094 | W W W.SCI FI N OW.CO.U K
DAN DARE
FLASHBACK
on an evolving line. It shows British science
fi ction shifting from a militaristic post-war view,
to one intended to educate and entertain,
and then gleefully mutating into something
far richer and stranger. Regardless, the three
characters are all fundamentally optimistic,
even though it’s arguable that only The Doctor
and Colonel Dare ever have that optimism
borne out.
Although as producer Andrew Mark Sewell
points out, now is the perfect time for Dan
Dare to fl y again: “Well, space is back!
After years languishing in the backwaters,
the romance of space has ignited the public
imagination again. From Chris Hadfi eld’s
rendition of Space Oddity in the space station,
which clocked up 26 million hits on YouTube,
to the 200,000 volunteers for a one-way ticket
to Mars, people now see space explorationMEET THE DAN
DARE CHARACTERS
[HEROIC FANFARE PLAYS] WELCOME TO SPACE
FLEET! RISE AND SHINE, RECRUIT! IT’S TIME
TO GET TO KNOW THE BRAVE EXPLORERS
LEADING THE CHARGE INTO SPACE! THEIR
LIVES DEPEND ON YOU, AND YOURS DEPENDS
ON THEM SO SPIT SPOT! LET’S GET MOVING!COLONEL DANIEL MCGREGOR DARE
Colonel Dare is the fi nest pilot in the service,
always ready with a smile and a last-minute
rescue. Born in Manchester (not that you could tell
from his accent), Colonel Dare is Dan to his friends
and ‘CURSE YOU, DAAAAREEE!’ to his enemies.
A brilliant pilot and engineer, he’s as lucky as he
is gifted behind the stick. But the mark of a true
leader is knowing when to speak, not fi ght, and
that’s where Dan is our man. His sense of honour
and decency is such that, if anyone can fi nd a
non-violent solution, it’s Dan Dare. And if that
fails, if anyone can escape from a space station
as it explodes and falls into the sun? Dan can! Go
get ‘em, Dan!ALBERT ‘DIGBY’ FITZWILLIAM
The salt of the Earth and the curse of the
spaceways, Digby is Dan’s number one man on
the spot! Colonel Dare’s plain speaking, Wigan-
born batman, Digby never met a nap he didn’t like
or a meal he didn’t love. But don’t underestimate
this Lancashire Heeler! Beneath his occasionally-
terrifi ed exterior lies the heart of a warrior. Loyal,
determined, occasionally shrieking ‘we’re all
doomed!’, Digby is everything you want in a
sidekick. Stick with it, Dig! You’re not doomed yet!PROFESSOR JOCELYN
MABEL PEABODY
If Colonel Dare is the heart of the team and
Digby it’s soul, Professor Joceyln Peabody is the
brains! Space is serious business and when the
time for action gives way to the time for science,
Professor Peabody is the woman for the job. A
brilliant scientist, a gifted astronaut, and with the
patience of a saint, she’s a vital component of
Dan’s team, solving problems he can’t or that are
about to blow up the Anastasia. Go forth and
science, Prof!THE MEKON
Vast of head and intellect, the Mekon has
subjugated his race, the Treen, and has plans for
the rest of our solar system. Cold, merciless, and
seething with hatred for Dan, he’s the enemy we
all face but none of us fear! Not as long as Dan
Dare keeps on fl ying!“DARE IS A
COMPLE TELY
DIFFERENT
TYPE OF HERO”
COLIN BRAKE092-095_SFN_170 Flashback.indd 94 18/03/2020 22:59094 | W W W.SCI FI N OW.CO.U K
DAN DARE
FLASHBACK
on an evolving line. It shows British science
fi ction shifting from a militaristic post-war view,
to one intended to educate and entertain,
and then gleefully mutating into something
far richer and stranger. Regardless, the three
characters are all fundamentally optimistic,
even though it’s arguable that only The Doctor
and Colonel Dare ever have that optimism
borne out.
Although as producer Andrew Mark Sewell
points out, now is the perfect time for Dan
Dare to fl y again: “Well, space is back!
After years languishing in the backwaters,
the romance of space has ignited the public
imagination again. From Chris Hadfi eld’s
rendition of Space Oddity in the space station,
which clocked up 26 million hits on YouTube,
to the 200,000 volunteers for a one-way ticket
to Mars, people now see space explorationMEET THE DAN
DARE CHARACTERS
[HEROIC FANFARE PLAYS] WELCOME TO SPACE
FLEET! RISE AND SHINE, RECRUIT! IT’S TIME
TO GET TO KNOW THE BRAVE EXPLORERS
LEADING THE CHARGE INTO SPACE! THEIR
LIVES DEPEND ON YOU, AND YOURS DEPENDS
ON THEM SO SPIT SPOT! LET’S GET MOVING!COLONEL DANIEL MCGREGOR DARE
Colonel Dare is the fi nest pilot in the service,
always ready with a smile and a last-minute
rescue. Born in Manchester (not that you could tell
from his accent), Colonel Dare is Dan to his friends
and ‘CURSE YOU, DAAAAREEE!’ to his enemies.
A brilliant pilot and engineer, he’s as lucky as he
is gifted behind the stick. But the mark of a true
leader is knowing when to speak, not fi ght, and
that’s where Dan is our man. His sense of honour
and decency is such that, if anyone can fi nd a
non-violent solution, it’s Dan Dare. And if that
fails, if anyone can escape from a space station
as it explodes and falls into the sun? Dan can! Go
get ‘em, Dan!ALBERT ‘DIGBY’ FITZWILLIAM
The salt of the Earth and the curse of the
spaceways, Digby is Dan’s number one man on
the spot! Colonel Dare’s plain speaking, Wigan-
born batman, Digby never met a nap he didn’t like
or a meal he didn’t love. But don’t underestimate
this Lancashire Heeler! Beneath his occasionally-
terrifi ed exterior lies the heart of a warrior. Loyal,
determined, occasionally shrieking ‘we’re all
doomed!’, Digby is everything you want in a
sidekick. Stick with it, Dig! You’re not doomed yet!PROFESSOR JOCELYN
MABEL PEABODY
If Colonel Dare is the heart of the team and
Digby it’s soul, Professor Joceyln Peabody is the
brains! Space is serious business and when the
time for action gives way to the time for science,
Professor Peabody is the woman for the job. A
brilliant scientist, a gifted astronaut, and with the
patience of a saint, she’s a vital component of
Dan’s team, solving problems he can’t or that are
about to blow up the Anastasia. Go forth and
science, Prof!THE MEKON
Vast of head and intellect, the Mekon has
subjugated his race, the Treen, and has plans for
the rest of our solar system. Cold, merciless, and
seething with hatred for Dan, he’s the enemy we
all face but none of us fear! Not as long as Dan
Dare keeps on fl ying!“DARE IS A
COMPLE TELY
DIFFERENT
TYPE OF HERO”
COLIN BRAKE