Dan Dare, the quintessential British space hero, is returning in a new graphic novel titled Dan Dare: First Contact, set for release in November 2025. The reboot, created by writer Alex de Campi and artist Marc Laming, will be published by B7 Comics with the blessing of the Dan Dare Corporation, which owns the rights to the character.
The original Dan Dare debuted in the first issue of the Eagle comic on 14 April 1950, created by Manchester-born illustrator Frank Hampson. The new version aims to introduce the character to a modern audience while staying true to the spirit of the original. De Campi said the idea came after re-reading old Hampson strips and daydreaming about a modern Dan Dare, leading her to pitch the project to the rights holders.
The 100-page graphic novel will feature classic characters including Professor Jocelyn Peabody, Digby, and the villainous Mekon, but with updates for the 21st century. Digby, originally a bumbling batman, is now a young working-class engineer and inventor from Wigan. Professor Peabody is of Indian descent, a change de Campi said adds depth to the story's exploration of colonisation in space.
The setting has also been reimagined: climate change has ravaged Earth, but Britain is a progressive vanguard with universal public services and state-funded space flight. The USA has become the United Corporations of America, with privatised space travel. De Campi described the new world as a response to the original's post-war utopianism, now reflecting contemporary concerns.
Andrew Mark Sewell of B7 Comics said the reboot aims to introduce Dan Dare to a new generation while honouring the heritage and sense of hope from the original 1950s strip. The project was funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign, and the graphic novel will be released later this year.
