In Review Times Two: Dare Dare, the Biography by Daniel Tartarsky

Steve Herbert, who's involved in the Altered Vistas web site and Eagle Times and Eagle Flies Again contributor Steve Winders have kindly reviewed Daniel Tartarsky's new Dan Dare book for downthetubes...

Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future: A Biography by Daniel Tatarsky
Publisher: Orion Books

Hardback 240 black and white printed pages and 64 colour pages.

Out: Now

The Book: Dan Dare, pilot of the future, was the creation of Frank Hampson, a young artist who cut his teeth on Meccano Magazine. Beginning in April 1950, Dan Dare was the lead strip in the hugely successful Eagle. The strip would only run to a couple of pages, but stories (and their weekly cliffhangers) could run for over a year. The majority of the strips involved Dan, a suave, natural leader, doing battle with all manner of alien lifeform to preserve the future wellbeing of Earth. Hampson's bold use of colour and figurative style (he used real-life models) were groundbreaking in post-war austerity Britain.

A sketch by Hampson for to help another
artist, Desmond Walduck, featured in
Dan Dare, The Biography

In Dare Dare, the Biography, Daniel Tatarsky, with the entire Eagle archive open to him, researches the adventures of Dan Dare (and his co-pilots), and brings Britain's favourite space hero to life. Talking to the original writers and illustrators, Tatarsky tells the story of Dare and Eagle, and paints a portrait of a nation emerging from World War 2, ready for life on other planets...

Review by Steve Herbert: This is the story of the creation of Earth's greatest space hero,  and the story of the two men who would together create the worlds gtratest childrens comic.

Tartarsky tells the story of the Reverend Marcus Morris amd Frank Hampson's early beginings before Eagle, how Morris became a clergyman, created the Christian magazine The Anvil and formed the SCP (Society of Christian Publishing) and how he took the magazine all over Fleet Street with Frank's dumny comics to sell it single handedly, to save himself from bankruptcy.

Intertwined with Morris's story, Tatarsky tells us how Hampson, the son of a policeman, discovered the world of comic books, learned his skils as an artist, discovered Space Travel in Antwerp during his Military service during wartime – and the eventual meeting of the two, which resulted in Morris offering Hampson work on The Anvil. Then how they went from a Christian magazine selling 9000 copies to a children's comic selling 900,000 copies of its first issue.

The book follows the process of Eagle through the early studio system and its hardships and job losses, through to the end of Morris and Hampson's run through to Frank Bellemy's time and beyond.

Although Tatarsky goes into details of many aspects of Dan Dare's creation, he dosen't set out to cover one area, but the general story he tells in style. The book is packed with a fair number of colour illustrations, and several in black and white. It's great value for money and made a excellent Christmas present - and for any Eagle fan, looks great on your shelf!

One of many photographs taken to provide Hampson's team with visual reference
during the creation of the original Dan Dare stories for Eagle.

Review by Steve Winders: Daniel Tatarsky’s enthusiasm for ‘Dan Dare’ comes across clearly in this entertaining and informative book, which tells the remarkable story of how Southport vicar Marcus Morris and young artist Frank Hampson created Britain’s best selling comic and its famous space hero. Tatarsky provides a clear insight into the early life of Eagle from his interviews with Morris’ daughters, Hampson’s son and surviving members of the studio that Hampson set up to produce the Dan Dare strip.

Colour pictures of studio sketches, roughs and photographs reveal the effort that Hampson and his team made to make the strip so convincing.

Dan Dare creators Frank Hampson
and Marcus Morris with their
character. Art by Don Harley

As Tatarsky takes the story past the Hampson era his background information is not so detailed however and there are several mistakes. He wrongly attributes Hampson’s departure from Eagle to Odhams Press, who bought the publication in 1959. Although Odhams dismantled Hampson’s studio he did not leave until after the Mirror Group took over the publication.

Tatarsky also makes several references to Keith Watson producing the artwork for the strip single handed from March 1962 until January 1967. While it is true that he did work on his own for much of this time, he was assisted by Eric Eden for a period, during which Eden produced some stunning airbrush work. Other comments in the book indicate that Tatarsky was unaware of this.


Writing briefly about the relaunched Eagle which began in 1982 he says that it was given the “catchy name” of New Eagle and that it ran until 1992. In fact it was called Eagle and ran until 1994.

There are other mistakes, too, but Tatarsky nevertheless analyses the original Eagle stories very well and explores the success and influence of Dan Dare with a real understanding.

Errors apart, this is a well written book which definitely captures the spirit of a remarkable strip and its creation.

Dan Dare at 60: Merchandise Update

With the Eagle and its best-remembered character Dan Dare celebrating a 60th birthday this month, fans will be pleased to hear that several items are either in development or already on sale now to mark the event.

• The collectable Dan Dare figure from Day2Day, already featured on downthetubes, looks on course to go on sale later this Spring/Summer.

• Orion Books are producing Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future: A Biography and an Eagle Diary (for 2011, but released this summer).

"It should be in the shops August," says Dan Dare biography author Daniel Tatarsky, who also wrote Eagle Annual of the 1950s and The Eagle Annual of the Cutaways.

"I can't say too much but it should be a nice reminder of the diaries that were issued in the 1950s and will include various highlights from Eagle," says Daniel. "We're going for the retro look again but without the distressed cover."

• As we previously reportedRussimco, best known for its wooden toys, will be launching several toy products this year. The range has yet to be finalised.

• Simon Spicer (who also do the wonderful Ladybird retro paper products) have already launched a range of Dan Dare cards and wrap which have already launched. The full range is on sale at www.simonspicer.com. Notebooks are on their way.

• Titan Books will be releasing Dan Dare: Trip to Trouble/Project Nimbus later this year. Safari in Space is still on sale in all good bookshops, as is Classic Bible Stories Volume 1.

A second Bible Stories collection is in development by the company for Easter 2011 featuring Frank Bellamy's David: The Shepherd King and The Great Adventurer, the story of Saint Paul, which was drawn by Frank Hampson, Jocelyn Thomas and, for much of its run, Norman Williams.

More licenses are in progress, and we'll have more information on these as they near release date. We still haven't heard anything more about the rumoured Dan Dare movie from rights holders the Dan Dare Corporation, but we have our collective fingers crossed!