Beloved Characters Reimagined in New Graphic Novel Amid Renewed Space Interest
The iconic British space hero Dan Dare is making a comeback 76 years after his debut in the Eagle comic magazine. This revival coincides with a surge of public enthusiasm for space exploration, highlighted by NASA’s ongoing missions and the cinematic success of Andy Weir’s science fiction novel adaptation, starring Ryan Gosling.
Colonel Dan Dare, the chief pilot of the Interplanet Space Fleet, first appeared in the inaugural issue of the Eagle on 14 April 1950. His return is thus well-timed to capitalize on the renewed fascination with space.
With authorization from the Dan Dare Corporation, which holds the rights to the original comic strip created by Manchester-born illustrator Frank Hampson, writer Alex de Campi and artist Marc Laming have reimagined the characters for the 21st century. Their graphic novel will be published by B7 Comics.
“I moved house a couple of years ago and was unpacking boxes of books when I pulled out some of my old Dan Dare compendia, so I sat down on the floor and re-read old Frank Hampson strips for an entire afternoon,”said de Campi.
“Over the following weeks I kind of daydreamed what it would be like to have a modern Dan Dare. That resulted in me emailing the Dan Dare Corporation asking if I could pitch a new Dan Dare graphic novel series. They said yes.”
De Campi enlisted Laming, who was acquainted with Andrew Mark Sewell of B7 Comics. The publisher has experience with British cultural icons, having released a graphic novel biography of comedian Tony Hancock in 2023. This collaboration set the project in motion.
Dan Dare’s Legacy and Previous Revivals
Dan Dare has undergone several revivals since the Eagle ceased publication in 1967. The character was revived for the launch of the sci-fi weekly 2000AD in 1977 and again for the Eagle’s relaunch in 1982. In 1990, writer Grant Morrison and artist Rian Hughes presented an older, embittered Dare in a revisionist story for the magazine Revolver.
The new graphic novel, titled Dan Dare: First Contact, returns to the original concept. It features familiar characters such as scientist Professor Jocelyn Peabody, Dare’s loyal companion Digby, and their adversary, the dome-headed, green-skinned Venusian dictator known as the Mekon.
De Campi and Laming are reconstructing the Dan Dare narrative from the ground up, ensuring that no prior knowledge of the series is necessary for readers.
“Everyone loves space adventure stories, but it feels like all we get these days in the west are the same two legacy IPs – Star Wars and Star Trek – flogged at us over and over. But after a while, those universes become so huge and complicated it becomes an impediment to new audiences.”
Modern Updates and Character Changes
The 100-page graphic novel, scheduled for release in November following a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, introduces updates to appeal to contemporary readers.
In the original comics, Digby was portrayed as Dare’s middle-aged “batman,” a military servant providing comic relief. In the new version, he is reimagined as a young, working-class engineer and inventor, though he remains true to his Wigan roots.
Professor Peabody is now depicted as being of Indian descent. De Campi explained the significance of this change:
“Any space exploration story is by nature a story about colonisation, and it makes it more interesting to have someone who has the experience of being colonised in her cultural heritage.”
Perhaps the most significant alteration is the depiction of the future world inhabited by Dare and his companions. While Hampson’s original vision was nearly utopian, conceived in the aftermath of World War II, Dan Dare: First Contact presents a planet ravaged by climate change. Despite this, Britain is portrayed as a progressive leader on Earth and in the wider galaxy.
“The USA is now the United Corporations of America, and space flight has been privatised,”de Campi said.
“Except in the UK, which, after teetering on the brink of abandoning its public services in the 2020s, pulled back and recommitted to things like universal public health care, education, infrastructure, transportation – and space flight.”
Preserving Heritage While Engaging New Audiences
Andrew Mark Sewell of B7 Comics emphasized the balance the new graphic novel aims to strike:
“Alex and Marc’s exciting new take is intended to introduce a new generation of readers to Dan Dare whilst staying true to the characters, world and sense of hope and wonder of the original 1950s strip.
“It’s important to acknowledge the heritage and essential DNA of the original strips, whilst moving the stories and characters forward and making them relevant and relatable to a modern audience. Always remembering never to throw the Mekon out with the bath water!”
