Dan Dare #1, 5
Created by Frank Hampson
Script Garth Ennis
Art by Gary Erskine
Color by Parasuraman A.
Letters by Rakesh B. Mahadik
Virgin Comics
Cover price: $2.99; Available now
Garth Ennis‘ latest project, Dan Dare, is a revival of a comic published in the 1950s in Britain. Published previously in the 2000 AD comic, the series is now under the Virgin Comics banner. I recently had the chance to review the first issue as well as their latest issue, issue five, of the new limited series and was surprisingly shocked by how much I enjoyed the comic.
Dan Dare was once a colonel for the International Space Fleet, a sort of super police for the Universe in the futuristic 1990s. Backed by the United Nations, Dare would lead his fleet against arch nemesis The Mekon, a evil genius from the planet Venus, thwarting his plans for world domination on numerous occasions. But that was in the past. Britain is now world’s sole superpower with the United Nations in shambles after China and America’s nuclear war and Dan Dare is quietly living life in retirement. All of this changes when the Prime Minister of Britain pays Dare a visit. It would appear that an old foe has resurfaced, forcing Dare once again to take to the skies and save the day.
Taking a character from the 1950s, which has a small but loyal following, and trying to update it for new readers is quite a task for any writer but Ennis seems to take it in stride. By placing this new series in the distant Dan Dare future, Ennis is able to establish the old comic series as the character’s past and make his current series the character’s present. This clever story device allows Ennis to go on about his business without offending any long time fans and it seems to be paying off.
The story so far is pretty entertaining and easy to follow for new fans. Under Ennis’s watch, Dan Dare comes off like a smooth fighter pilot, a la Green Lantern with a dash of Captain America. The battle scenes are strangely reminiscent of those in Farscape and Battlestar Galactica and really do bring you into another world. But longtime Garth fans beware: This is not Garth Ennis that people are use to.
There is no dark storylines or over the top violence that fans might be use to, but that does not mean it is not good. The comic reads very well and reminds me of those old pulp comic books. The dialogue is very adult and so is the action, but not too graphic that a child would not be able to read and enjoy. It definitely reads like a Garth Ennis book that people have come to enjoy. It is full of characterization, great action, and a satisfying read overall but without all the bad words and decapitated heads.
Artist Gary Erskine’s art is so gorgeous it would amaze me to find a book his art does not fit with. In my eyes, there is no comic he cannot draw. His character designs always tiptoe the line between realistic and unrealistic, which always appealed to me. Erksine and Ennis has worked together previously on other books, so it is no surprise to me that they work so well together.
Overall, I would recommend the current Dan Dare series based on what I read in this two issues. Keep in mind readers, that I was only able to review the first and latest issue of the series. For all I know, the other three issues might not be as good, but what I have read so far, I have enjoyed. It is Garth Ennis at his finest and Erksine’s art is nothing to frown about. It is a book that you should definitely take a look at if you were ever a fan of Flash Gordon or if you just like a good old-fashioned space adventure. If you want a book that’s light years beyond boring, than this is the book for you.
