Issue 1616 - Fortnightly, 2011

The clock has been turned back in this issue—to 1992 and the first appearance of part one of Scott Goodall’s imaginative Curse of the Granite God.

Scott’s ability to conjure up his always unique story plots (so often set in steamy jungles, searing deserts or tropical islands) always fascinated me!

They came to him as he sat over the computer keyboard in the library of his rambling and wonderful, centuries old home in the south of France. (One must also remember he was born and raised in Scotland before settling in France, two locations about as far removed as anybody can be from the exotic scenes of so many of his more famous Phantom comic book adventures!)

 This first part of Curse of the Granite God was published by Frew in issue No 1024 in 1992, which makes it 19 years old.

The old hand lettering has been replaced with computer setting and a few tweaks made to the opening story page layout, but essentially, nothing has been altered.

Save, as I always remind you, for the front cover, which understandably has been slightly modified to allow for a new issue number, retail price, barcode number and so on.

Note that the artwork for this edition is by Kari Leppanen, who turned in his usual masterly work.

Kari also illustrates part two of the story which will appear in our next edition.

Consider the challenges which faced Kari!

He had to allow for incredible changes in perspective— frame after frame— in this first episode, to bring the reader a vivid impression of a giant statue being retrieved from the sea, by tiny humans.

To strengthen the drawn illusion of size and dimension, he had to continually change his angles of illustration.

No small call for any artist battling to keep up with a publisher’s deadline and a reminder why all comics artists, but especially the top guns, deserve every cent they are paid.

I know you are going to enjoy this first episode of Curse of the Granite God.

It gets even more exciting in the second (and final) episode!