Eagle (British comics) Riders of the Range and P.C. 49 helped ensure a weekly circulation of almost a million copies, but it was the adventures of Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future, which most captivated readers. Created by Hampson—now a full-time staff artist with his own team—Dan Dare was the UK's first science-fiction comic strip of any significance. Readers were thrilled by the square-jawed British spaceman's weekly exploits, and his struggles with The Mekon. While Morris (who by now had resigned from St James) edited the magazine from Hulton's premises at Shoe Lane in London, the comic was created in a converted bakery
Dan Dare new supporting cast, who remained with the series throughout the rest of its run. Spacecraft of various designs were presented as the product of inhabitants of various planets. The vehicle most identified with Dan was the winged "Anastasia". Designed by Sondar, it employed both Venusian and Earth space drives. Later, an alien ship was adopted and renamed the "Zyl-bat". There was also an experimental time-travelling ship called "Tempus Frangit" (Latin: "it breaks time" or "time breaks"). There were land and air vehicles – in the first stories, cars conform to styling of the time, while some flying machines were based