For a decade and more, every Christmas, many of us born in the middle decades of the last century would spend many happy hours at Christmas reading the exploits of Dan Dare.
The stories appeared in the Eagle Annual, which was a spin off of the comic of the same name.
Dan Dare was a good hero, vanquished the evil and tyrannical figures across the Universe, but always did it fairly, never breaking his word, and by and large never killing his opponents.
Such was the comic world for boys and some girls in the 1950s.
There were other comics, and indeed other annuals, but Eagle and its companion comics Girl, Swift and Robin with their mix of adventure stories, information features and humour call up a gentler world.
Now I know it isn't Christmas but I liked the annuals, and still have them all from 1950 through to 1966.
And that is it.
Location; the 1950s
Pictures; Operation Moss and Space Race from the Eagle Annuals, 1950s, from the collection of Andrew Simpson
Why do I remember the full lyrics to this song? I remember Digby singing it whilst taking care of a Triceratops.
ReplyDeleteOh give me deep space with the stars in my face,
Where the comets and asteroids play
Where it's peaceful and still and the gravity's nil
Far away in the old Milky Way.
Far, far in free fall, that's the place I am longing to be
Believe me, my friend, from now to the end,
It's the life of the spacemen for me.
Please help me put myself out of this misery.
Simon Wood