My Dan Dare 12 Volume Deluxe Collectors Edition Series Plus Dan Dare Dossier

(Other Pubs I own: Dan Dare / Eagle related publications | Eagle/Dan Dare Annuals)

Background on Dan Dare Deluxe Collectors Edition - vols 1 - 12
Compiled by Mike Higgs and published by Hawk Books

It was back in 1987 when the Deluxe Collectors Edition series of "Dan Dare" strip cartoons began. The first volume reprinted a full colour facsimile of the first "Dan Dare" story as it originally appeared in "Eagle" magazine between April 1950 through to September 1951.

The response to this volume was good enough to ensure that the rest of Dan Dan's adventures in this 2-pages-per-episode format would continue and Volume 2 right through to Volume 12 is the result. Some of you will have realised that not all of the original "Dan Dare" adventures have been reprinted. Due to incompatibility of formats and poor black & white artwork, created during the turbulent times of "Eagle" (1962-1967), a number of stories were not included in the Deluxe Collectors Edition. The missing stories are listed at the the end of this article.

The Dan Dare Deluxe Collectors Edition series Volumes 1 through 11 have reprinted all the full colour "Dan Dare" adventures from April 1950 through to March 1962. It was around this point in time that the decline of "Eagle" began and the publishers started to mess with the format of "Dan Dare" strip. Thus volume 12 is the the collection of the "best of the bad" strips from about March 1962 to January 1967.

Mike Higgs

List of "Dan Dare" stories left out of the "Deluxe" series due to incompatibility of format. The title is followed by the volume and issue numbers of the original "Eagle" comic that they appeared in.

From: "Terence Doyle" <Terry.Doyle@care4free.net>
Subject: Hawk Books' DAN DARE hardback reprint series
Date: Sun, 27 Aug 2000

in Volumes 8 -10 of this series I produced short background features for these books (two in collaboration with Alan Vince), the first of which reproduced extremely rare 'Colour Visual' artwork for THE PHANTOM FLEET. It would be nice to see these articles mentioned in your table of contents for each of the relevant books you catalogue.

TERRY DOYLE

On 4 Sep 2000, Terry again writes:
I, myself, possess over fifty DARE boards from the 1950s and 1960s - including many Hampson examples and three Bellamys.

For samples of Frank Hamson/Frank Bellamy's artwork owned by Terry Doyle, please click here.

Dan Dare Deluxe Collectors Edition - vols 1 - 12
Vol. 1 was printed in three versions: two hardback and one softback edition. Vol. 2 was printed in two editions while the rest of the books only as a first edition. As the result, the first two vols and from 4-12 are usually the cheapest to obtain. Vols 3 & 4 are the most expensive, due to very limited printing, and can fetch between $US 200-350 each at eBay.

Volume 1
DAN DARE - PILOT OF THE FUTURE
10th Anniversary Imprint of the 1st Deluxe Collector's Edition

A facsimile reproduction of the very first Dan Dare story, devised and illustrated by Frank Hampson, as it originally appeared in the Eagle magazine Vol. 1, No. 1, April 1950 through to Vol. 2, No. 25, September 1951. Compiled by Mike Higgs.

Published by HAWK Books in 1997 - SECOND EDITION - ISBN 0 948248 45 9
Printed in Great Britain

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in 1997]

These Vol. 1 Editions I do not own
Vol. 1 First Edition, 1987. Published under Patrick Hawkey Publishing Ltd label. ISBN: 0 948248 45 9. This is the only volume not published by Hawk Books. eBay 2002 - GBP 35-50-91	In 1988, Hawk Books also printed an unlimited softback version. eBay 2002 - GBP 10-26

Note that Hawk Books is also owned by Patrick Hawkey.

Volume 2
The Red Moon Mystery: Oct 1951 vol 2(26) - June 1952 vol 3(11)
Marooned on Mercury: June 1952 vol 3(12) - Feb 1953 vol 3(46)
Mars 1988: Eagle Annual 1952

Published by HAWK Books in 1995 - SECOND EDITION - ISBN 0 948248 80 7
Printed in Belgium

(The second edition incorrectly gives the reprint date as 1988. This is a mistake. What distinguishes the two editions are two important details: the words FIRST EDITION and SECOND EDITION and the country of printing. First edition was printed in Portugal and the second in Belgium. Everything else is identical in both editions. For proof, see Hawk Books 1995 catalogue here.) See the scan of the second edition copyright page here. For the scan of first edition copyright page, click here.

The Red Moon Mystery
The Earth is approached by a gigantic meteorite inhabited by strange bee like creatures intent on stripping the world of its vegetation. Dan & Co., manage to lure it away from Earth but in doing so are sent shooting off into space towards Mercury.

