 Current Frew Issue
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Message From the Publisher IT HAD TO HAPPEN! Lubanga has returned! Just when we thought The Phantom had dispatched this evil character (dig through your files for 'The Death of Lubanga', Frew No 1162, published in 1997), back he comes, alive and more than well enough to begin a new reign of terror in the jungle! Writer Tony De Paul and artist Heiner Bade have combines to create a hell-raising adventure called 'Messenger of Evil' and just as you have doubtless guessed, Lubanga is still on the loose on the final page. At this stage, even the Frew staff has no idea what the future holds for The Phantom and his seemingly never-ending battle with Lubanga, but it is clear enough this arch-villain will be back again - and probably sooner than we expect! Covers for this issue are by Antonio Lemos, who also rendered the hand-coloured covers for our last issue. There were many messages of congratulations for Antonio's last creation and we will ensure he is kept busy! In our next edition (No 1244) we will bring you a 100-page special featuring another new adventure, 'The Doomsday Sect', backed by two Lee Falk golden oldies, 'Queen Sansamor and the Sixth Man' and 'The Grove of the Sleeping Giant'. Both stories are circa 1956 and we have never managed to publish them in their entirety until our next issue! While there will be some unavoidable 'treatment' of some panels, both stories will be as close to the original as possible and no frames or sections of frames will be omitted. It's always a shame when some of Lee's vintage stories have to be even slightly re-assembled, but in the old days, daily and Sunday stories were designed for newspaper reproduction and precious little thought wa given to the problems to be faced by comic book publishers! Both stories are from Lee's daily chronology and in the Frew lists, neither have been in print since 1985. One thing I can promise you is that the quality of both old stories is superb and for that, thanks are once again due to King Features archivist Mark Johnson who has been unceasing in his search for pristine repros. Issue No 1244, complete with the three mentioned stories, goes on sale on 5 November, which leaves only four more editions until out 1999 Christmas Special and then the BIG ONE - the blockbuster Annual to start the year 2000 with the entire contents based on YOUR story selections. This super special issue is now largely assembled and all at Frew are delighted with the quality of the large selection of Lee Falk classics dating back to the late 1930s. Yet another collector's special coming your way! JIM SHEPHERD The Phantom � ™ 1999 King Features
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