David Britton of the Eagle Society reports on new exhibition of Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson’s work at The Atkinson, Southport… A reception was held on Thursday evening 20th September at The Atkinson in Southport, to launch three new exhibitions… Read More ›
Dan Dare
New Frank Hampson exhibition opens in Southport, launch event next week
Following up on our earlier post, an exhibition of art by Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson has just opened at The Atkinson, in Southport, Lancashire – where both the character and Eagle comic were “born” in the 1950s – and… Read More ›
That Day Dan Dare met wrestler “Big Daddy”: the new Eagle launch, 1982
From the launch of new Eagle in March 1982, here’s a great press photo of Dan Dare, played by artists’ agent Tony Kelleher from the Temple Art Agency, wrestler Big Daddy and the Mekon. Shirley Crabtree Jr., who died in… Read More ›
Piloting the Dan Dare Audio Adventures – Casting Dan, his Crew, and the Mekon, too!
Andrew Mark Sewell, Managing Director at B7 Media, reveals the background to production of the award-winning Dan Dare Audio Adventures, now airing on BBC Radio 4 Extra… “Each comic book panel was so vivid and rich in imagination, it has… Read More ›
The Impossible Space Helmet: Why Frank Hampson’s “Dan Dare” drives engineers crazy, but delights us still
Commando artist Keith Page follows up his profile of French artist Hugo Pratt with a look at the work of “Dan Dare” creator Frank Hampson… Anyone can see that Dan Dare’s space helmet just wouldn’t work. How could you possibly… Read More ›
Dan Dare – The Audio Adventures rocket to BBC Radio 4 Extra
Dan Dare is returning to BBC radio, with broadcasts of the first three audio adventures from B7 Media on BBC Radio 4 Extra next month. The first three episodes (Volume One) of the Dan Dare – The Audio Adventures starring… Read More ›
New Spaceship Away plunges back to 1950s for plenty of action and adventure
The summer issue of Spaceship Away – Part 45 is available now, wrapped in cover art by the late Ron Jobson, utilising art from the 1950s space adventure “Space Kingley” stories. (Art that, it has to be said, may have… Read More ›
Rare Frank Hampson Dan Dare painting fetches a pretty penny at auction
A Dan Dare watercolour by his creator Frank Hampson recently sold on eBay for £650, complete with a letter of provenance from the artist himself. An earlier ink sketch of Dan by Frank with a similar pose that will feature in… Read More ›
Sneak Peek: Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson centenary exhibition items revealed
Southport’s The Atkinson is putting the finishing touches to its upcoming exhibition to mark the centenary of Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson‘s birth, which launches on 15th September 2018, and we have a some pictures of items that will be… Read More ›
Original Frank Hampson studio reference material used to create “Dan Dare” for sale
Rare original reference material from Frank Hampson’s Dan Dare studio, including Astronomical Photographs, are currently for sale on eBay. These boards of “Astronomical Photographs”, which come from Frank Hampson’s estate, were reference files from his Dan Dare studio. As with… Read More ›
Dan Dare “The Venus Campaign” classic story collection revealed, and first ever collections of some stories on their way
Titan Comics will launch Dan Dare: The Venus Campaign its first “bumper” collection of classic Dan Dare stories in November, following a format similar to its James Bond compendiums, using new scans of the stories featured. Plus, there’s news of new… Read More ›
Hibernia’s Fleetway Files, an incredible history of British comics, flies off the shelves!
New from independent publisher Hibernia is the brilliant The Fleetway Files, the fourth release in the publisher’s ‘Comic Archive’ series. It’s an utterly brilliant guide to the background behind some of Britain’s best-loved comics, crammed with amazing interviews and features…. Read More ›
First issues of Batman and Commando on offer in latest Compal auction
There’s a treasure trove of comics and comic art on offer in the latest ComPal auction, including a coverless Batman #1, a first issue of DC Thomson’s long-running Commando comic, “Charley’s War” art by Joe Colquhoun and Dan Dare art… Read More ›
In Praise of… Comics Writer William (Willie) Patterson
Sydney Jordan is widely recognised as the creator of the critically-acclaimed “Jeff Hawke” newspaper strip first published in the Daily Express. However, it’s also generally felt that the strips written by William (Willie) Patterson through the 1960s – including those… Read More ›
More Frank Hampson Ladybird Book art for sale, Southport anniversary exhibition announced
The official Frank Hampson web site run by the Dan Dare creator’s son, Peter, has a lot of his art for sale, and some new Ladybird Books art boards ohave just been added. Hampson was first commissioned by Ladybird Books… Read More ›
Dan Dare inspired British firm gets Boeing backing
Boeing has announced its investment in Reaction Engines Limited, a leader in advanced propulsion systems based in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. Reaction Engines’ technology will contribute to the next generation of hypersonic flight and space access vehicles. Reaction Engines is known… Read More ›
First impressions of the first issue of new comics magazine, ComicScene UK
ComicScene UK, the new subscription only title, launches 1st May 2018 in print and digital format – and publisher Tony Foster is hoping to fund comic workshops for young people with part of the profits. I really hope you’ll give this… Read More ›
In Review: Spaceship Away 44
The first issue of Spaceship Away for 2018 has been out for a few weeks now but this is the first chance I’ve had to give it a plug. Wrapped in a smashing new piece of Dan Dare related art… Read More ›
New Eagle Times explores classic comics beyond “Eagle”, examines lost Frank Bellamy strip
The latest issue of Eagle Times, the quarterly journal of the Eagle Society – is available now from the organisation. While remaining dedicated to the memory of Britain’s national picture strip weekly Eagle, the team behind the Society have made a… Read More ›
Eagle in the 1980s: The TV ad!
Cartoonist Lew Stringer has come across this advertisement for the launch of the new Eagle comic in 1980s, making the most of the return of Dan Dare and the title’s ambitious photo stories. The ad features Grange Hill actor Vincent… Read More ›