Is The Eagle a British icon?

By John Freeman on 3 November 2006

Having just received a “Media Advisory” from icons.org.uk celebrating Guy Fawkes’ nomination as a national British icon, I thought I’d check to see who else was up for this “celebration of British culture”, backed by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Bad news, folks, The Eagle is currently not considered an icon by those who’ve voted on some 700 plus nominations so far — although Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland and Sherlock Holmes are, and have already earned themselves “Iconic” status.

If you don’t agree with the current vote – apparently some one million votes have been cast for various potential icons since January — why not nip over to the Eagle’s nomination page and vote for it?

Also up for nomination are Richmal Crompton’s “Just William”, John Peel’s radio Show, car boot sales, “The Saint”, The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Daleks, Andy Capp, glove puppet hero Sooty, Roy of the Rovers, Biggles, jam roly pudding, Oliver Postgate’s children’s programmes – yes, the Clangers! -, Basil Brush, the Tufty Club (I’ve still got my badge), Paddington Bear, Mods and Rockers, Hawkwind, the Goon Show, James Bond, the three-pin plug, real ale, Rupert the Bear, Camden Market, Wallace & Gromit, Winnie the Pooh, Doctor Who — and knotted handkerchiefs on the beach.

No Jeff Hawke, Judge Dredd or Dan Dare himself yet, but the nominations are glorious!

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.