"...eclectic and entertaining" - John Freeman (Down the Tubes), "...essential reading" - Hibernia Comics, "...always a good read" Graeme Neil Reid, "...a terrific blog" Ian Wheeler, "...one of my favourite sites on the web - always fascinating and informative!" Michael 'Judge Dredd' Carroll
31 December 2017
30 December 2017
29 December 2017
Junior Jet Club - part 4 (of 4)
Before the early 1980s issues of Fleetwings it appears to have been a more sporadic publication, here are the issues from the British Airways Archive (where all these images come from)...
Fleetwings 1978
Fleetwings - June 1976
Fleetwings - June 1974
Fleetwings - June 1973
Fleetwings 1972
Fleetwings - Summer 1981
Fleetwings 1978
Fleetwings 1977
Fleetwings - June 1976
Fleetwings - June 1974
Fleetwings - June 1973
Fleetwings 1972
Fleetwings - Summer 1981
28 December 2017
Junior Jet Club - part 3 (of 4)
From my recently acquired trove of images of Fleetwings, the magazine of the Junior Jet Club, do you remember getting these?
Spring 1982 issue of Fleetwings
Summer 1982 issue of Fleetwings
Winter 1982 issue of Fleetwings
The Spring 1983 issue of Fleetwings
Spring 1982 issue of Fleetwings
Summer 1982 issue of Fleetwings
Winter 1982 issue of Fleetwings
The Spring 1983 issue of Fleetwings
27 December 2017
Happy Christmas from new Eagle - part 3 (of 3)
Wow it's the least Christmas-y comic cover ever. Did they forget it was Christmas? Odd (from 1988).
Keith Watson provides a stunning contrast to the 1988 cover with this 1989 cover, with the original Dan & Digby the cover stars
1990 was the last cover that was Christmas-y - the 1991/2/3 issues were when the comic had gone monthly and there weren't enough issues in the year for gimmicky covers, so here's the last of the bunch...
Keith Watson provides a stunning contrast to the 1988 cover with this 1989 cover, with the original Dan & Digby the cover stars
1990 was the last cover that was Christmas-y - the 1991/2/3 issues were when the comic had gone monthly and there weren't enough issues in the year for gimmicky covers, so here's the last of the bunch...
26 December 2017
Happy Christmas from new Eagle - part 2 (of 3)
From 1985 we have a scary 13th floor cover by Robin Smith - note also the classic snow on the logo
Ortiz (and the 13th floor) also provide a scary cover for 1986 - plus more snow on the logo
Robin Smith (initials just about visible in the bottom right corner) provides an actual, happy Christmas cover for 1987
Ortiz (and the 13th floor) also provide a scary cover for 1986 - plus more snow on the logo
Robin Smith (initials just about visible in the bottom right corner) provides an actual, happy Christmas cover for 1987
25 December 2017
Happy Christmas from new Eagle - part 1 (of 3)
Just trawling back through my new Eagle collection to bring you their Christmas covers...
From 1982 i's the Game for a Laugh gang and I appear to have got this for 10p from Forbidden Planet back in the day...
The 1983 Christmas cover by Eric Bradbury
The 1983 Christmas cover by Eric Bradbury
Ian Kennedy draws the 1984 cover, not very Christmas-y but there is at least some skiing..
24 December 2017
Von Hoffman's invasion - book one
From the pen of writer Tom Tully and the pen of artist Eric Bradbury comes this reprint from Buster and Jet
According to the Amazon listing here this is due out on 4th May 2018, as the listing says...
128 pages of Eric Bradbury art. Fantastic. Count me in. I know nothing at all about his strip but I still can't wait to read it.
According to the Amazon listing here this is due out on 4th May 2018, as the listing says...
Mad scientists, giant monsters, and courageous saboteurs!
Luxurious treasury reprinting of one of the best – and maddest – British cult comics of all time!
Having been released from prison, the evil Nazi genius, Dr Von Hoffman is fully intent on using an amazing enlarging gas that he has invented to exact a diabolical revenge on Britain for opposing Germany in World War II. Utilising an army of giant critters and beasts to attack provincial towns, stately homes and army camps, the only thing that stands in his way are the plucky young brothers Barry and Joey Drake…
Restored and remastered for the very first time!
Luxurious treasury reprinting of one of the best – and maddest – British cult comics of all time!
