How would Eagle‘s Dan Dare‘s universe look if the series was re-launched today?
Taking inspiration from the wonderful Project Rooftop, which often challenges artists to re-design well-known US superheroes, and the success of our “Twelfth Doctor Challenge” (unaware at the time that Peter Capaldi is actually the Thirteenth!) we asked comic creators to ‘reboot’ Dan Dare – but we wanted them to give the characters a ‘modern’ feel while staying true to the look of creator Frank Hampson’s original Dan Dare universe.
How might Space Fleet vehicles look in our near future, given advances in technology that could not even be guessed at in the 1950s? How would the principal characters – Dan Dare, Digby, Jocelyn Peabody, Sondar and the Mekon look if a film company was to use Hampson’s team’s designs for a modern ‘reboot’ of the saga?

Dan Dare, as re-imagined by Lucas Bowers. Lucas provided detailed designs for flight suits, the Treens and more.
We asked creators to get their thinking caps on and send us their very best design ideas. They had to use the original Dan Dare universe as their starting point (as designed by Hampson’s original team) but not be a slave to some of the out of date concepts that featured in the early stories.
Most of the designs submitted are now posted in this Flickr album. The entry phase is now complete – now let us know which designs you like best by ‘liking’ your favourites and encouraging others to do the same – or simply comment on this post to express a preference.
Our thanks to the artists who took time out of their busy schedules to take part, including Mo Ali, Lucas Bowers, Hal Laren, Keith Page, Tony Suleri, Smuzz, Jonathan Wyke and more.
The best entry will win a copy of The Dan Dare Space Fleet Operations Manual published by Haynes, and a copy of my 2010 art book, SciFi Art Now.
We’re also hoping to be able to bring you some very exciting Dan Dare related news very soon – but that’s all I can say for now!
Dan Dare © 2013 Dan Dare Corporation
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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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