JEFF HAWKE

   UK COMIC strip created by writer Eric Souster and artist Sidney Jordan (1930-). Some scripts were written by William Patterson and many of the later ones by Jordan. JH first appeared in 1954 in the London Daily Express, and ceased in 1974. During its lifetime it was the UK's leadingsf comic strip. The overall scenario depicted Earth as a primitive planet on the periphery of a highly advanced galactic civilization, whose deposed emperor, Chalcedon, was a frequent adversary. Individual stories, of which there were over 60, contained standard sf concepts interspersed with plots based on theories similar to those of Erich von DANIKEN (Vishnu and Shiva as interplanetary visitors, Aladdin's lamp as a dead space-pilot's communicator, etc.). The storylines were original for a comic strip, and kept abreast of contemporary technological progress. Softcover reprints have been published as Jeff Hawke Book 1 (graph coll 1985) and Jeff Hawke Book 2: Counsel for the Defence (graph coll 1986), with covers by BrianBOLLAND, who also worked briefly on the strip; hardcover collections have appeared in Italy. JH also appeared briefly in 1955-6, drawn by Ferdinando Tacconi, in the children's colour comic Express Weekly.

   JE/RT