Any Dan Dare Fans?

I've brought this up before, but still how many people here are fans of the pilot of the future?

IMO Dan Dare is one of the greatest works of science fiction in any medium. Its no exaggeration to say that modern sci fi in Britain basically comes from Dan Dare. Doctor Who, Thunderbirds, Blake's 7 there is so much of Dan Dare in all of them.

I just finished all of the 70's stories and I've read almost every story from the 50's too. Sadly the 80's and 60's stuff is very hard to get right now, though if anyone knows anything about where to get them I would REALLY appreciate that.

I've also read the Grant Morrison 90's series, but IMO its utter shit. It is to Dan Dare what Death in Heaven is to Doctor Who. Stay away!

There is also an audio series by Big Finish which is really good too.

Its just such a shame that Dan Dare is so overlooked nowadays. Everyone from Terry Nation to Stephen Hawking was inspired by it, yet to modern audiences its almost completely forgotten.

Loved Dan Dare when I was younger, got quite a bit of Eagle annuals.

Zarius wrote:Loved Dan Dare when I was younger, got quite a bit of Eagle annuals.

Great, and you're younger aren't you Zarius? Aren't you in your 20's? Sorry for prying LOL, its just good to hear that there are more young Dan Dare fans out there.

The 70's stuff was brilliant too. It came out in two volumes recently. Its not like the original, but its quite an interesting sequel. I just wish I could get more of the 80's stuff.

I'm in my mid-thirties actually, rofl, but I read a lot of Eagle via old comics in charity shops and in school libraries around the nineties.

Wasn't there a cartoon? I remember reading about it.

Zarius wrote:I'm in my mid-thirties actually, rofl, but I read a lot of Eagle via old comics in charity shops and in school libraries around the nineties.

Wasn't there a cartoon? I remember reading about it.

Ah okay well near enough LOL.

Yeah there was a cartoon in the 00's but it wasn't that good. The voices were kind of weak, and I didn't really like the animation that much.

The Big Finish audios are great though. The guy playing the Mekon is a real stand out.

In a recent interview for SFP-NOW over at scifipulseradio.com B7 Media’s Andrew Mark Sewell opened up about various projects that he’s had a hand in.

During the interview the creative producer talked about his efforts to get Blake’s 7 rebooted. First at Sky Television and then with Syfy.

Sewell also talks about his love of all things pulp. Specifically Dan Dare and Eagle Comics.

The interview also talks about the recent Dan Dare Audio series, which B7 has been producing and releasing through Big Finish audio.

You can listen to this interview in full using the audio, which has been embedded below.

http://www.scifipulse.net/b7-medias-andrew-mark-sewell-talks-blakes-7-reboot-dan-dare/

Been meaning to try some Dan Dare at some point, I am vaguely aware of it. It's supposed to have influenced Terry Nation. Doing a Hitchcock marathon at the moment, though.

Rawkuss wrote:Been meaning to try some Dan Dare at some point, I am vaguely aware of it. It's supposed to have influenced Terry Nation. Doing a Hitchcock marathon at the moment, though.

It had a massive influence on Terry Nation and Kit Pedler and Gerry Davies too.

The first Dan Dare story Voyage to Venus sees Dan and his friends land on a jungle planet where there two races. The evil, logical Treens who are based on the Nazis, think they are the master race, round people up into concentration camps etc. The Treens also live in a metal city, surrounded by a lake of monsters.

The other race the Therons are blonde pacifists who refuse to fight the Treens because of a previous terrible war with them. Dan however shames the Therons into helping him and they destroy the Treens power source.

Another story called Reign of the Robots sees Dan and his friends return to earth after 10 years only to find London in ruins and deserted. They discover that in their absence The Treens have conquered the earth and wiped out most of humanity. The Treens round people up into work camps and police them with the aid of robot servants. Dan and his team find out that the robots are controlled through a speaker the Treens have and defeat them by giving them orders to turn on each other.

Another Dan Dare story is about an evil super computer called Orak!

