Marvel UK fans may recall The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad, a wonderful fantasy strip that first ran in all 20 of the company’s short-lived STRIP, a title that initially featured a lot of creator-owned material in attempt to bring a British version of the Marvel US title EPIC Magazine to news stands here.
The Marvel UK version, published in 1990, was written by by Alan Grant and John Wagner, with art by Ian Gibson, and the story was completed in a collection by the same company the same year, and enjoyed collection overseas, too – as Les Terres d’Ombre in France, by publisher Zenda, and Die von Genghis Grimtoad, in Germany, by Splitter Verlag.
However, until this week, I had no idea that there was an earlier version of the same story, published in the IPC title now owned by Rebellion, Look Alive – with art by Angus McBride.
Running for just five issues, the title, edited by Kelvin Gosnell, the magazine also featured spot illustrations too, some by John Cooper, Carlos Ezquerra and Don Lawrence.
It was intended as a replacement for Look and Learn, a title perhaps best known for its “The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire” strip (which is still owned by TimeUK). While that ran for 20 years and 1000 issues, the last edition appearing in April, 1982, Look Alive, was clearly – and sadly – not the success its publishers surely hoped.
“The title was a lifestyle magazine for boys,” notes David McDonald of Hibernia Press, a company that specialises in limited edition British comic collections, “but neither the newsagents or the readers knew what to make of it.
“The magazine was a bit ahead of its time I think,” he feels. “I did one would wonder if it was sales that killed it, or perhaps some other reason. Five issues would not have been enough time to determine sales.”
Despite its short run, the title is clearly remembered with great fondness by those who did find copies at the time, including artists Mark Wayne Barrett, who counts the Angus McBride “Grimtoad” as one of many great inspirations in his early work, Graeme Neil Reid and David Roach, who as with many great British comic finds, alerted me and others to this earlier version of the strip.
Born in 1931 of Highland parents but orphaned as a child, Angus McBride, who died in 2007, was educated at Canterbury Cathedral Choir School. He worked in advertising agencies from 1947, and after National Service, emigrated to South Africa where he lived and worked, in Cape Town.
Like Don Lawrence and Roy Embleton, he was a mainstay when it came to providing art for Look and Learn, his work featuring in hundreds of issues of the educational title, as well as titles such as Bible Story, World of Wonder and Military Illustration.
One of the world’s most respected historical illustrators, he contributed to more than 70 Osprey titles over three decades from 1975 onwards and also provided art for some of Iron Crown Enterprises role-playing books.
The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad is set on Shadow-Earth, the kingdom of Haven under attack by the hordes of an evil wizard, Toadthrax. When Eric, the Prince of Haven, flees for his life, heading for the land of Torbeck and sanctuary, he’s accompanied by Queen Jade, the barbarian warrior Quanah, knight of the realm Sir Hakkem – and apprentice sorcerer, Genghis Grimtoad.
Naturally, the party are a target for the malevolent sorcery of Toadthrax… but you’ll have to buy a copy of the story (copies available for just £3.30 on amazon.co.uk!) to find out what happens…
Web Links
• Osprey Books featuring the work of Angus McBride
• Art by Angus McBride for sale on Illustration Art Gallery
• Angus McBride – The Guardian obituary
• Look and Learn: The History of Look and Learn
In November 2004, more than 20 years after the last issue of Look and Learn, a newly-formed private company, Look and Learn Ltd, acquired the rights to the trade mark ‘Look and Learn’ from IPC Media Ltd, and to the educational material in Look and Learn and various other magazines incorporated, directly or indirectly, into Look and Learn including: The Children’s Newspaper, Treasure, The Bible Story, Ranger, Speed & Power, Tell Me Why, World of Wonder, and World of Knowledge. IPC retained the rights to certain non-educational comic strips and, in particular, “The Rise and Fall of the Trigan Empire”.
The Chronicles of Genghis Grimtoad © Alan Grant, John Wagner & Ian Gibson
With thanks to Mark Wayne Barrett, David Hathaway-Price, David Roach, David McDonald and Graeme Neil Reid
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
Related Articles
-
New Kickstarter campaign launches in early 2025 to chronicle the Untold Story of Palitoy’s Star Wars Toys
-
Haruki Murakami Manga Stories 3: Scheherezade; Sleep arrives in April
-
Outside the Box: The Complete Doctor Who Art of Jeff Cummins available to preorder
-
Exclusive Battle Action “Hellman of Hammer Force” Sneak Peek!