New Eagle Times released (Volume 24 Number Four)

By John Freeman on December 15, 2011

The latest issue of Eagle Times – Volume 24 Number Four – is now available from the Eagle Society.

Contents include:

From Under the 1950s Christmas Tree, Pepys Card Games – a seasonal look at the numerous Pepys games, which included some based around characters from Eagle (‘Dan Dare’ and ‘Jeff Arnold’) and Girl
The Case of Christmas Presents – PC49 appears in a seasonal short-story
A Look at ‘Luck’ – part 2 of a continuing series examining the French Foreign Legion strip by Geoffrey Bond and Martin Aitchison, that ran in Eagle from 1952 – 1961
Working with David Hunt, part 2 – memories of working on ‘Dan Dare’ projects for the “New” Eagle editor in the 1980s
Rivals of Eagle, takes a look at The Boy’s Own Paper, the long-running boys’ story paper, which lasted 88 years – from 1879 – 1967
The first part of a series on Visual Memories of Eaglecon 80 – the only London comics convention ever held solely for Eagle enthusiasts
PC49 and the Case of the Frightened Flower Girl – the conclusion of a new adaptation of one of Alan Stranks’ radio plays
Rivals of Jeff Arnold – the 9th in the series takes a look at ‘Happy Daze’, a comedy western strip drawn by Bill Holroyd for D.C. Thomson’s Topper comic
‘Dan Dare’ Figures (from the 1950s to the present day) – begins by taking a look at those produced in the 1950s by the Crescent Toy Company and Eaglewall Plastics/Kentoys
Ron by Ron – a lighthearted look at some of Ron Embleton’s appearances in some of his own artwork
L. Ashwell Wood, Cutaway Maestro – an addendum to the article in Eagle Times Vol 24 No 3, covering the Inside Information series, Odhams Books and the reprinting of Eagle cutaways in foreign publications
Eagle Annuals 1971-1975 looks at the annuals that continued to appear after the original Eagle‘s demise as a comic
‘Sammy’ in colour – a strip from Eagle‘s companion paper, Swift, which was translated and reprinted in colour in the Dutch paper Arend – shown for the first time in English and colour
A short biographical piece on David Motton, the ‘Dan Dare’ writer of the 1960s, who recently retired
A report and photographs from the Eagle Society Annual Gathering at Midgham, Berkshire, 6th – 8th September, 2011

Membership of THE EAGLE SOCIETY is via Annual Subscription to EAGLE TIMES magazine, which is published four times annually. The Subscription rate for 2011 is held at the 2010 rate: UK £23, Overseas £34(in £s Sterling, please) Postal applications to: Keith Howard, 25A Station Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 2UAUnited Kingdom. If you wish to pay by Paypal (to the eagle-times hotmail address below) we request an additional payment of £1. Enquiries: eagle-times@hotmail.com

John Freeman

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.