Having been released from prison, the evil Nazi genius, Dr Von Hoffman is fully intent on using an amazing enlarging gas that he has invented to exact a diabolical revenge on Britain for opposing Germany in World War II. Utilising an army of giant critters and beasts to attack provincial towns, stately homes and army camps, the only thing that stands in his way are the plucky young brothers Barry and Joey Drake…
Restored and remastered for the very first time!
23 December 2017
new Dan Dare reference material unearthed - part 2 (of 2)
Following on from yesterday's Dan Dare strip roughs, here are 3 more...
you can link to the precise page on the Frank Hampson website here
All images are (c) Peter Hampson
you can link to the precise page on the Frank Hampson website here
All images are (c) Peter Hampson
22 December 2017
Pat Mills' Goodnight, John-Boy - now available
Just to to flag up that Pat Mills' second volume in the 'Read Em and Weep' series is now available to order from Amazon here
I've just read volume one and loved it so am really looking forward to this
21 December 2017
new Dan Dare reference material unearthed - part 1 (of 2)
Over on the Frank Hampson artwork website (here), dedicated to the work of his late father, Peter Hampson has just added some recently discovered reference material prepared by his father. As Peter says...
These concept sketches were given to Pip Warwick (the sculptor who created the ceramic Mekon heads) by my father in the 1970's, and came to light only recently. His wife, Catherine, has kindly agreed to allow me to reproduce them here on the website.
They refer to various bits of hardware for use in Reign of the Robots. The first three sheets were, I think, produced by Eric Eden. I'm not sure about the last three - they seem to be by a different hand.
The drawings demonstrate yet again the extraordinary level of thought and care that went into the production of the strip. None of these items were major parts of the story. As far as I'm aware, despite the time and trouble it must have taken to create Sondar's 'tent', it only made it into a couple of frames, and then only as background. (The cab on the sketch for the '20 tonner' in the third sheet bears a remarkable resemblance to the cab on a Class 44 diesel locomotive!)
Fascinating though the drawings are, some of the annotations are even more interesting. For example, Digby's menu, and the mention of the container beneath the 'couch' in the tent as the repository for Alan Stranks' unknown future requirements - evidence of something which rarely gets a mention in descriptions of life in the studio - the sense of fun which went side by side with all the hard work.
A note of interest - The author and photograper John Wade is currently putting together a book on 1950's Sci Fi, 'The Golden Age of Science Fiction', which is scheduled for publication in Autumn 2018. He will be including some of these images in his book, together with others relevant to the Dan Dare story.
All material is (c) Peter Hampson
These concept sketches were given to Pip Warwick (the sculptor who created the ceramic Mekon heads) by my father in the 1970's, and came to light only recently. His wife, Catherine, has kindly agreed to allow me to reproduce them here on the website.
They refer to various bits of hardware for use in Reign of the Robots. The first three sheets were, I think, produced by Eric Eden. I'm not sure about the last three - they seem to be by a different hand.
The drawings demonstrate yet again the extraordinary level of thought and care that went into the production of the strip. None of these items were major parts of the story. As far as I'm aware, despite the time and trouble it must have taken to create Sondar's 'tent', it only made it into a couple of frames, and then only as background. (The cab on the sketch for the '20 tonner' in the third sheet bears a remarkable resemblance to the cab on a Class 44 diesel locomotive!)
Fascinating though the drawings are, some of the annotations are even more interesting. For example, Digby's menu, and the mention of the container beneath the 'couch' in the tent as the repository for Alan Stranks' unknown future requirements - evidence of something which rarely gets a mention in descriptions of life in the studio - the sense of fun which went side by side with all the hard work.
A note of interest - The author and photograper John Wade is currently putting together a book on 1950's Sci Fi, 'The Golden Age of Science Fiction', which is scheduled for publication in Autumn 2018. He will be including some of these images in his book, together with others relevant to the Dan Dare story.
All material is (c) Peter Hampson
20 December 2017
Junior Jet Club - part 2 (of 4)
The Spring 1981 issue of Fleetwings, a lovely Concorde cover
The Summer 1981 cover of Fleetwings
A winter themed issue of Fleetwings - this is the Winter 1981 issue
A winter themed issue of Fleetwings - this is the Winter 1981 issue
19 December 2017
Junior Jet Club - part 1 (of 4)
The Spring 1980 issue of Fleetwings
The Summer 1980 issue of Fleetwings
The Winter 1980 issue of Fleetwings
The Summer 1980 issue of Fleetwings
The Winter 1980 issue of Fleetwings