Then of course there is the leader of the Treens the Mekon who inspired Davros both in character and design and at one point even attempted to exterminate his old Treens after he had created a new and improved race of Treens.

It also inspired Gerry Anderson, David Bowie and even Stephen Hawking who said his entire love of space and cosmology comes from Dan Dare!

I can't recommend it enough. There are about 6 different versions of it. The original 50's-60's version. The 2000 AD 70's series, the 80's-90's series, the Grant Morrison 90's mini series, the Garth Ennis 00's miniseres and Spaceship Away.

In some ways I think the various different versions of Dan Dare are comparable in quality to the various different versions of Doctor Who.

50's-60's Dan Dare is like Classic Who. The original and the best, a brilliant, imaginative and humanistic series at its core. Also classic Dan Dare much like Old Who had long stories too. Several strips in Dan Dare made up one story unlike other comics. In fact usually a whole years worth of strips made up on adventure.

70's Dan Dare was kind of like the RTD era of Doctor Who. Its good fun, the stories are great for the most part, but both make huge deviations from the source material. Interestingly its in exactly the same way. The main hero is made more angry modern. The original Dan was very much a stiff upper lip British gentlemanly hero and he was completely asexual, whilst the 70's Dan wore a leather jacket, was angry, killed his foes, had a love interest etc. Also the 70's Dan Dare had shorter stories too just like the New Who.

80's Dan Dare meanwhile is kind of like the Matt Smith era. Both kept up some things from the RTD era, 70's series but I feel they tried to be closer to the original whilst still updating it. Matt was obviously more like a classic Doctor in terms of how he acted and dressed, whilst in the 80's Dan is more of the stiff upper lip chap we know and love.

Grant Morrison's Dan Dare is like the Capaldi era. Its utter crap and indeed its crap for the same reasons. Both undermine the main villains, the Daleks, the Cybermen, the Treens all utterly useless in those versions. Both also undermine the main hero by making him useless and do ridiculous things like shoot unarmed time lords and blow up London. Both also add a sexual element between the hero and the villain, the Mekon and Dan, the Master and the Doctor in an effort to make it seem edgy and adult, but it just makes it seem infantile.

There's some new Dan Dare comics on the way: http://downthetubes.net/?p=38900

burrunjor wrote:

Rawkuss wrote:Been meaning to try some Dan Dare at some point, I am vaguely aware of it. It's supposed to have influenced Terry Nation. Doing a Hitchcock marathon at the moment, though.

It had a massive influence on Terry Nation and Kit Pedler and Gerry Davies too.

Thanks for the background, I read the bit about the influence on Terry in that book about him, makes sense Gerry was a fan too. I think Peter Haining said this is one of the reasons that DW kept getting mislabeled as a children's programme. SF was in comic books and they were for kids. Plus people were snobby about the whole good vs bad and alien emperors thing.

Rawkuss wrote:There's some new Dan Dare comics on the way: http://downthetubes.net/?p=38900

YES! Been waiting for this for a long while. I can't wait.

burrunjor wrote:

Rawkuss wrote:There's some new Dan Dare comics on the way: http://downthetubes.net/?p=38900

YES! Been waiting for this for a long while. I can't wait.

Urgh! Can't say I like the style of art for that one.

The best revamp of Dan Dare since the demise of the original Eagle is probably that of Spaceships Away.

I agree that there are many similarities between Dan Dare and Doctor Who, it could be argued that Terry Nations "The Daleks" script was ripped completely from the same template as Dan Dares "Voyage to Venus".

I would say however:

1950's original Dare: William Hartnell era
1960's Bellamy revamp: Troughton era
1970's 2000AD up until the demise of the Lost Worlds Mission: Action orientated Pertwee and early Tom Baker era
1970's later 2000AD strips: JNT era
1980's Eagle reboot colour strips: RTD era
1980's Eagle B&W decline: Moffat era
That Crap In Revolver: Curse Of Fatal Death
Garth Ennis's depressing shite: Jodie Whittaker

Spaceships Away: Animated missing 60's episodes

Rob Filth wrote:

burrunjor wrote:

Rawkuss wrote:There's some new Dan Dare comics on the way: http://downthetubes.net/?p=38900

YES! Been waiting for this for a long while. I can't wait.

