COLONEL DAN DARE
PILOT OF THE FUTURE

Daniel MacGregor Dare, Colonel O.U.N. in the Interplanet Space Fleet, 
began his adventures in the first issue of Eagle comic on the 14th 
April 1950. Almost a million schoolboys all over the British Isles 
bought that first copy of the Eagle and Dan Dare became a hero in the 
hearts of British boys. The legend had begun. The Eagle comic was the 
creation of the Rev Marcus Morris, and was originally intended as a
Christian comic, designed to offer an innocuous alternative to the 
popular American-style comics of the day. But it was the British 
cartoonist and illustrator Frank Hampson, who was to devise the dashing
Dan Dare character famous for his lightning-jagged eyebrows and 
typicaly British stiff upper lip. His adventures and those of his 
companions were to inflame the imaginations of the nations youth for
years to come. The publisher Edward Hulton helped Morris and Hampson
launch the ambitious new weekly comic for boys and and Frank Hampson
acted as chief artist and designer. His career had been varied, 
starting out as a telegraph boy for the Post Office. His first cartoon
was published in Meccano magazine who then employed their joke 
illustrator. He left Meccano in 1935 and, whilst pursuing a career as a
civil servant, he attended evening classes at the Southport School of
Arts. His first cartoon strips were for the Post Office magazine, The 
Post. Resigning from the Post Office in 1938, he became a full-time 
art student. During the the war he served as a driver in the Royal Army
Service Corps and was demobilished in 1946 with a grant to continue his
art studies. By 1947 Frank was illustrating The Anvil, a religious 
publication published by the rev Marcus Morris. It was then that they 
conceived the Eagle, the most important landmark in post-war British 
comics. Frank set up his own studio, employing artists, writers and 
models and, for ten years, Dan Dare battled successfully against the 
'terrible Treens' and the malevolent Mekons each week holding the
fate of mankind in his capable hands. From 1951 - 1956 Dan Dares 
adventures amongst the stars soared through the airwaves: Horlicks 
sponsored a daily radio serial on Radio Luxembourg and Dan Dare was 
played by the actor Noel Johnson, already famous for his part as Dick 
Barton Secret Agent. In 1960 Hultons sold out to Odhams Press and, 
although Hampson had not drawn Dan Dare for some time, his style and
influence remained and his work was carried on by various artists who
included Frank Bellamy, Donald Harley, Desmond Walduck, Bruce Cornwall,
Harold Johns and Keith Watson, and by such writers as Alan Stranks, 
David Motton and Eric Eden. After the take-over Clifford Makins took 
over the editorship, and printing changed from colour gravure to litho,
Frank Hampson left the team, and in 1962 Dan Dare was reduced to 
monochrome reproduction. In 1969 IPC took over the Eagle but the comic 
was laid to rest on 26th April of the same year and, although Dan Dare 
continued his intrepid adventures, re-lettered and re-drawn from the 
originals in the Lion and Eagle comic, by 1971 that too had gone. Dan 
Dare enjoyed a revival in September 1973 when the Dan Dare Annual was 
published and Red Moon Mystery and Safari in Space were printed from 
the original comics in their entirety and in full colour. It was not 
until 1982 that the Eagle comic was properly re-launched with Dan Dare
continuing to play his important role of defending the universe. Now 
you can enjoy Colonal Dares intrepid adventures amongst the stars not 
only from the printed page but in exciting computer game form, thus 
opening another chapter in the history of Colonel Daniel MacGregor Dare.
The titles available are Dan Dare - Pilot of the Future; Dan Dare II - 
The Mekons Revenge; and this latest game, Dan Dare Ill - The Escape. 
The story no doubt will continue.

