Dan Dare Dan Dare Dan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories. Dare appeared in the "Eagle" comic story "Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future" from 1950 to 1967 (and subsequently in reprints), and dramatised seven times a week on Radio Luxembourg (1951–1956). The stories were set in the late 1990s, but the dialogue and manner of the characters is reminiscent of British war films of the 1950s. Dan Dare has been described as "Biggles in Space" and as the British equivalent of Buck Rogers. Dan Dare was distinguished by
Eagle (British comics) until 1987, and its lead character, Max, purported to be the comic's editor for several years after the story finished. "Eagle" inspired several imitators, such as "Valiant", "Tiger", and "Lion" (which featured a Dan Dare clone, "Captain Condor") but such adventure tales were less palatable for girls. Female characters like Dan Dare's Professor Peabody (one of only two female main characters in the strip), were generally given less important roles than the men, and as a result a trend developed toward producing comics aimed specifically at either boys or girls. "Girl", a sister title to "Eagle", appeared in November 1951,