Urgh! Can't say I like the style of art for that one.

The best revamp of Dan Dare since the demise of the original Eagle is probably that of Spaceships Away.

I agree that there are many similarities between Dan Dare and Doctor Who, it could be argued that Terry Nations "The Daleks" script was ripped completely from the same template as Dan Dares "Voyage to Venus".

I would say however:

1950's original Dare: William Hartnell era
1960's Bellamy revamp: Troughton era
1970's 2000AD up until the demise of the Lost Worlds Mission: Action orientated Pertwee and early Tom Baker era
1970's later 2000AD strips: JNT era
1980's Eagle reboot colour strips: RTD era
1980's Eagle B&W decline: Moffat era
That Crap In Revolver: Curse Of Fatal Death
Garth Ennis's depressing shite: Jodie Whittaker

Spaceships Away: Animated missing 60's episodes

Wow I've not read the Garth Ennis one but is it really that bad. I always thought it looked a bit better than the Grant Morrison one (though that isn't saying much.)

And as for the Curse of Fatal Death well I'd say its better than Capaldi era Who in that whilst they were identical, it was at least meant to be a parody. In that respect it is quite funny. Its just sad though that whilst the rest of us laughed at it, apparently that was Moffat's pitch for the show!

I got into Dan Dare after reading about its influence on Doctor Who and I love Dan Dare for the same reasons as I love Classic Who. Both have wonderful, engaging and terrifying monsters, both have a wonderful sense of pure adventure and escapism, both laid the groundwork for so much that came after.

When you read through Dan Dare and watch old Who you can see where the plots for so many later sci fi films, comics, books and tv series came from. Finally they also both have a lead character who is an interesting, dynamic hero, but also quite a straight forward and likable one who treats everyone as equals and does the right thing because its the right thing to do. He's not avenging someone, he's not making up for past mistakes he doesn't even have super powers. Both Dan and the Doctor are just interested in exploring and help anyone in need wherever they are.

There are so many comparisons you can draw between Dan Dare and Doctor Who, really I could spend all day listing them.

Also not to get off topic Rob but did you see that Peter Capaldi is wanting to revive another fave of yours On the Buses? And look who he wants to revive it!

Outgoing Time Lord Peter Capaldi Wants Role In On The Buses Remake

burrunjor wrote:Wow I've not read the Garth Ennis one but is it really that bad. I always thought it looked a bit better than the Grant Morrison one (though that isn't saying much.)

The artworks okay in it - Dare is like a fusion between the traditional one and the 2000AD Dave Gibbons version. However, the storyline is depressing, it's all about the decline of Spacefleet and Dares world and they kill off Digby in it, so although visually nice, not much of a homage to the original source material.

burrunjor wrote:
When you read through Dan Dare and watch old Who you can see where the plots for so many later sci fi films, comics, books and tv series came from. Finally they also both have a lead character who is an interesting, dynamic hero, but also quite a straight forward and likable one who treats everyone as equals and does the right thing because its the right thing to do. He's not avenging someone, he's not making up for past mistakes he doesn't even have super powers. Both Dan and the Doctor are just interested in exploring and help anyone in need wherever they are.

Agreed.

Both of them have many of the same attractions. I also really like the interaction between all of the characters in original Dare too, the chumminess of it without them all having ulterior urge-driven lust motives.

The world building and attention to detail is fantastic in original Dan Dare too, in many ways it reminds me of TinTin, it's a damn shame the run was not widely distributed as graphic novels decades ago.

burrunjor wrote:Also not to get off topic Rob but did you see that Peter Capaldi is wanting to revive another fave of yours On the Buses? And look who he wants to revive it!

Outgoing Time Lord Peter Capaldi Wants Role In On The Buses Remake

Yes, I have seen this and I can understand Capaldis desire to play some authoritarian jumped-up Hitler bastard, but a modern reboot of "On The Buses" is never going to work unless you make it a period-comedy.

