Comments on: Dan Dare and the Birth of Hi-Tech Britain

Dan Dare and the Birth of Hi-Tech Britain

Artw — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:39:53 -0800

Dan Dare, pilot of the future, scourge of the Venusian Mekon menace, and modernist architectural inspiration?

By: Artw

Artw — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:55:36 -0800

I'm actually really enjoying the Garth Ennis written reboot of Dan Dare, though the breezy modernist flair of original becomes a sort of sad nostalfgia. There were some fears that with Ennis writing it would be all buggery jokes, but, well, Grant Morrisons been there already... (lovely art by Rian Hughes)

By: Joakim Ziegler

Joakim Ziegler — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:30:07 -0800

I was about to say that, Garth Ennis anything seems to be the same, but 10 times more violent and with more "OMG the gays".

By: Artw

Artw — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:35:22 -0800

In another Modern Architecture/pop culture confluence, Auric Goldfinger takes his name from this guy, whos work Fleming despised. Rather ironic really, since Ken Adams ended up giving Bond Villains cool modernist lairs in the movies, one of the things most closely assosiated with Bond.

By: EndsOfInvention

EndsOfInvention — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:42:57 -0800

Artw, the links in your comments are all broken. I suspect Mekon interference.

By: Artw

Artw — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:53:05 -0800

Nuts. Ennis Dare. Morrison Dare. Ernő Goldfinger, who Fleming hated. Ken Adams, set designer. (I suspect cutting and pasting form an app that gets clever with angled quotes is to blame)

By: Artw

Artw — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:54:24 -0800

The art of Rian Hughes

By: Guy_Inamonkeysuit

Guy_Inamonkeysuit — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:59:24 -0800

That Goldfimger link is priceless. Regarding Fleming's book: Goldfinger consulted his lawyers when the book was published in 1959 (which prompted Fleming to threaten to rename the character 'Goldprick') but eventually decided not to sue; Fleming's publishers agreed to pay his costs and gave him six free copies of the book. Goldfinger was a serious man and sometimes fired his assistants if they were inappropriately jocular. Good thing it wasn't Oddjob.

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:13:47 -0800

Hmmm bigged up in the Dare architecture article The Sainsbury Centre appears to be ... a box, a pretty box but not vary daring (sorry). The Renault Distribution Centre looks much better... nicely high-tech and comic-booky

By: autodidact

autodidact — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:01:57 -0800

"Virgin" comcs.... lol, how unfortunate.

By: alasdair

alasdair — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:25:27 -0800

Another thing I like about Dan Dare is the post-war faith in the new United Nations and a very liberal, "Brotherhood of Man" positive attitude. At the end of the first story, a demilitarised Earth fights the Mekon with ceremonial troops from all over the world, and all races and colours and creeds, emerging victorious over racist and fascist Treens. Of course, all the races and colours and creeds are led by a white British officer, but come on, this was the 1950s...

By: fearfulsymmetry

fearfulsymmetry — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:17:52 -0800

Material World podcast

By: Artw

Artw — Sun, 04 May 2008 14:57:40 -0800

When Dan Dared