Friday, 24 May 2013

DAN DARE MEETS STEVE ZODIAC (SORT OF)...


Copyright relevant owner

In TV CENTURY 21 issue #40, DAN DARE creator FRANK HAMPSON took over the art duties on the full-colour FIREBALL XL5 strip for four episodes, and demonstrated that his years of drawing EAGLE comic's PILOT Of The FUTURE had more than adequately prepared him for illustrating the epic adventures of STEVE ZODIAC and his fellow astronauts from the WORLD SPACE PATROL.

I recall reading this tale when it was first published, though it was many years later (decades in fact) before I found out that Frank Hampson was the artist responsible for these memorable instalments in TV21's comic strip incarnations of GERRY ANDERSON's very first puppet programme to be set in the 21st century.  In fact, back then I'd never even heard of Frank Hampson and wouldn't have known who he was if I had.

I associate all four parts with one specific house, but looking at the dates, I'm surprised to see that I may've read the last one in the new house to which we'd only just moved.  It depends on whether the comic went on sale a full week or just a few days before the cover date.  A full week and it was my old house - a few days, it was the new one.  Thinking back now though, it seems I'd read these strips months before we flitted.  Funny how the mind plays tricks, eh?

Anyway, here's hoping you enjoy reading these strips today at least half as much as I did way back in 1965.  (Or perhaps I should say 2065?)  If you don't, better check your pulse - you could be dead!  (But let's hope not.)
  






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6 comments:

  1. PhilSee25 May 2013 at 00:51

    Great to see this. Never knew that Hampson had worked on any Anderson series in comics. Say what you will about comic adaptations of TV series Gerry's shows did attract some talent when you think of the work put in on them by the likes of Bellamy, Embleton and Noble to name but three.

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  2. Kid25 May 2013 at 01:12

    Phil, if you go back a few posts, you'll see a Lady Penelope strip from TV21 Summer Extra (1965) that Frank illustrated. As for the artists used, a lot of credit must go to Alan Fennell for having the smarts to use them.

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  3. PhilSee25 May 2013 at 02:30

    Thanks Kid, I obviously missed that one - you post so often it's hard to keep up with them all! Turn your back and you're three posts behind. Can't have too much of a good thing though!

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  4. Kid25 May 2013 at 03:16

    My thoughts exactly, Phil. I also figure that the more I do, the better my chances are of getting one right.

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  5. DeadSpiderEye25 May 2013 at 07:13

    I noticed Matt Matic doesn't need a helmet on his initial EVA, probably using those handy oxygen pills.

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  6. Kid14 July 2020 at 19:37

    Interestingly, they all wear space helmets on the asteroid - though Matt's disappears for one panel and reappears in the next. (Artistic license, I suppose.)

    (Originally posted 25 May 2013 at 12.40.)

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