Comic Book Resources

Garth Ennis is Irish, not British.

He's from Northern Ireland, most of which regards itself as British. I'm not sure if Ennis is Protestant or Catholic but his love for the British Army seems to suggest the former...

Does "British" still mean someone from the British Isles? If so, Ennis would be British (meaning English or Scottish or Welsh or Irish or, hell, even Cornish) but not English. Let's talk semantics!!!!!

Anyone want to place bets on how long Ennis waits before Dan Dare experiences anal rape?

Like Ennis could stop him. Dan Dare loves that shit!

My (mostly irrational) dislike for Richard Branson not withstanding, it would be really good for Britain to have a functionig comics-line outside of 2000ad. I'm cautiously optimistic about Ennis doing Dan Dare although I probably would prefer a return to the innocence of the original after Grant Morrison's (admittedly brilliant) take on the Piliot of the Future.

"Anyone want to place bets on how long Ennis waits before Dan Dare experiences anal rape?"

While I haven't read everything he's written, in an Ennis story it's usually the villian who rapes and/or gets raped. If I knew who any of Dare's villians were, I'd tell them to watch out.

"If I knew who any of Dare’s villians were, I’d tell them to watch out."

I'll warn the Meckon to look both ways before he ties his shoelaces.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mekon

As Britain, there home base, does have a rather large population, and India itself has one of the largest populations - maybe they really don't mind being the Indian comic book company.

Was the last time we saw Dan Dare in the Morrison/Hughes mini-series? Because it was kind of implied that he was, you know, dead. I guess Marvel and DC aren't the only ones always bringing people back!

Was the last time we saw Dan Dare in the Morrison/Hughes mini-series? Because it was kind of implied that he was, you know, dead. I guess Marvel and DC aren’t the only ones always bringing people back!

WHAT?

A Morrison take on a character BEING IGNORED???

WTF is going on?

I’m not sure if Ennis is Protestant or Catholic but his love for the British Army seems to suggest the former

Ennis is of Protestant descent, but had a secular upbringing and grew up in a suburb of Belfast that was largely untouched by Ireland's conflicts. Regardless, his affection for the SAS and suchlike seems largely born out of their badass history rather than any sort of political affinity.

Does Ennis still live in New York? If so, then it's probably easier just to consider him American

Very much looking forward to the first new Dan Dare since the Morrison/Hughes loveliness (Maggie Thatcher, milk snatcher!) although I suspect it's not considered canon.

As Britain, there home base, does have a rather large population, and India itself has one of the largest populations - maybe they really don’t mind being the Indian comic book company.

Maybe not, but that sort of thing usually spells a short lifespan for the business in question. If you come out of the gate too marginalized already, it's hard for people to think of you as anything else. That tends to push away people who are looking for something new to try. They think they already know what you're all about, so no need to get the book.

Garth Ennis is Irish, not British.

I thought it was too silly to write what I initially was going to write, which was a parenthetical explaining that Ennis was born in Norther Island and considers himself British, as I thought, "That's way too much writing to explain a minor point."

But I suppose one of the joys of commenting on blog posts is to nitpick, so I guess it worked out for the best!

I just hope we get the Battler Britton and War stories Ennis and not the usual one. It'd be more appropriate.

Anyone want to place bets on how long Ennis waits before Dan Dare experiences anal rape?

Actually, some bum-savaging is implied in the Morrison/Hughes story.

I love all your comments everyone, very amusing! I am really looking forward to seeing Dan Dare return at long last, in whatever new form it is. Personally I have enjoyed all the different versions over the years, including the spoofs (Dan Dire, Dan Blair, Nan Dare, etc). To me (admittedly a huge fan of Dan Dare), any version is better than no version. We have had no version for over 5 years now, and I am bored of that.
Regards,
Pete Inns.
(Webmaster of Dan-Dare.org, Dan-Dare.net and DanDare.org.uk)

OH God, Ennis. OK, well, the hope is that editorial will tell him to, like, tone down the anal rape. When that kind of stuff gets filtered out of his work, Ennis is a very good writer, but the juvenile crap he thinks his funny has a tendency to take over and ruin his books.

There is some Eagle or Dan Dare (I forget which) revival magazine out there that was still being produced a year or two back and for all I know still is. I would have picked up a copy for my father-in-law but it was £7 an issue