The Mekon

[Goatilocks]

Reading THRILL POWER OVERLOAD it was interesting to see the numerous failed attempts at resurrecting Dan Dare in the pages of 2000AD. I enjoyed reading the strip as a kid, and was always fascinated by The Mekon.

Reason for this thread is this; where Dan Dare seems to be a product of the 1950's (even the recent CGI TV series was very 'tally-ho') what of The Mekon? Was he an under-used villian, condemned to children's prime time, never reaching his full potential?

I have yet to read to Garth Ennis' version for Virgin comics - has he changed much ..?

[Alski]

Have a look at the Ennis version, the twisted green psycho is as mental as ever. He dominates the Treen race due to his mental superiority, and they just accept it because they are dumbasses at heart.

It's a very good story, not at all detrimental to the DD legacy. There's no swearing, sex of hideous violence (like in The Boys for example) - it's a proper Dan dare adventure with great art as well.

[skurvy]

Second that, it's very good actually.

[Professor Bear]

Ennis' DD was good, though it does read like the end of the Dan Dare adventure as a whole rather than the start of a new one - all a bit mid-life crisis-y like that horrible Archie movie, but still worth a look.

[Daveycandlish]

But you would still be better off reading the Titan reprints of the Frank Hampson originals - try Prisoners of Space or Reign of the Robots.

50-odd years old and still brilliant!

[Mike Gloady]

Agreed, Davey.

But Garth does a fine job - much better than I expected and I quite like his non-Twoth work.  He did a better job than Grant Morrison (although I enjoyed that too, for different reasons - mostly the art of Rian Hughes).

[maryanddavid]

I was a bit dissapointed with Ennis's DD, I am a hugh fan of Dare, and I like quite a bit of Ennis's work as well. I dont know what I was expecting, the art was good the story and dialog was fine, but I think at the end of the day its just not Dare.

As has been mentioned above the originals are great with the Man from Nowhere possibly been one of my favourite comics ever.

There is too much of a gap in publishing history, the last original Dare was published in 66 I think, other characters of a similar vintage that are still around today have enjoyed continous publication, and have had a chance to grow into each new decade.
Dare is still stuck in 1958, and any attempt to 'update him' always seem to me too much of a jump that it changes the character into something different, thereby defeating the purpose of bringing him back in the first place.

Still Ennis's attempt is the best so far at updating and keeping true to the
original, I just had too high hopes.

As for the Mekon, he is the best villan ever. nuff said!

David

[Eric Plumrose]

Have a look at the Ennis version, the twisted green psycho is as mental as ever.

Doesn't sound much like the Mekon, then. But then, which Mekon?