Chorion Secure Rights to Dan Dare

By John Freeman on 8 July 2009

(Updated 14 July 2009): Media trade magazine Broadcast is reporting that the company Chorion has secured international licensing rights for “classic” Dan Dare, as featured in the original Eagle comic, offering the character for “a broad range of licensing applications.”

All merchandising will be handled by the Copyrights Group Limited, a Chorion company. However, book rights for Dan Dare – and also for all the Eagle properties owned by Dan Dare Corporation – are handled by Gordon Wise at the British literary and talent agency, Curtis Brown Group Ltd.

Among its many properties, Chorion controls the rights to the estates of authors such as Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler and Dennis Wheatley. Its portfolio includes Noddy, the Mr. Men, Paddington and The Wombles. They also hold rights to the Ladybird Archive and more.

“Chorion will work to boost the popularity of the classic character through licensing deals,” Broadcast reports. “Agreements have already been secured with Simon Spicer for greeting cards and wrap, Somerbond for apparel, Day 2 Day Trading for figurines, and Russimco, who will be launching a master toy range in early 2010.”

“The unique heritage artwork of Dan Dare created by Frank Hampson and a team of young highly talented artists is simply breathtaking in quality, with vivid colours and precise detail,” say Chorion.Chorion’s Dan Dare web page, which is now live (no direct link) is careful to promote the original Dan Dare and the work of Frank Hampson in his creation.

With over 100 years’ experience, Curtis Brown, which is handling Dan Dare book rights, is one of Europe’s oldest and largest independent literary and talent agencies, representing many of the world’s most popular and successful authors, screenwriters, directors, actors, playwrights and celebrities, including Brian W. Aldiss, Margaret Atwood, Alan Garner and Ian Rankin.

Mr Wise told downthetubes that the new agreement this is only an arrangement for representation of the brand for merchandise, not any transfer of ownership or anything broader.

All film and other media rights for Eagle-related properties remain with Dan Dare Corporation, which similarly continues to retain ownership of the Eagle itself and strips also acquired by Dan Dare Corporation/Colin Frewin Associates.

• Chorion Web Site: www.chorion.co.uk

• Curtis Brown web site: www.curtisbrown.co.uk.

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John Freeman

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.