Danger Man Annual [1967]

[1966] Annual. Original price 10/6.
96 pages. Full colour contents.
World Distributors (Manchester) Ltd.

Based on the television series starring Patrick McGoohan.

Painted cover by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

Contents:

 2 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited)

 4 Indicia

 5 Danger Man Annual title page; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 6 Contents; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

 7 The Big Splash text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

17 No Medals for the General text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

24 The Silver Ring text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

38 Smugglers' Cove text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

51 Countdown text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

60 Dead on Nine text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

68 Payoff on the frontier text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

80 Moses Was the 1st Spy King! text feature UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

85 Playback! text story by UNKNOWN (uncredited); illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited).

94 UNTITLED endpaper; illustrated by UNKNOWN (uncredited)

With a far better cover, casting Drake in an appropriately moody light, the second annual is a slightly more refined example of the tie-in annual. The endpaper, alas, falls down when attempting to capture McGoohan's likeness, which will be a recurring problem throughout - so distinctive is his appearance that the illustrations struggle to match what we see on screen. A valiant attempt at bringing the character we know and love to the title page begins to claw back a degree of visual harmony with the series, but there's still a significant disparity in appearance.

It was the hottest night of the summer and Drake was sitting at a sidewalk table on the brilliantly lit Via Veneto in the teeming heart of Rome.
   The broad carriageway was agog with every kind of vehicle, from sumptuous Rolls-Bentleys through gleaming Alfa-Romeos and mass-produced Fiats to ancient horse-drawn carroze.
   The pavements of the famous gilded strip were agog with every kind of character, from international film stars through millionaire playboys to gaping tourists and shifty-eyed crooks on the make.
   But none of these received more than a passing show of interest from the Danger Man as he sat sipping black coffee at a table almost directly outside the entrance to the Café Royal.

One of the strengths of this annual in relation to the previous one is its sense of scope - no longer content with a few days in Wales, the reach is greater. As the character was soaked in the Spy-Fi tradition, I would have expected nothing less than a globe-trotting adventure. It is a great story, which even manages to include a spattering of Italian phrases as it races to a conclusion, and it nods towards the James Bond franchise with a pretty face concealing hidden dangers for Drake to counter.

The next stop on Drake's international jaunt is Rio, where he has been chosen by a joint British Intelligence-CIA task force to retrieve a sensitive plan for maintaining order in a troubled naval zone in which San Miguel is a major factor. His task is complicated when Juan Mizol, a man working for the San Miguel Secret Police, sees Drake talking to Jennings, a man known to them. As matters necessitate, Drake kidnaps the officer so that his cover isn't blown...

The humour which closes out the story feels desperately forced, although there are some brilliantly observed moments prior to this. Capturing, in small ways, some of the style of the series, there is much to enjoy in No Medals for the General. Off to Switzerland next, and he is tasked with preventing the kidnap of Abdul Hassan Bey, the Sheik of Menjpore, who is stopping at Zurich overnight before heading on to London, where he will sign an oil deal of significance to Anglo-American interests.

In isolation, calling Drake 'the Danger Man' isn't too noticeable, but when the phrase appears again and again it becomes slightly irritating. Having him referred to exclusively as Drake would have felt less juvenile, though it isn't a major problem.

Smoked Out takes Drake back to London. Smugglers' Cove - which sees Drake in Cornwall - is adorned with the fantastic visual of a Mini driving along a twisting road, and has him investigating people who are meant to be loyal to Britain. It vaguely prefigures some of the themes in The Prisoner, which is often viewed as McGoohan reprising Drake, though the surreality of that series is absent here.

Far classier, yet strangely lacking in a certain fidelity.

[1966]

Danger Man Annual