Marooned on Mercury
After crash landing on Mercury Dan & Co., are rescued by the strange inhabitants of the planet and taken to one of their underground cities. Dan discovers that the Mekon, aided by a few Treens, has taken over the planet and enslaved the Mercurians. Dan again overcomes his arch enemy, but as usual, the Mekon manages to escape. One of the all time great Frank Hampson stories.

Published by HAWK Books in 1991 - FIRST EDITION - ISBN 0 948248 83 53 X
Printed in Spain by Cayfosa, Barcelona. See Nicholas Hill's review of this book.

[This volume was bought from Your Book Shop Ltd, Glastonbury, UK in 1999 for GBP 26.20]

eBay 2002 - GBP 77-80-107

Rogue Planet : another complete facsimile of an early Dan Dare adventure from Eagle / compiled by Mike Higgs. -- London : Hawk Books, 1992. -- 144 p. : col. ill. ; 36 cm. -- (Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future ; 6) -- Strips that originally appeared in Eagle, v. 6, no. 8 (Dec. 1955) to v. 8, no. 7 (Feb. 1957) -- Artwork by Frank Hampson.

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in Sept. 1994 for GBP 17.95]

eBay 2002 - GBP 77-135

Dan & Co., return to Earth after a long absence to find London deserted and the Mekon in control - aided by an army of robots.

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in Sept. 1994 for GBP 18.95]

eBay 2002 - GBP 31-50

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in Sept. 1994 for GBP 17.95]

eBay 2002 - GBP 20-30

Originally published in the Eagle in 1959. It was during this serial that Frank Hampson, the creator of DAN DARE, was forced to part company with the strip. He was suceeeded by Frank Bellamy whose own dynamic style is still admired by comic fans everywhere.

Take a look at the last Frank Hampson's last Dan Dare cover (included in above volume).

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in Sept. 1994 for GBP 18.95]

eBay 2002 - GBP 25-43-64

Project Nimbus
Whilst on a test flight, Nimbus One, a prototype spaceship, goes missing. Dan & Co., locate the ship using a giant radar and set off to investigate.

Mission of the Earthmen
Dan and Digby are carrying out a reconnaisance mission on a new planet when their craft is forced down by Zylans.

[This volume was bought from Hawk Books in Jan. 1995 for GBP 24.63]

eBay 2002 - GBP 20-30

Volume 11
Solid Space Mystery: Dec 1960 vol 11(53) - June 1961 vol 12(23)
Platinum Planet: June 1961 vol 12(24) - Nov 1961 vol 12(47)
The Earth Stealers: Nov 1961 vol 12(48) - March 1962 vol 13(9)

Published by HAWK Books in 1995 - FIRST EDITION - ISBN 1 899441 20 4
Printed in Belgium

[This volume was bought from The Children's Bookshop in March 1998]

eBay 2002 - GBP 20-30

Volume 12 - DARE: the final volume
All Treens Must Die!: June 1964 vol 15(23) - Oct 1964 vol 15(42)
The Mushroom: Oct 1964 vol 15(43) - Feb 1965 vol 16(6)
The Moonsleepers: Feb 1965 vol 16(7) - July 1965 vol 16(29)
The Menace from Jupiter: Eagle. July 1966 vol 17(27)- Jan 1967 vol 18(?)
Operation Moss: Eagle Annual no 8

Published by HAWK Books in 1995 - FIRST EDITION - ISBN 1 899441 25 5. 
Printed in Great Britain. 

This is a compilation of the best of the bad Dan Dare after the comic strip had degenerated into unrecognizable forms of the original comic hero.

[This volume was bought from The Children's Bookshop in March 1998]

eBay 2002 - GBP 25-47

The Dan Dare Dossier
Companion to the 12 volumes above
(For introduction to this book, click here)

 ISBN 0948248122

[This book was won on eBay auction on Mar. 10, 2002. The seller was David Britton - volstar. On April 7, 2002, David hand-delivered the book to me from the U.K. What service? Thank you David.]

eBay 2002 - GBP 48-75

Other publications I own:

• Dan Dare / Eagle related publications that I currently own

• Eagle/Dan Dare Annuals

• Eagle Times 1998 - 10'th Anniv. edition & Winter 1997 - Vol. 10 No.4 edition signed by Don Harley and Greta Tomlinson
• 40th Anniversary Exhibition - Souvenir Brochure signed by Greta Tomlinson, Jocelyn Thomas & Joan Porter
• Bayford Lodge - the Dan Dare Studio. Ten page booklet published in 2001 in a limited edition (100 copies). Previously never published photos taken by Joan Porter of Frank Hampson studio team in 1958.

Last Revised: October 20, 2002

For your comments, click here.

Back to:

Eagle, Dan Dare and all images by kind permission of the Dan Dare Corporation Ltd.

Page Layout and Design / Desin / Diseño - Copyright © MCMXCVII / MMII
Jack Lupic
All rights reserved / Tous droit réservés / Todos derechos reservados