The latest issue of Eagle Times, the magazine of the Eagle Society offers another smashing selection of features on EAGLE comic.
Of particular note, alongside continuing deep dives into the history of the strips, “Heros the Spartan” and “Jeff Arnold“, from David Britton, is, for me, Bear Alley publisher and archivist Steve Holland‘s fascinating look at the story behind that oddity in Eagle‘s early mix, “Skippy the Kangaroo“.
Not to be confused with the well-known Australian TV show, Steve believes this odd little strip, which ran under L. Ashwell Wood‘s centrespread cutaway drawings, was not as some have assumed, a European reprint, but its first run publication, appearing for the full first year of Eagle, and his investigations offer a deep dive into connections between comics and other media of the period that may have led to its inclusion.
Eagle Times Volume 39 Issue One also pays tribute to the late Alan Vince, who died in December 2025 was undoubtedly a Dan Dare superfan. Steve Winders notes he was the first fan to interview Frank Hampson at length and he became a recognised and reliable authority and archivist on Hampson and the “Dan Dare” strip. His tribute also features on the Eagle Times blog.
Elsewhere, Jim Duckett examines “The Adventure Club” text stories by J. Jefferson Farjeon, which run for 12 episodes in 1952 to 1953; Steve Winters begins an examination of Eagle‘s much criticised centrespread strip about Harold the II, the last Saxon King of England; and in another article, titled “Ordinary People and Familiar Places in Dan Dare“, he examines the role that ordinary people in places play in those stories. This is again the first part of a new series of articles and this item spotlights Digby, Dan’s batman, Professor Peabody, Sir Hubert Guest and others.
But this article isn’t just about the leading characters. It is about the infrequent ones and those who make just single appearances every day people who reveal how the often devastating events of Dan’s adventures impacted on the general public. “So many stories in all media ignore the people in the background”, notes Steve, “focusing only on the principles and missing an opportunity to enrich the story…
“Frank Hampson wasn’t unique in exploring the experiences of the ordinary people, but he was particularly successful in doing so and he was in good company.”
There’s more to savour, too, including the start of a new “Archie Berkeley-Willoughby of Scotland Yard” adventure by Steve Winders (no, we don’t think he sleeps, either), “The Case of the Funny Money”. All in all, an enjoyable start to a new Eagle Times year!
• Membership of The Eagle Society is via Annual Subscription to Eagle Times magazine, which is published four times annually. Please make cheques payable to the ‘Eagle Society’. The current subscription rate is UK £30, Overseas £50 (all payments required in £s Sterling)
Postal applications to: Eagle Society Membership Secretary, Bob Corn, Mayfield Lodge, Llanbadoc, Usk Monmouthshire NP15 1SY | Web: eagle-times.blogspot.com | Enquiries: membership@eagle-society.org.uk
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Head downthetubes for…
• The EAGLE Society is online at eagle-times.blogspot.com
- About the Author
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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.
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