Jeff Hawke was a British science fiction comic strip created by Sydney Jordan. It was published in the Daily Express from 15 February 1954 to 18 April 1974, by which point Jordan had "written or co-written and drawn 6,474 episodes." Despite its obscurity in English-speaking countries, it is often regarded as one of the most important science fiction comics ever released, especially in Italy and Scandinavian countries.
Publication history Sydney Jordan was a graduate of the Aeronautical Technical School in Reading. He long sought to draw a fantastic comic where he could exploit his skills in drawing aeroplanes. In 1955 he met Eric Souster and Jim Gilbert in London, two friends with whom he had served in the R.A.F. Together they created the character of Jeff Hawke.
At first Jeff Hawke, presented as an ex-R.A.F. pilot (just like Jordan) was a rather ordinary, Flash Gordon-like heroic character. The plots were centred on ordinary adventure and science fiction themes common in pulp comics and fiction of the age, and at this stage the drawings were only of average quality. Nevertheless, the strip was good enough to be published daily in the Daily Express.
In 1956 William Patterson joined his childhood friend Jordan, at first writing only the dialogue. Prior to this he did work on the Children's Encyclopedia for Amalgamated Press, also doing stories for Dan Dare and war comics. However, after a few years he began to produce plot lines and stories as well. This led to a dramatic improvement in the quality of the comic. Patterson made Jeff Hawke the first science fiction comic strip for adults, not just children or adolescents. Jordan, now concentrating entirely on drawing, improved his style to a highly suggestive, realistic, contrasted black-and-white mark. The Patterson-Jordan period is considered the "true" Jeff Hawke by most.
There was also a Jeff Hawke series published drawn by Ferdinando Tacconi and published in the "Junior Express" comic book, aimed at children.
In 1969, following a number of stresses and pressures, William Patterson's contract to write Jeff Hawke came to an end. He was not in good mental health and remained in London, separated from his family who stayed in Perth. Willie Patterson's physical health was also affected and he died in 1986, aged only 57 years old. He was laid to rest in Kensal Green cemetery, attended by his daughters Chrys Muirhead and Frances Patterson, and Sydney Jordan. The 1986 Titan Books republication of Jeff Hawke, Book Two, contains a testimonial to the life of Willie Patterson, by Sydney Jordan.
Jordan took back care of both stories and drawings, but without Patterson the quality of the strip declined again. Finally, on 18 April 1974 the Daily Express published its last Jeff Hawke strip.
In 1977, however, comics artist Brian Bolland was approached by Jordan to ghost some episodes, and remarked that by this point fellow artist - "active in the days of comic fandom" and soon to turn professional - Paul Neary had "already done quite a few."Bolland, Brian, "The 1970's – Jeff Hawke" in Joe Pruett (ed.) The Art of Brian Bolland, (Image Comics, 2006), , pp. 52-53 Bolland drew 15 episodes, and "Syd touched up some of the faces, a few details here and there, to make them look a bit more like him." By this point, "although the Express owned the rights to the strip, they were not printing it," but since it had a strong European following, these new episodes (Bolland believes) "got collected in anthologies in French and Spanish," but not in the UK except briefly in "the fanzine Eureka."
Lance McLane
Jordan later tried to revamp the character by publishing a similar strip called Lance McLane in the Scottish newspaper Daily Record. After this failed to catch on, Jordan came up with a plot device in which McLane transformed himself into Hawke. However the resuscitated strip never recovered the original brilliance of the Patterson period: Jordan left more and more work to his unnamed helpers, and rapidly the strip fell into oblivion.
Story list No. Title Writer Artist Strip numbers Dates Reprinted in1(Space Rider)SJSJ1 - 1381954-02-15 - 1954-07-26Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 1 Number 1 and 22(The Martian Invasion)SJSJ139 - 3881954-07-27 - 1955-06-22Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: The Martian Quartet3(The Search For Asteron)SJSJ389 - 5021955-06-23 - 1955-11-01Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: The Martian Quartet4(The Threat Of The Past)SJSJ503 - 6421955-11-02 - 1956-04-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: The Martian Quartet5Opposite PowerSJSJ643 - 7021956-04-17 - 1956-06-25Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: The Martian Quartet6SanctuaryWP/SJSJ703 - 8091956-06-26 - 1956-10-27Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 2 Number 27Unquiet IslandWPSJ810 - 9271956-10-29 - 1957-03-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 18The CastawaySJSJ928 - 10981957-03-18 - 1957-10-03Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 29Out Of TouchHHSJ1099 - 12531957-10-04 - 1958-04-05Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 210The Dream PedlarsSJSJ1254 - 13991958-04-07 - 1958-09-23Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 2 Number 311Poles ApartWP/SJSJ1400 - 15441958-09-24 - 1959-03-13Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 212SacrificeSJSJ1545 - 17121959-03-14 - 1959-09-26Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 1 Number 3, Vol 2, Number 113Time Out Of MindSJSJ1713 - 18241959-09-28 - 1960-02-09Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1014OverlordWPSJ1825 - 19391960-02-10 - 1960-06-20T1, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 315SurvivalWPSJ1940 - 20111960-06-21 - 1960-09-12T1, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 116Wondrous LampWPSJ2012 - 21631960-09-13 - 1961-03-11T1, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 217Counsel For The DefenseWPSJ2164 - 22851961-03-13 - 1961-08-02T1, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 218PastmasterWPSJ2286 - 23511961-08-03 - 1961-10-18T2, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1019Immortal ToysWPSJ2352 - 24941961-10-19 - 1962-04-05T2, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 320The AmbassadorsWPSJ2495 - 25781962-04-06 - 1962-07-13T2, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 