WHOS WHO IN DAN DARE

DAN DARE Colonel Daniel MacGregor Dare. OUN Interplanet Space Fleet. 
Born : 5th February 1967, Manchester, England. Education: Rossal, 
Cambridge and Harvard Universities. Career: 1987 Class 3 Space Pilot. 
1997 Chief Pilot of the ISF Commendations: The Order of the United 
Nations for leadership in the Venus Expedition of 1996. Hobbies: 
cricket, fencing, riding, painting and model-making.

SIR HUBERT (often referred to as 'Orrible Urbert) This character was 
actually modeled on Hampsons father. Marshal of Space, Sir Hubert 
Gascoine Guest KCB, OM, OUN, DSO, DFC. Born: 1943. Career: ex-RAF 
controller of the Interplanet Space Fleet A member of the fleet of the
first manned rocket to the moon. Commander under Admiral Grosvenor on
the first expedition to Mars. Although well over age for active service
Sir Hubert accompanied the 1998 expedition to Venus. Hobbies: swimming,
riding, chess, writing technical history of fleet organisation and
structure.

DIG (Dans faithful companion and batman) Spaceman Class 1 Albert 
Fitzwiliam Digby. Born: 1960, Wigan, England. Married with 4 children 
(3 girls, 1 boy). Hobbies: football, jigsaws, sleeping.

PROF
Professor Jocelyn Mable Peabody Born: Moreton, Glos. Careers: Honorary
rank of Pilot/Captain Expert in nutrition, agriculture and botany 
Attached to Venus expedition 1996 in search of food. Hobbies: skiing, 
riding, netball.

HANK 
Pilot Captain Henry Brennan Hogan Born: Houston, Texas. A brilliant 
pilot with a distinct dislike for red tape. Hobbies: boxing, car 
racing, photography, baseball.

PIERRE Pilot/Major Pierre August Lafayette A shrewd analytical 
mathematical officer from Dijon, France. He is a close friend of Hanks.
Hobbies: gastronomy, three dimensional chess, fishing.

THE MEKON AND HIS MUTANTS
The fate of all mankind hangs in the balance. The Mekon menace is back
again determined to conquer and dominate the human race. In doing so 
the evil Mekon has vowed to wreak his vengeance upon his arch enemy, 
Colonel Dan Dare. To further his iniquitous plans the Mekon is 
conducting a series of horrific genetic experiments, attempting to 
mutate a variety of life-forms into an army of Treen-like creatures, 
servile to the Mekon. The experiments failed, the creatures were 
twisted and strange. What was needed to advance the Mekons ungodly 
experiments was a human subject, and who better than the hated Colonel
Dan Dare? The Mekon issued his orders. A gigantic scientific satellite
was rapidly constructed. Manned by an army of loyal Treens, the 
satellite was set on course for planet Earth. Many months passed before
reaching the Earths orbit, Whilst their ship navigated the dark 
recesses of the universe, the Mekon and his scientists continued their
horrific experiments. But with little success: no Treen-like beings 
were created and the weird mutant creatures formed were left to wander,
at will, the corridors of the satellite. On reaching the Earths orbit
a small army of Treens were dispatched to capture the unsuspecting Dan 
Dare. Their mission was successful: seizing the Colonel, the Treens 
transported their prize back to the satellite where the pitiless Mekon
and his team of cruel scientists waited. But the Mekon had 
underestimated our hero, while scientists are preparing the lethal
serum, Dan breaks free from the operating table and, destroying his 
captor escapes into a store chamber next to the genetic experimentation
unit. Searching the chamber he discovers a jet-pack and sets off to 
explore the maze of corridors and chambers of the vast satellite. Luck 
is on the side of our brave colonel. Entering a large chamber he finds
an escape shuttle powerful enough to accomplish the return journey to 
Earth but the fuel tanks are empty. Dan calculates that he will need 
exactly 50 pounds of high grade rocket fuel to complete the journey 
home. Undaunted by this catastrophe, Dan straps his jet-pack to his 
back and continues his search of the Mekon's evil satellite...

