The latest issue of Spaceship Way – Part 64 – is available now, designed, produced and edited by Des Shaw, featuring its usual mix of strips, including a continuing new classic “Dan Dare” tale, “The Rotorcruiser Affair“.
Other strips featured are a continuing “Jeff Hawke” story, “Pass The Parcel“, and “Kalgan The Golden“, a story by E. C. Tubb, adapted by Phillip Harbottle, with art by Ron Turner. Some humour strips are on offer, too.
Also in this issue is a fine feature about artist John M. Burns from Andrew Darlington, accompanied by a brilliant centrespread “Dan Dare” artwork by the late artist. and a back page illustration of Dan Dare’s batman, Digby, too.
Andrew leads with coverage of John’s often overlooked work on “Dan Dare” for New Eagle, stories scripted by Tom Tully, then provides a quick guide to the artist’s long career, stretching back to the 1950s, including his work on Junior Express and School Friend, noting his work on the soon-to-be-reprinted “Wrath Of The Gods”, which moved from Boys World to Eagle, through to his work on Look-In, TV Action and 2000AD.
(Do note there does seem to be some missing text in this feature, and one image, a Spider-man annual cover for Marvel UK is wrongly credited to John, actually done by his nephew with a similar name, commissioned by me, but it’s otherwise interesting).
The issue also include Ray Wright‘s ever-informative “Space Review” article, and Phillip Harbottle delivers the third part of his series, “British Science Fiction of the 1950s“, which continues with a guide to the hardcover editions published during that period.
Andrew Darlington also pays tribute to Spaceship Away‘s founder, Rod Barzilay, who, sadly, died in August.
“Many of us had our childhoods touched by iconic comic book figures. For Rod, it happened when he was at boarding school being just seven years old, with his discovery of Eagle in May 1954, when the Dan Dare ‘Prisoners Of Space’ serial was in mid-flow,” Andrew notes.
“It was ‘big boys’ stuff that turned his life around, the ‘green men caught his attention, the Mekon and his Treens’. Many of us recall those childhood connections with nostalgic affection. Only Rod had the creative energies to write himself into the narrative of the hero who had impacted his childhood so forcefully… Without Rod Barzilay, there would be no Spaceship Away. It’s as simple as that.”
His passing is a sad loss for many. Our sympathies to family and friends.
• Subscribe to Spaceship Away or order back issues at spaceshipaway.org
• Preorder Wrath of the Gods & The Ghost World (Limited Edition) here from Book Palace Books now | Read our news story
• Jeff Hawke Fan Club: jeffhawke.com
• Episodes from Jeff Hawke – “Pass the Parcel” feature here on ComicArtFans and here on Heritage Auctions
• Subscribe to Phil Harbottle’s 1950s British Science Fiction YouTube Channel
- About the Author
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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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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