DARE OVERVIEW

Grant Morrison and Rian Hughes
Fleetway
7 episodes in Revolver 1-7, final episode in Crisis 56

by Adam Ford

If you always found Dan Dare's adventures to be a bit too squeaky-clean, the promise of seeing him mechanically buggered by his arch-enemy the Mekon might make you sit up and take notice. Or maybe the organic computer that takes the form of little more than a ring of giant penises doubled back on themselves as they penetrate the series of vaginas that sit above them is more to your tastes.

Dare was a short, simple story told in installments over the seven issues of the short-lived British magazine Revolver, with the final installment appearing in Crisis magazine. In it, Morrison contrasts the futuristic world of popular 1950s British comic character Dan Dare (square-jawed space pilot cut in the mould of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers et al) with the harsh classist and racist society of Britain in the 1990s. Introducing cynicism, world-weariness and the the frailty of age to children's cartoon characters is a popular and useful literary device. Knocking the gloss off, so to speak, can result in an exercise in contrasts that subverts the original intention of cartoon characters, in this case the stiff-upper-lip tally-ho British national character that epitomises depictions of Britain during WWII.

The story takes place in Dan Dare's retirement. Attending the funeral of an old friend, he is approached by the Prime Minister and offered the chance to assist her conservative government with their re-election campaign. He agrees to do so, and is soon covertly approached by some old acquaintances who accuse him of selling out and helping perpetuate the divide between rich and poor. Confronted by such accusations on top of revelations about the nature of his friend's death, Dan's eyes begin to open as he asks the hard questions and he eventually understands that this isn't the first time he's helped perpetuate society's iniquities. An ugly world of sex, drugs and politics begins to appear as the picture of England as a green and pleasant land is revealed to be purely a product of Dare's short-sightedness.

The best inversion of the old series that Morrison's story provides is the switch in status between Digby and Dare. In the original stories, Digby was Dare's batman (essentially a squire to an air force officer), a caricature of working-class Britain, kind of good-hearted nature and possessed of an earthy common sense, but not especially intelligent or articulate. Dare, however, was the dashing, handsome and refined officer from a well-to-do family, the epitome of British gentry. By dint of class and background it was understood that Dare was Digby's moral superior, and this fact went unquestioned. In this new story it is Digby's working-class background that gives him the advantage in understanding the conspiracy, and it is Dare's pampered background that renders him a somewhat naive fool who unwittingly aids and abets the corrupt government to achieve their ends. Thus it is exactly the same personal qualities that in this situation render Digby the superior moral standing.

Besides playing with Dare and Digby's relationship, Morrison ably reincorporates many details from the characters' original appearances, lacing various references to supporting characters and previous adventures throughout the story, which would easily be picked up by fans of the Dan Dare stories that appeared in the fifties. Supporting characters that appear in one way or another include Sir Hubert, Professor Peabody, Sondar, the Treens and of course The Mekon. References are also made to the first Dan Dare story ever published and the acclaimed Red Moon storyline. Rian Hughes' art lends the vicious edge of the politics, betrayal and violence a glorious cartoony feel, underscoring the contrasts that Morrison has set up between the childlike optimism and innocence of the 1950s view of the world and the darker cynicism of the early 1990s.

This is a nice little morality tale, and even though its forceful anti-Tory stance may date it somewhat, the broad strokes of its message still come across clearly. Another good example of Grant Morrison's idea-mining and the fascinating gems that it can produce.

Recommended.

adam ford lives in melbourne, australia, and works as a freelance editor and journalist. he's a published poet and an aspiring comic writer. at one time or another he has been responsible for at least three literary journals, and has performed his poetry at galleries, schools and pubs all over australia. he's just learned how to make his own pasta.

Discuss this article at the PopImage Forum.