Forgotten 1950s Sci-Fi Classic Finally Returns With A Twist

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Fans will soon have the opportunity to rediscover a truly great, but often overlooked, sci-fi action hero.

Writer Alex de Campi recently told The Guardian about the upcoming graphic novel Dan Dare: First Contact from B7 Comics. She explained that finding her old Dan Dare collections while moving inspired her to bring the classic 1950s sci-fi hero to a new audience.

For weeks, I imagined what a new, updated version of Dan Dare would look like. This led me to contact the Dan Dare Corporation with a proposal for a graphic novel series, and they agreed. Now, along with artist Marc Laming, I’m not just bringing Dan Dare and the Interplanet Space Fleet back – we’re completely reimagining the entire franchise.

Dan Dare: First Contact

  • Written by ALEX DE CAMPI
  • Art by MARC LAMING
  • Main cover art by MARC LAMING

Dan Dare was created by Frank Hampson and first appeared in issue #1 of the comic Eagle in 1950. The series, a classic of its time, was set in the future – the 1990s – and followed Dare and his companions as they battled various dangers from across the universe, including the villainous Mekon.

I’ve heard Dan Dare compared to Buck Rogers a lot, and honestly, it makes sense. The guy’s been around forever – decades in comics, and they’ve tried all sorts of things with him, like that animated CGI show, Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future, back in 2002. It didn’t last long, but it shows how dedicated the fanbase is – people keep coming back for more!

Dan Dare’s Return To Pop Culture, Explained

In 2016, B7 Media launched the first installment of its Dan Dare audio drama, featuring Ed Stoppard in the lead role. The drama, written by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle and directed by Andrew Mark Sewell, proved popular and a second volume followed in 2017.

According to De Campi, while people enjoy space adventure stories, the Western market is currently dominated by the same few established franchises. She believes these universes have become overly complex, making it difficult for new readers to get into them.

According to writer Peter De Campi, the world of Dan Dare: First Contact features a United States transformed into the United Corporations of America, where space travel is now handled by private companies. However, the UK took a different path. After considering cuts to public services in the 2020s, it instead reinvested in things like healthcare, education, infrastructure, transportation, and its space program.

Dan Dare: First Contact from B7 Comics is slated to arrive this November.

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2026-04-10 17:08