New Dan Dare comic

[Ian Wheeler]

Not really a British comic actually as it doesn't even have a UK cover price but I bought the new comic at FP in Leeds yesterday (haven't seen it in any newsagents) and it's really, really good. There are two versions of the cover and although it's full of adverts, the story is a good read which is respectful to the past but looks to the future.

[John Freeman]

There's been huge debate about this new comic on various groups, especially comment based on the six or seven pages pre-released as a Virgin teaser. I for one was more than happy to wait to see what the actual comic looked like and I wasn't disappointed. Those previews actually had a surprising twist, and the re-introduction of all the characters was, I felt, well handled (I assume his blue eyes may be explained at some point, along with Dare's apparent youth?)

The writing and art on this first issue is top notch, there are a couple of "wow' factor moments including the cliffhanger and, aside from perhaps too many 'close ups' when it comes to battle fleets (I felt artist Gary Erskine could perhaps have pulled out more on establishing shots here, but this is a VERY minor niggle), there's little to fault this latest interpretation of Dare at this point, in my eyes. Great to see the book finally out and getting wide press exposure, including a One Show feature piece by cricketer Phil Tufnell from the bowels of Forbidden Planet London and Fast Show co-creator Charlie Higson waxing lyrical about The Trigan Empire.

With this and the 70th birthday of The Dandy this week, it's been a great few days for British comic fans!

[John Freeman]

Along with news of Dan Dare's UK sell out success, come many reviews of the new Virgin Comic. They seem mixed but largely positive - and that's not to defend some of the things several here, including me, have problems with.

I've posted a short round up on the downthetubes blog and re-plugged Spaceship Away:

http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2007/12/dan-dare-uk-sales-su...  

or http://tinyurl.com/38d7ex

[Jeremy Briggs]

I enjoyed it as well and am looking forward to the next issue.

It certainly seems to be selling well. Forbidden Planet Edinburgh still had some copies left last Friday lunchtime, although mainly varient covers, while FPI Glasgow had sold out of their 60 copies by Saturday lunchtime and were telling people that they were reordering. A1 Comics, also in Glasgow, were sold out by Saturday as well.

[John Freeman]

PR on this has been very good, I think - just shows that with the right property and the right marketing you can make comics cool and get people buying.
I much prefer the Bryan Talbot cover myself. The Greg Horn one is too Battlestar Galactica

issue 2 is John Higgins and looks great.

[John Owens]

>> while FPI Glasgow had sold out of their 60 copies

I was one of the disappointed customers being told they didn't have any issues in stock. I'll try again, tomorrow. I was told it was delayed. I didn't know if they meant the first batch of comics or the reorder hadn't come through.

I have seen the previews and I can't wait to get a copy.

[John Owens]

Finally got my mitts on a copy.

I like it. A great start to the mini series. I look forward to the next five issues.

I did see the Greg Horn cover. It is not true Dan Dare style.

At Virgin Comics, the covers for the next three issues are available. The February issue cover looks cool.

http://www.virgincomics.com/home.html

I can't provide a direct link to those covers since they are embedded in the Flash animation. Anyway, from the left hand side, select 'New Releases' and then select any month from December.

Keep flicking through the comics until you find a Dan Dare issue.

[John Freeman]

I've added the covers further down this thread - chee4rs for the tip

[Neill Cameron]

Bought this on a whim and really enjoyed it - my only gripe being that as I bought it by mail order I got the Greg Horn cover without asking, and it's really really awful.

But the insides are nice - I think this is the first work by Gary Erskine I've seen since 'Knights of Pendragon' years ago, and while he seems to have lost a certain amount of individuality to his style since his work on that title, he has a nice way with facial expressions.

[John Freeman]

Yes, I gather the Horn cover isn't too popular: I'm hoping my comic shop can get me a Talbot one at some point.

[azurechan]

How readily available is this? Specialist shops only or normal bookshops/news agents?

[Ian Wheeler]

The eeidence so far appears to suggest the former. You can get it on ebay too, naturally

[John Freeman]

Virgin Comics are distributed via comic shops: I've used a few online stores but found Mega City is very good, they're based in Camden, London.