Main Menu

Virgin Adapting Dan Dare - Garth Ennis writing !?

Started by Marbles, 27 August, 2007, 01:45:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

JOE SOAP

***Personally, I've never seen the appeal of the Dan Dare character - he's such a British Empire crushes alien menace stiff-upper-lipped wanker, merrily enacting genocide without question. ***


Too true, he has little appeal today. A middle class hero is not something to be.

paulvonscott

"he's such a British Empire crushes alien menace stiff-upper-lipped wanker, merrily enacting genocide without question."

So, you've never read any Dan Dare...

"However, if anyone can make him sympathetic, it's probably Ennis."

...and you're mental  ;)



Seriously though, I don't think this will work.  


Wils

Shall we start the sweepstake now on what issue purely consists of Dan and Dig sat in a pub?

Eric Plumrose

>> I can remember a surreal moment on the radio about a decade ago with Dan Dare and Digby interviewing Garth Eniss about Judge Dredd...

I've still got that on tape somewhere. And yeah, that was pretty much the gist of it.

>> putting any kind of modern edge or cliched added irony will only be a disservice.

Despite Tharg's three misfires, Mills was able to do so in the Eagle relaunch once Wagner left.

>> merrily enacting genocide without question.

Genocide? Well, if protecting one's home planet from the latest alien invasion is classed as genocide, so be it. The only time I can think of in which Dare imposes his own will on an alien race is when Sondar thinks that he's having an emotion in the first story arc.

>> A middle class hero is not something to be.

How incredibly classist. And true only in that a 'hero' is not something to be. I am John Byrne and I claim my five bucks.

>> Virgin Comics . . . plans to publish a new line of comic books and develop a feature around the intergalactic flyer.

Heh. After thirty years, they're still trying to get rid of all those space-spinners.
Not sure if pervert or cheesecake expert.

Marbles

here's a nifty all-new Dan Dare wallpaper ...

Link: http://img515.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dandarewallpaper2uk8.jpg" target="_blank">Wallpaper

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/3825/dandarewallpaper2uk8.th.jpg">
Remember - dry hair is for squids

Huey2

Would that be a Bryan Talbot pic by any chance? Great stuff.

Trout

I also want to speak up for reinvented Dan Dare.

I admit to not having read the original stories - although what I've seen of Frank Hampson's art took my breath away - but I really enjoyed the 80s Eagle version.

I was a teenager at the time, and thought it was good fun. It's especially notable for art by the great Ian Kennedy - who's 75 next month and still drawing covers for Commando!

- Trout

philb

I have to agree with the previous post...
The first great great great etc grandson story
was ace...written by Pat Mills and John Wagner
for a bit at the start...
I didnt appreciate the massive story arc Mills
constructed at the time...I'm sure the overall
story ran for 18 months before it gave way to cheap
paper and even cheaper storylines....


satchmo

I just finished Dan Dare in my big re-read, I felt like having a party when it was over. Definitely the worst thrill in the first 130 progs, it was a real chore reading it most of the time.
I've got nowt against Dare the character though, and I think a revamp could work if done right.
The 1950s of Quatermass, Dan Dare etc. is a really fascinating period to work in, it probably feels as distant, foreign and exciting to young folks as the 30's do to me. As pointed out above Harry Potter is essentially about between the wars or 50's boarding schools, and thats been moderately successful :)
Good luck to them I say.

nofuture

Used to love Dan Dare in the Eagle.  The Mekon rocks!http://www.dandare.org/dan/aliens/mekon/mekon08.jpg">

Jim_Campbell

"I admit to not having read the original stories - although what I've seen of Frank Hampson's art took my breath away - but I really enjoyed the 80s Eagle version. "

In all honesty, if it hadn't been for Dan Dare, I probably wouldn't have bothered with the 80s Eagle. I don't recall a huge amount about the story, but I do remember that the art was broadly excellent throughout.

"I was a teenager at the time, and thought it was good fun. It's especially notable for art by the great Ian Kennedy - who's 75 next month and still drawing covers for Commando!"

That's fantastic news about Ian Kennedy ... I had no idea he'd been at it for so long!

I'd also like to say that although the Morrison/Hughes 'Dare' is  very much a product of its time, I thought it was excellent. Perhaps if you don't read through the filter of living in the arse end of the Thatcher/Major years then it lacks the same resonance. Perhaps not ...

Cheers

Jim
Stupidly Busy Letterer: Samples. | Blog
Less-Awesome-Artist: Scribbles.

TordelBack

I've had many different opinions of Dan Dare over the years.

50's Eagle Dare:  Great.
70's Tooth Dare:  Shite.
80's Eagle Dare:  Great then shite.
90's Morrison/Hughes Dare:  Great.
00's Spacehip Away Dare:  Great.

The Hampson work is just something else, and still very readable.  Kennedy's run in 80's eagle was amazing, especially the Airfix model/astronaut training stuff and the Firefly sequence.  I also really enjoyed Morrison and Hughes' Dare, which has a terrific ending.

Some good art aside, Tooth Dare is just something I can never bring myself to read.


Albion

What's Spaceship Away Dare?
I've not heard of that one.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.

TordelBack

An excellent pastiche/homage version of 50's Dare's continuing adventures.  Really quite remarkable.

Link: http://spaceshipaway.org.uk/" target="_blank">Spaceship Away


Albion

Thanks TordelBack. That looks interesting.

I have my Dad's old Eagle annuals and love the original Dare and liked the 80's Eagle stuff too.
I was never quite sure of the 2000AD version. Dave Gibbons art was great and I would have liked to have seen a proper end to it.

I only read the start of the Morrison/Hughes version and remember quite liking it and would like to track it down and read it all.
Dumb all over, a little ugly on the side.