New@FREW

Release Date: 11 April 2003

• Pages: 36
• Price: $2.20 inc. GST
• Cover: Antonio Lemos
• No Phantom Forum in this issue

• The False Prince
  • Script: Norman Worker
  • Art: Kari Leppänen
  • First published in Fantomen Nr.3/1979 by Semic, Scandinavia. Original cover shown on the left, thanks to Phantom Kingdom.
  • This story is the 7th in a new series of previously unpublished Semic Classics. For others see #1339, #1341, #1342, #1344, #1345, #1348.

• Message from the Publisher:
  Presenting - another previously unpublished classic from writer Norman Worker and artist Kari Leppänen!
  The False Prince was first published in Scandinavia in 1979 and despite the fact that was almost a quarter of a century ago (!!), the adventure still stands out as a wonderful piece of Phantom story-telling.
  For the first time in ages, we re-visit Carpatia, where The Phantom has one of his secret hideouts and ride with The Ghost Who Walks as he attempts to sort out a strange plot involving twin brothers and the battle to be crowned Prince of their country. Quite apart from Norman Worker's unique idea of having The Phantom, a circus troupe and an elephant storming a heavily-guarded castle, this story has a surprise ending which few writers could ever conceive.
  I know you will like Leppänen's art and suggest you compare this vintage piece with some of his more recent work. The big surprise is that his style has barely changed over the years! Leppänen has always specialised in very fine line work, realistic depth of field and acute perspective which many comics artists studiously avoid, simply because it is too challenging and time consuming. In The False Prince, Worker's ideas were obviously grabbed by Leppänen, who attacked the commission with more than his usual enthusiasm. How often do you see a comic book story which contains so much artistic detail? This is a story to read more than once, because each time you will discover something you missed the first time!
  [Comment from Guran: It's also historically important to observe that this was the first ever Phantom story from Kari Leppänen. 24 years later, Kari is still going strong, having created over 60 stories with yet another due to appear in May this year ... The Boy from San Diablo with script by Graham Nolan!]
  Covers for this issue have been rendered by Antonio Lemos and Antonio has also completed the covers for our next edition which will feature a brand-new story, Return of the Halloween Gang, on sale on 2 May.

Jim Shepherd
Publisher