Dan Dare, Insurance Man?

By John Freeman on 28 May 2026

What if Dan Dare hadn’t rocketed into space exploration, but into selling insurance? Well, apparently, many years ago, he did just that, sort of… Ace artist Ant Williams, aided by equally ace artist colourist Alan Craddock (Shurely, Space Aces? – Ed) were hired to create an internal comic strip for an insurance company.

The identity of the insurance company – and whether Dan Dare was really the star of this custom comic – remain a secret, but what fun pages… and a reminder of times when comics were regularly used as promotional items for things other than – well, comics.

Even DC’s Adam Strange gets a nod on one page!

“We were living the rock and roll lifestyle back then,” Marvel artist Ant quips.

Space Insurance Man by Ant Williams and Alan Craddock

You can explore other worlds Ant Williams has helped create over on his official website at antwilliamsartist.com – and follow Alan Craddock, whose work includes art for Disney, Doctor Who and Marvel, on Instagram

About the Author
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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.