights on a worldwide basis and through its operating divisions the Dan Dare Corporation provides expertise in television, movie, radio, publishing and Merchandising.
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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.
Categories: British Comics, British Comics - Current British Publishers, Comics, Crowd Funding Projects, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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