USING THE WEAPON SYSTEMS
During his exploration of the vast satellite Dan discovers the Mekon's
armoury. From the vast arsenal Dan chooses the very latest plasma 
cannon. The cannon has three shot strengths, indicated by the bar 
readout on the screen; a quick tap on the fire button releases a low 
power bolt of energy; holding the fire button down until the bar 
readout caches the mid-point in the display, fires off a medium power
blast; keeping the fire button depressed until the bar readout reaches
the limit of its travel unleashes a real megablast of destructive power.
You must master the cannon's control system before embarking on the 
quest for Colonel Dare's freedom - effective destruction of life-forms 
requires practice. Also watch out for the recoil when you use the 
megablast option. Remember that the more powerful the blast that you 
unleash from the plasma cannon, the longer it takes to recharge. So, 
unless you are well covered, or have just activated a smart bomb, you 
will leave Dan Dare defenceless against the Mekon's mutants whilst his
cannon recharges. Colonel Dare is able to log on to the terminal found 
in the start location and can buy some special weapons. The weapon 
currently in use by the Colonel is displayed in a window on the screen
 - to select one of the items that he is carrying, press select until
the item that you want appears in the window. Then prss the fire button
to activate your choice, unless of course it is fuel or money which is 
useful to have at hand.


MAKE GOOD YOUR ESCAPE
TIPS FOR SUCCESS

The start location, which is the satellite's store chamber, is the only
place where Dan can refuel his jet-pack, or buy weapons and equipment; 
this is done by hacking into the Mekons computerised stock-keeping 
system. While Dan stands on the Mekon's computer terminal, press select.
This creates a menu of numbered items that Dan can buy. By pressing the
corresponding numbers on the keyboard you can allow Dan to buy or use 
an item. Lives can be purchased as well, but only in extreme need. Use 
lives wisely. In order to escape from the Mekons evil satellite, Dan 
Dare has to collect 50 pounds of rocket fuel to power the escape ship
for its flight back to planet Earth. The Mekon has not underestimated 
Dan Dares abilities: before Dan Dare was kidnapped The Mekon ordered 
the fuel store to be divided into five equal parts which were then 
hidden in the five main chambers of the scientific satellite. Dan has 
to search each of these chambers to discover the hidden fuel; then Dan 
must find the Mekon and blast away at the evil creature until the Mekon
teleports back to his regenerator unit to recuperate from the battle. 
As he leaves, the Mekon, drops the teleport key which Dan needs to 
teleport himself to the next chamber. But beware, the evil Mekon has 
bobby-trapped the key. His intention is to blast our valiant hero into
oblivion. Luckily Dan there is a critical design flaw in the timing 
mechanism of each key which allows Dan three nanoseconds after he 
leaves the chamber before the chamber - and everything in it - is 
destroyed there is no real problem for Dan unless he has left the 
chamber without collecting the fuel, in which case our intrepid hero 
will be stranded aboard the satellite for eternity.... Time to hit the
quit button and start the game again.
Although brave and rugged, our hero, Colonel Dan Dare is not superhuman.
He is not indestructible. Contact with the Mekons malevolent mutants 
drains Dans life force. Bumping into the walls of the teleport tunnels
that link the satellites chambers damages his space suit, reducing his
life force. Keep a careful eye on the quantity of ammo and bombs that 
you are carrying. Ammo can be collected from certain places in the 
play area but bombs have to be purchased via the terminal in the start
location. Keep track of the jet pack fuel remaining in the tank. If you
run out of fuel Colonel Dan is effectively stranded until he loses and
life and is returned to the start location.

CONTROLS:

C64:
Press RUN STOP to pause the game
Use joystick or keyboard control. Pull joystick down to SELECT.

LOADING INSTRUCTIONS
C64/128 TAPE - Hold down SHIFT key and press RUN/STOP
Press play on tape. Programme will load and run

DISC - Insert disc in Drive. Type LOAD "*", 8,1 and press RETURN

