Tomorrow Revisited: Frank Hampson Book Launch announced

The long-awaited art book Tomorrow Revisited by Alastair Crompton, focusing on the career of Dan Dare creator Frank Hampson, is to be launched at Chris Beetles Art Gallery on Tuesday 30th November 2010.

Announced back in February and originally planned for release to mark the the 60th anniversary of Eagle back in April, Tomorrow Revisited tells the life story of Frank Hampson and, although there are shades of Alastair’s first book, The Man Who Drew Tomorrow, the text has been completely  re-written, covers much not in the earlier work, and has been read and authenticated by Peter Hampson, the artist’s son.

Tomorrow Revisited also contains many pages of Dan Dare art, reproduced from Hampson’s originals, so it reproduces better than in the original Eagle comic. The book also features reference photographs, experimental sketches and try-out drawings where Hampson is designing aliens and hardware, and other material used in creating the strip.

Although Road of Courage, which told the life of Jesus, was Hampson's last full-length strip, after he quit Dan Dare Hampson went on to create seven other strip cartoon characters intended for Eagle, or, in two cases, a national newspaper. These strips are printed for the first time in this new book, together with some of the  intended story-lines.

Tomorrow Revisited costs £29.99. In addition to the regular release, a deluxe leather bound hard back edition (Limited to 100 copies, priced at £295.00) housed in a leather bound Presentation Case is also being produced, which comes with a certificate of limited availability signed by Alastair Crompton, Peter Hampson, Andrew Skilleter and Don Harley; a unique original illustration by legendary Eagle artist Don Harley; and a Frank Hampson illustrated Homage by Andrew Skilleter.

The Chris Beetles Gallery is in the centre of St James’s, London's best known art dealing district and is acknowledged as showing the greatest stock of Illustrators and Cartoonists work in the world. Original Hampson artwork from the first Dan Dare story for Eagle will be on display and for sale.

• Tomorrow Revisited: Book Launch 6.00pm until 8.00pm, 30th November 2010, The Chris Beetles Gallery, 8 & 10 Ryder Street St. James's, London SW1Y 6QB. Telephone: 020 7839 7551

• For full details and a preview of some of the pages from the book visit http://store.pspublishing.co.uk/acatalog/info_480.html