Dan Dare to celebrate their 20th anniversary, "2000 AD" published two issues with additional free comics, the first a reprint of the first issue of "2000 AD", which starred Dan Dare. The second free comic was a speculative issue called "3000 AD" which contained strips partially based on the first issue of "2000 AD". One strip was entitled "The Return of Dan Dare", which also featured the return of the Mekon. In 1982 "Eagle" was re-launched, with "Dan Dare" again its flagship strip. The new character was the great-great-great-grandson of the original hero—the only surviving character from the original strip being the
Keith Watson (artist) Keith Watson (artist) Keith Watson (Ormesby, 1 February 1935 – Cheam, 9 April 1994) was a British comics artist most famous for his work on Dan Dare and TV Century 21. Watson joined the studio team of Frank Hampson working on the "Dan Dare" strip in Eagle in 1958. After Hampson left the strip the following year, Watson worked on "Captain Condor" for the rival Lion (comic). He later returned to Dan Dare, becoming the sole artist. Watson worked on the Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons strip in TV Century 21, and the Joe 90 strip in the self-style comic,