321The GamesmanWPSJ2579 - 26391962-07-14 - 1962-09-23T2, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 322A Test CaseWPSJ2640 - 27241962-09-24 - 1963-01-02T2, Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 123Pass The ParcelSJSJ2725 - 28161963-01-03 - 1963-04-20Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 124The ChangelingWPSJ2817 - 28841963-04-21 - 1963-07-08Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 225Rip Van HaddowWPSJ2885 - 29501963-07-09 - 1963-09-24Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 1 Number 126Prodigal SonWPSJ2951 - 30241963-09-25 - 1963-12-19Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 1 Number 227Uncanny DeepWPSJ3025 - 30821963-12-20 - 1964-01-27Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 128Winner Loses AllSJSJ3083 - 31521964-01-28 - 1964-05-21Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 129Faery Land ForlornWPSJ3153 - 32381964-05-22 - 1964-08-29Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 330A Foreign BodyWPSJ3239 - 32831964-08-31 - 1964-10-22Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 231MoonstruckSJSJ3284 - 33271964-10-23 - 1964-12-11Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1032The Helping HandWPSJ3328 - 33951964-12-12 - 1965-03-03Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 233Anti-gravity ManWPSJ3396 - 35041965-03-04 - 1965-07-09Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 2 Number 134Made In BirminghamWPSJ3505 - 35661965-07-10 - 1965-09-20Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 235The Oil RigWPSJ3567 - 36231965-09-21 - 1965-11-25 Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 236IncognitoWPSJ3624 - 36441965-11-26 - 1965-12-20Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 137The Great Atlantic CrossingWPSJ3645 - 37351965-12-21 - 1966-04-08Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 2 Number 338GetawayWPSJ3736 - 37531966-04-09 - 1966-04-29 Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 239Ghost ErrantWPSJ3754 - 38191966-04-30 - 1966-07-15Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 2 Number 240A Word Of AdviceWPSJ3820-38461966-07-16 - 1966-08-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 141The Intelligent OnesWPSJ3847 - 38961966-08-17 - 1966-10-13Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Hawke's Notes42WildcatWPSJ3897 - 39511966-10-14 - 1966-12-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 243OverlandWPSJ3952 - 40841966-12-17 - 1967-05-24Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 344The Engine That Worked On GrassWPSJ4085 - 41731967-05-25 - 1967-09-05Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 345The Hole In SpaceWPSJ4174 - 42611967-09-06 - 1967-12-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 346The Venusian ClubWPSJ4262 - 43611967-12-18 - 1968-04-15Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 147CataclysmWPSJ4362 - 44331968-04-16 - 1968-07-09Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 348The PoltergeistWPSJ4434 - 45171968-07-10 - 1968-11-22Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 249Rogue StarWPSJ4518 - 45951968-11-23 - 1969-02-24Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 350The Day The Moon Nearly ExplodedWPSJ4596 - 46431969-02-25 - 1969-04-21Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1051The Strange ShipWPSJ4644 - 47001969-04-22 - 1969-06-29Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1052Daughter Of ErosSJSJ/NF4701 - 48391969-06-30 - 1969-12-08Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 153S. O. S.SJSJ/NF4840 - 49161969-12-09 - 1970-03-10Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 354Rescue PartySJSJ/NF4917 - 50081970-03-11 - 1970-07-01Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 355Chacondar!SJSJ/NF5009 - 50741970-07-02 - 1970-09-16Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 1 Number 356The Book Of The WorldsSJSJ/NF5075 - 51721970-09-17 - 1971-01-10Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 157Time Is Out Of JointSJSJ/NF5173 - 52541971-01-12 - 1971-04-20Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 158Someday I'll Find YouSJSJ/NF5255 - 53301971-04-21 - 1971-07-17Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 159The Bees On DaedalusSJSJ/NF5331 - 54001971-07-19 - 1971-10-07Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 360Here Be TygersSJSJ/NF5401 - 54981971-10-08 - 1972-02-01Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 361SelenaSJSJ/NF5499 - 56251972-02-02 - 1972-06-29Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1062Sitting TenantsSJSJ/NF5626 - 57781972-06-30 - 1973-01-01Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 3 Number 363Shorty's SecretSJSJ/NF/MA5779 - 59041973-01-02 - 1973-05-31Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 1064On The RunSJSJ/NF5905 - 60011973-06-01 - 1973-09-21Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 265The Comet's TaleSJSJ/NF6002 - 61181973-09-22 - 1974-02-09Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 6 Number 266The First Person PluralSJSJ/NF6119 - 61751974-02-11 - 1974-04-18Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 4 Number 167The Winds Of MarsSJSJ6176 - 62571975-11-04 - 1976-??-?? Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 7 Number 268MoratorroSJSJ6258 - 64131975-05-05 - 1975-11-01Jeff Hawke's Cosmos, Vol 5 Number 169Heir ApparentSJSJ/BB/PN6414 - 6487Jeff Hawke's Cosmos: Lunar 10
Note - T1 and T2 refer to the two books published by Titan Books. Jeff Hawke's Cosmos is a publication of the Jeff Hawke Club. All the Jeff Hawke stories have been published in nine volumes by the club.
Themes
Jeff Hawke started as a conventional hero-vs-aliens science fiction action comic, but under Patterson's direction it quickly developed its own individual style. The three frames format of the daily strip made it hard to create vivid action scenes, so the stories centred more on dialogue than on action and violence (although these do occur).
The Jeff Hawke character himself became more and more focused on reasoning, diplomacy and moral virtues instead of brute force and bravery, and he is frequently forced by circumstances to be the ambassador of mankind in front of alien species. There are many circumstances in which Jeff Hawke is more an observer than a participant.