Finnish publisher Jalava recently published Avaruuspilotti Dan Dare – Purppurakuolema, which translates, literally, as “Space Pilot Dan Dare – Purple Death”, but is in fact a collection of “The Phantom Fleet”, a story first published in Eagle in 1952.
Jalava has also published collections of the Daily Express newspaper strip, Jeff Hawke, initially in the 1980s, but, recently, in two updated editions, and Modesty Blaise.
The collection, the first Dan Dare collection from Jalava, is something of an unknown quantity, despite the character’s previous Finnish appearances, but the publisher says that if sales merit, a direct sequel will follow.
The publisher, Kustannus Jalava, has put in a lot of work on this new Dan Dare collection, coordinated by Petri Aarnio, translated by Sauli Santikko, with a new cover designed by Kaisa Laakso, the story most recently collected in English in 2009 by Titan Books.
Considerable effort has been made to restore the colour to bring the pages closer to their original look, the work of graphic artist Anniina Tynkkynen.
In the story, when transmissions are disrupted throughout the Solar System and spaceships – including one carrying Sir Hubert Guest, the Controller of Space Fleet – disappear, Dan and company set out to discover what’s going on. They find a fleet of huge alien craft containing peaceful aquatic creatures called Cosmobes, who are fleeing from another aquatic race, the warlike Pescods. But the Pescods have a deadly weapon, “The Crimson Death”, and they’re heading for Earth! Will Dan and his crew be able to once again save the day?
Some Dan Dare stories were previously published in Finland in the 1960s, initially in Sarjakuvalehti and Nasta in 1963, followed by Nastasarjat from 1964, after titles merged.
Since first appearing in Eagle, Dan Dare has had plenty of excursions in print, beyond the UK from Argentina and Australia to Italy, Norway, Turkey and more.
• Avaruuspilotti Dan Dare – Purppurakuolema is available direct from Art House in Finland here | ISBN: 978-9518876956 |
Head downthetubes for…
• Dan Dare in Finland: Publishing Guide (in Finnish)
• The SARJAKUVAVAVIIDAKKO group is a Facebook community of Finnish comic book enthusiasts who discuss and share their love for classic and retro comics
• Dan Dare: Character Profile on downthetubes
• Dan Dare Special Features on the Fumettomania Factory Association site
Dan Dare is ©️ Dan Dare Corporation
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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, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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