The Autumn issue of EAGLE Times (Volume 39 No. 3, 2026) is available now from the Eagle Society, the dedicated enthusiasts of the eponymous weekly comic.
As the title heads to its fortieth anniversary year, this always enjoyable fanzine continues to uncover new items about the title and associated spinoffs, and reexamine popular strips. This issue offers, in particular, a fascinating article about “Dan Dare” artist Bruce Cornwell by Jeremy Briggs, while David Britton continues his explorations of the western strip, “Riders of the Range”, and “Heros the Spartan”, the latter largely focusing on the period when the strip was drawn by Luis Bermejo, who also drew “Johnny Future” for Fantastic, collected under Rebellion’s Treasury of British Comics imprint back in 2020.
Plus, in addition to delivering the final episode Archie Willoughby story, “The Case of the Funny Money”, Steve Winders investigates EAGLE’s “Last of the Saxon Kings” by Mike Butterworth and drawn by Patrick Nicolle, published in EAGLE in 1961.
For those unfamiliar, the strip was beautifully recoloured for the centre pages of EAGLE after its original appearance as “Under the Golden Dragon” in Comet and then Thriller Picture Library during the 1950s. In the strip, King Harold almost wins the Battle of Hastings, although some Eagle fans were not won over by the inclusion a reprint adventure in the comic.
Steve also continues a fascinating look at “Ordinary People and Places in the ‘Dan Dare’ strip”, reflecting how the space hero’s adventures impacted the lives of those admiring his heroics on Earth. These vignettes, perhaps, reflect how civilians followed events during World War Two, involved in their impact but unable to have direct involvement – but very much invested in their outcome.
There are also two items by Gerald Edwards, who wonders why, unlike the successful merchandising of other comic strips into kitchen cupboards, Dan Dare never featured on cereal boxes; and why there was so little “Luck of the Legion” merchandising, also examining the space based elements which did feature on cereal boxes and various products which referenced the French Foreign Legion.
Finally, John Swan’s talk from the Society’s recent Gathering in Peterborough about EAGLE’S quest for perfectionism offers a smashing insight into the work of an editorial team who successfully made it remains such a memorable title for many, and reminds us quite why it still has a following today.
An ever enjoyable old school zine in style and content, why not give EAGLE Times a try?
Membership of The Eagle Society is via Annual Subscription to Eagle Times magazine, which is published four times annually. Please make cheques payable to the ‘Eagle Society’. The current subscription rate is UK £30, Overseas £50 (all payments required in £s Sterling)
Postal applications to: Eagle Society Membership Secretary, Bob Corn, Mayfield Lodge, Llanbadoc, Usk Monmouthshire NP15 1SY | Web: eagle-times.blogspot.com | Enquiries: membership@eagle-society.org.uk
If you wish to pay by Paypal (from your Paypal account to the e-mail address above) – The Society request that you make your payment as a GIFT)
Head downthetubes for…
• The EAGLE Society is online at eagle-times.blogspot.com
• Heros the Spartan is still available in collection from Book Palace Books | Limited Edition | Leatherbound Edition
• downthetubes: In Memoriam: Comic Artist and Editor Luis Bermejo Rojo
• Johnny Future is available from AmazonUK here (Affiliate Link), and on sale from the 2000ADon-line shop
• The late John Knifton began his look at The Last of the Saxon Kings in 2024, sadly the first part his final item for his admired blog
• Book Palace Patrick Nicolle Biography
• Marin Crookall reviews EAGLE Volume 12 here
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
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, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Magazines, Other Worlds
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