The Mekon

The Mekon (of Mekonta) is the arch-enemy of the British comic book hero Dan Dare, first appearing in 1950 in the Eagle comic strip Dan Dare, Pilot of the Future and created by Frank Hampson. Apart from Dan Dare himself, he is the only character to appear in every one of the numerous versions of the comic strip that appeared in the Eagle, 2000 AD and Virgin Comics. In the 1950s, roughly every other story featured the Mekon.

Keith Watson joined the studio team of Frank Hampson working on the Dan Dare strip in Eagle in 1958. After Hampson left the strip the following year, Watson worked on Captain Condor for the rival Lion (comic). He later returned to Dan Dare, becoming the sole artist. This cover of the Eagle, by Watson, dated October 16, 1963, is considered the iconic rendering of the Mekon and has been re-published in many different publications and formats over the past 50 years.