Eagle Times v38 n1-3

After a short break in the supply chain, I'm back on the mailing list for Eagle Times and have been able to catch up on the latest three issues, which have included their usual diverse mix of articles about and around the classic Eagle comic of the 1950s and 1960s.

The magazine runs to 48 pages with colour covers and its contents are chiefly the work of David Britton and Steve Winders now that so many of the former contributors have passed on to ventures new or simply passed on. Sadly this will happen when you have a magazine that is (a) about a comic that debuted 75 years ago; and (b) is now in its 38th year.

I'll scamper through the contents of all three issues as some articles are multi-part ventures and a new number for the year will often see a spate of "part 1" episodes. In this instance we have the launch episodes of articles on Blackbow the Cheyenne, The Happy Warrior and Montgomery of Alamein (also the debut of a new tale featuring PC49, 'The Case of the Elusive Elvis').

The issue begins with another regular, 'The Way We Were', a selection of readers' letters from 1950 issues showing how attitudes to some things have changed over the years. Blackbow begins with a brief overview and then concentrates on a single story which David Britton considers well thought out by author Ted Cowan, with Frank Humphris providing some high quality artwork.

The Happy Warrior (Winston Churchill) and Montgomery of Allemein are two strips written by Clifford Makins and drawn by Frank Bellamy that should need no introduction. That's not to say that they don't deserve study, and Steve Winders certainly puts both under the microscope.

David Britton has been writing a series on female contributors to the Eagle group which now includes June Mendoza and Daphne Rowles as well as his ongoing study of Jeff Arnold.

One-offs on the subject of Cricket, the Eagle Dinner, Wrath of the Gods and a new debut in the autumn number, a look at Luis Bermejo's contributions to Heros the Spartan, are all welcome and fun to read. I would also recommend Eric Summers' feature in the Summer number on George Beardmore and Jack o' Lantern in which the author discusses how reading old Eagle strips can lead you down many a rabbit hole seeking out the historical truths of the stories. It is one of the reasons why Eagle Times has survived so long and has featured such a range of subjects over the years. The Summer number was, incidentally, the magazine's 150th issue.

Of special note is a fantastic cover on the Summer issue by Graham Bleathman showing the Anastaia flying over London with Dan and Digby piloting. The artwork was bought by the Eagle Society and is the subject of a raffle open to members. Any income above the cost of the artwork will be donated to charity. The results will be drawn at next year's dinner, so now would be a good time to join.

The quarterly Eagle Times is the journal of the Eagle Society, with membership costing £30 in the UK, £50 (in sterling) overseas. You can send subscriptions to Bob Corn, Mayfield Lodge, Llanbadoc, Usk, Monmouthshire NP15 1SY; subs can also be submitted via PayPal to membership@eagle-society.org.uk. Back issues are available for newcomers to the magazine and they have even issued binders to keep those issues nice and neat.