It would be far better to do a new sit-com about Traffic Wardens or something instead and have Capaldi play the jumped up inspector-bastard one checking on the two slopers who can't be arsed doing their job or using the job as an outdoor doss to chat up women. After all, where DO Traffic Wardens go when they're not applying tickets, where do they meet up, how are they instructed? These are all questions which are an utter mystery to the public.

Rob Filth wrote: Both of them have many of the same attractions. I also really like the interaction between all of the characters in original Dare too, the chumminess of it without them all having ulterior urge-driven lust motives.

The world building and attention to detail is fantastic in original Dan Dare too, in many ways it reminds me of TinTin, it's a damn shame the run was not widely distributed as graphic novels decades ago.

Agreed, I am glad that Dan Dare had mostly platonic relationships with his female friends. I'm no prude and sometimes a love story can be interesting, but still its annoying the way it has to seep its way into everything.

I actually think Dan Dare had not bad female characters. Peabody, Doctor Rodan, Princess Myriad, and Morag, all very diverse characters, all had a different relationship with Dan. Its just a shame we never got to see more of the likes of Myriad.

I think the Treens really are the daddy of all of the Doctors main adversaries when you think about it.

They are obviously the precursors to the Daleks. Like the Daleks they are xenophobic Nazi parallels who are ruled by a fuhrer figure who has a dome shaped head and is a crippled megalomaniac.

The Treens and the Daleks are the perfect monsters as they represent the darkest aspects of humanity. Hating people for being different, all following one, pathetic, inadequate man, losing all individuality etc.

Thus whilst both where intended to represent the Nazis you can actually use them as metaphors for other twisted and evil people throughout history too. The Treens for instance can be seen to represent the Apartheid regime in South Africa. The way they live in a segregated area from the brown skinned Therons, whilst keeping other life forms similar to the Therons as their servants. (The fact that its a black guy who leads the final attack that brings down the Treen regime is also a nice irony too.)

At the same time the Daleks can also be seen to represent the likes of General Chivington, the monster who carried out the Sand Creek Massacre, whose attitudes towards the Native Americans mirrored those of the Daleks towards their enemies.

It was also reported that following the massacre, some members of Congress had confronted Chivington and the Governor, before members of the public at the Denver Opera House. At one point it was asked whether it would be better to civilize or exterminate the Indians. In a letter from one of the senators to a friend, he wrote that "there suddenly arose such a shout as is never heard unless upon some battlefield—a shout almost loud enough to raise the roof of the opera house—'EXTERMINATE THEM! EXTERMINATE THEM!'"

I always thought it would be interesting to do a historical story about the Sand Creek Massacre and have the Doctor witness this moment. Audiences would think it was made up, but it would actually be real.

At the same time the Treens are like the Cybermen, (Kit Pedler even said they were among his main inspirations.)

The Treens and the Cybermen both represent technology being abused to the point where you lose your humanity. Though the Treens didn't physically turn themselves into machine creatures, but they removed their humanity and emotions.

Also much like the Cybermen the evil Treens who are loyal to the Mekon are desperate. They like the Cybermen lose their base of operations and are forced to go on the run. When I watched the Moonbase the other day it really felt like a live action Dan Dare story like Marooned on Mercury where the Treens now on the run need to destroy the earth.

Also the Cybermen's leader, the Cyber Controller was intended to be a small, big brained creature like the Mekon, but they didn't have the budget, but they still kept his big head.

Dan Dare meanwhile much like the Doctor is the antithesis to the Daleks/Cybermen/and Treens. The Doctor treats everyone as equals, even though he comes from the most advanced society in the universe. His technology is also used in a positive way to take him to places where people need help, unlike the Cybermen. Similarly Dan is the same he comes from a society that treats everyone equally and his advanced technology is always used to help people.

This coupled with the fact that Dan and the Doctor are both the quintessential British gentlemanly hero who often travel with intelligent female characters (Peabody, Rodan) IMO makes Dan more comparable to the Doctor than any other character.

This looks like it might be interesting: http://downthetubes.net/?p=40408