{"id":32727,"date":"2025-05-04T08:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-04T08:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/?p=32727"},"modified":"2025-05-01T15:29:43","modified_gmt":"2025-05-01T15:29:43","slug":"the-best-of-eagle-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comicsreview.co.uk\/nowreadthis\/2025\/05\/04\/the-best-of-eagle-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best of Eagle"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\" \"\"
\nBy many & various including Frank Hampson<\/strong>, Alan Stranks & John Worsley<\/strong>, Harry Lindfield<\/strong>, John Ryan<\/strong>, Charles Chilton & Frank Humphris<\/strong>, Norman Thelwell<\/strong>, Edward Trice & E. Jennings<\/strong>, George Beardmore & Robert Ayton<\/strong>, Alan Jason & Norman Williams<\/strong>, Chad Varah<\/strong>, Frank Bellamy<\/strong>, Clifford Makin<\/strong>, Christopher Keyes<\/strong>, Peter Jackson<\/strong>, Peter Simpson & Pat Williams<\/strong>, George Cansdale<\/strong>, David Langdon<\/strong>, Ionicus\/<\/strong> Joshua Charles Armitage<\/strong>: edited by Marcus Morris<\/strong> (Michael Joseph Ltd.\/Mermaid Books)
\nISBN: 978-0-71811-566-1 (tabloid HB) 978-0718122119 (tabloid TPB)<\/p>\n

This book includes Discriminatory Content<\/strong> produced in less enlightened times.<\/em><\/p>\n

Currently quite easily to find and well worth the effort is this upbeat pictorial memoir from the conceptual creator of arguably Britain\u2019s greatest comic. Eagle<\/strong> was the most influential comic of post-war Britain, and launched on April 14th<\/sup> 1950, running until 26th<\/sup> April 1969. It was the brainchild of a Southport vicar, The Reverend Marcus Morris, who was worried about the detrimental effects of American comic-books on British children, and wanted a good, solid, Christian antidote. Seeking out like-minded creators he jobbed around a dummy to many British publishers for over a year with little success until he found an unlikely home at Hulton Press, a company that produced general interest magazines such as Lilliput<\/strong> and Picture Post<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The result was a huge hit that also spawned clones Swift<\/strong>, Robin<\/strong> and Girl<\/strong> – targeting other sectors of the children\u2019s market – and generated radio series, books, toys and all other sorts of merchandising. The title and phenomenon also reshaped the industry, compelling UK comics colossus Alfred Harmsworth to release cheaper versions through his Amalgamated Press\/ Odhams Fleetway\/IPC in the far longer lived Lion<\/strong> (running from 23rd<\/sup> February 1952 to 18th<\/sup> May 1974) and its many companion titles such as Tiger<\/strong> and Valiant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

A huge number of soon-to-be prominent creative figures worked on Eagle<\/strong>, and although Dan Dare<\/strong> is deservedly revered as the star, many other strips were as popular at the time, and many even rivalled the lead in quality and entertainment value. At its peak the periodical sold close to a million copies a week, but eventually changing tastes and a game of \u201cmusical owners\u201d killed Eagle<\/strong>. In 1960 Hulton sold out to Odhams, who became Longacre Press. A year later they were bought by The Daily Mirror Group who evolved into IPC. Due to multiple episodes of cost-cutting exercises, many later issues carried cheap Marvel Comics reprints rather than British originated material. It took time, but the Yankee cultural Invaders won out in the end.<\/p>\n

In 1969 with the April 26th<\/sup> issue Eagle<\/strong> was merged into Lion<\/strong>, before eventually disappearing altogether. Successive generations have revived the title, but never the initial blockbuster success.<\/p>\n

For this carefully crafted compilation Morris selected a wonderfully representative sampling of the comic strips that graced those pages of a Golden Age to accompany his recollection of events. Being a much cleverer time, with smarter kids than ours, the Eagle had a large proportion of scientific, historical and sporting articles as well as prose fiction.<\/p>\n

