Eagle Annual 1986

by IPC Magazines

British annuals are normally a collection of new and reprint material with color and black and white interiors. Published annually in hard cover, they are dated, if at all, one year ahead of their copyright year. Most annuals contain illustrated text stories, comic strips and features such as puzzles, games, even articles. The art, mainly unaccredited, is average to good. The Eagle Comic 1950-1969 was one of the flagship titles of British comics. Its reincarnation in the 1980’s had a hard act to follow. Like its predecessor the new Eagle’s strips covers a range of genres from crime to adventure but it is best known as the home of the Science Fiction strip, Dan Dare Pilot of the future. This EAGLE annual features a nine page painted Dan Dare strip plus a nine page painted Doomlord.

Genres: Comics

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Andrew Ives · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although by the 1980s, Eagle wasn't quite as intelligent as Eagle of the 1950s, this is still pretty interesting and educational by the standards of kids' annuals with an eclectic mixture of sci-fi stories, real-life stories, comic strips, textual stories, factual pages, sports quizzes and a few games. Most of the pages are in b&w with only Dan Dare and Doomlord being in a rather eye-catching glossy colour, probably better-looking than anything by Marvel, DC or 2000AD of that time. Apart from the two textual stories which I found pretty lame and a few of the factual pages which were probably a little too geeky for most kids, the rest was a very decent mixture. If I had received this at Xmas in 1985, I'd have been pretty happy with it, although I would've preferred a few more colour pages. 3.75/5

[Gareth Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have liked more than one Dan Dare story. Rather dated, I’m afraid with lots of technology that has long been surpassed. Nevertheless, a bit of nostalgia.

[Adam Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 out of 5.

This was one of Eagles better annuals. Great Dan Dare and Doomlord stories. The One-Eyed Jack and Fists of Danny Pyke stories were pretty good too.

The News Team story was poop, but the rest (not listed above) were ok.

I think this was one of the first with the glossier pages, so the book felt a little more prestigious.