Fantomen Nr.17/2003
by Rolf Gohs
|
- The Treasure in Ronda
- Script: Per-Erik Hedman
- Art: Carlos Cruz
- First published in Fantomen Nr.17/2003 by Egmont, Scandinavia. Original cover shown on the left, thanks to Brian Jensen.
- Message from the Publisher:
Another new adventure in this issue! The Treasure in Ronda was scripted by Per-Erik Hedman and illustrated by Carlos Cruz and for Carlos, who lives in northern Spain, the story could not have been more ideal! With the bullfighting overtones and so much picturesque Spanish countryside to depict, Cruz obviously enjoyed the artistic challenge.
There is, as a matter of interest, such a place in Spain as Ronda! You will find it in any good map at the southern end of Spain, situated roughly midway between Seville and Malaga and close to Gibraltar, where The Phantom was heading before becoming embroiled in this adventure. The reference to "Andalusia" on the last page of the story, refers to the Andalusian region of Spain in which Ronda is placed.
Bullfighting continues and will probably always take place, throughout Spain. Sadly (and I'm one who is grateful the "sport" is prohibited in our part of the world!) it remains enormously popular not only in Spain, but Mexico and some other countries. So too, for reasons which continue to escape me, is the annual "Running of the Bulls" in Pamplona in northern Spain!
Covers for this issue are by Antonio Lemos, who I hasten to add, is not Spanish, but hails from Uruguay in South America.
Our next issue goes on sale on 19 September and that one will showcase another new adventure The Witches of Carpatia which originally appeared in Scandinavia in 1989 but has never been published by Frew. The story was written by the late Donne Avenell and illustrated by Carlos Cruz and you will have fun comparing The Witches of Carpatia with The Treasure in Ronda and studying the interesting style changes by Cruz. Carlos had a very slick, quite American style back in 1989, but over the years he developed his own, highly-detailed and more rounded approach to comic book stories. His work today is devoid of his old fine line detail, but is much more dramatic.
The Witches of Carpatia will be followed by Frew #1365 which will be a 100-page special featuring four stories - the classic Goggle-Eye Pirates and Mystery of Wamba Falls Inn with art respectively by Wilson McCoy (at his very best!) and Sy Barry, plus the new daily and new Sunday adventures from the United States - The Hit Men and Terror in Mawitaan. The two classics, which have been out of print for the best part of 16 years, will be presented in their original entirety and reproduced from new and exquisite art prints. Frew #1365 will be on sale on 3 October. Which means we are closing on both the 2003 Christmas Special and 2004 Annual Special editions! Both will include many completely restored Lee Falk classics, all of which are collector items in their own right.
Our 2003 Christmas Special will be the 1400th edition of The Phantom to be published by Frew and next year will represent 56 years of continual publishing of the adventures of The Ghost Who Walks by Frew, now the world's oldest producer of The Phantom comic book title - in any language!
|