Included here are 30+ pages reprinting short text stories, cut-away paintings (including the Eagle spaceship), hobby and event pages, sporting, science and general interest features – and it should be remembered that the company also produced six Eagle<\/strong> Novels<\/strong> and many and various sporting, science and history books as spin-offs between 1956 and 1960. Also on show here are many candid photographs of the times and the creators behind the pages.<\/p>\n

Of course, the comic strips are the real gold here. Morris included 130 pages from his tenure on Eagle<\/strong> typifying the sheer quality of the enterprise. Alongside the inevitable but always welcome Hampson Dan Dare<\/strong> are selections from his The Great Adventurer<\/em> and pioneering adfomercial Tommy Walls<\/em> strips.
\n\"\"
\nOther gems include The Adventures of P.C. 49<\/strong> by Alan Stranks & John Worsley, Jeff Arnold in Riders of the Range<\/strong> by Charles Chilton & Frank Humphris, Chicko<\/em> by Norman Thelwell, Professor Brittain Explains…\u2019 <\/em>Harris Tweed<\/strong> and Captain Pugwash<\/strong> by John Ryan, Cortez, Conqueror of Mexico<\/em> by William Stobbs, Luck of the Legion<\/em> by Geoffrey Bond & Martin Aitchison, Storm Nelson<\/em> by Edward Trice & E. Jennings and Mark Question<\/em> (The Boy with a Future – But No Past!) by Stranks & Harry Lindfield.<\/p>\n

There are selections from some of the other glorious gravure strips that graced the title: Jack o\u2019Lantern<\/em> by George Beardmore & Robert Ayton, Lincoln of America<\/em> by Alan Jason & Norman Williams, The Travels of Marco Polo<\/em> by Chad Varah & Frank Bellamy, The Great Charlemagne<\/em> and Alfred the Great<\/em> (both by Varah & Williams).<\/p>\n

Extracts from Bellamy & Clifford Makin\u2019s legendary Happy Warrior<\/strong> and less well known The Shepherd King<\/em> (King David), run beside The Great Sailor<\/em> (Nelson) by Christopher Keyes, as well as The Baden Powell story<\/em> (Jason & Williams) and even David Livingstone, the Great Explorer<\/em> (Varah & Peter Jackson), and the monochrome They Showed the Way: The Conquest of Everest<\/em> by Peter Simpson & Pat Williams makes an appearance.<\/p>\n

The book is fabulously peppered with nostalgic memorabilia and such joys as George Cansdale\u2019s beautiful nature pages and a host of cartoon shorts including the wonderful Professor Puff and his Dog Wuff<\/em> by prolific Punch<\/strong> cartoonist David Langdon and Professor Meek and Professor Mild<\/em> by Ionicus (illustrator Joshua Charles Armitage).
\n\"\"
\nAlso included is The Editor\u2019s Christmas Nightmare<\/em> by Hampson, a full colour strip featuring every Eagle character in a seasonal adventure that is still fondly remembered by all who ever saw (it and are still kicking)…<\/p>\n

These may not all resonate with modern audiences but the sheer variety of this material should sound a warning note to contemporary publishers about the fearfully limited range of comics output they\u2019re responsible for. But for most of us, it\u2019s enough to see and wish that this book, like so many others, was back in print again.
\nText \u00a9 1977 Marcus Morris. Illustrations \u00a9 1977 International Publishing Corporation. All Rights Reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By many & various including Frank Hampson, Alan Stranks & John Worsley, Harry Lindfield, John Ryan, Charles Chilton & Frank Humphris, Norman Thelwell, Edward Trice & E. Jennings, George Beardmore & Robert Ayton, Alan Jason & Norman Williams, Chad Varah, Frank Bellamy, Clifford Makin, Christopher Keyes, Peter Jackson, Peter Simpson & Pat Williams, George Cansdale, … <\/p>\n

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