Dan Dare life. After this initial storyline other writers were used and different supporting characters came and went, including Professor Pinkerton, a female scientist similar to Professor Peabody, and a new Digby (again, a descendant of the original). The Mekon was generally the foe in alternate stories. In 1987 the strip became more like a space opera, with increasing violence. Now drawn by John Gillatt, Dan took on a tough-guy look. He led space commandos and packed a hi-tech gun reminiscent of that carried by Judge Dredd. The original strip, featuring the characters of the 1950s Eagle, was revived in 1989, with
Vermont Eagle practices." Antagonistic editorials continued back-and-forth into the beginning of 2002. Around that time, facing financial troubles, the "Eagle" announced that it would begin charging readers .50 per copy. In 2003, because of ongoing financial struggles, the "Vermont Eagle" was purchased by New Market Press. New Market Press was co-founded by Dan Coats and Dan Alexander, who went on to own Denton Publications, which now owns the "Vermont Eagle". Denton Publication is considered a sister publication group to the New Market Press. In 2009, the Vermont Times was absorbed into the "Vermont Eagle". In 2016, the Green Mountain Outlook was absorbed