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Retro LEGO Comics/Storybooks/Animated Cartoons General Discussion


Sadie Meowsalot
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Sadie Meowsalot


Originally this topic was geared towards the discussion of the mid-80s LEGO Publishing Classic Space comic book series, Jim Spaceborn, but it's since expanded from its roots to encompass retro LEGO comics, storybooks, animated cartoons, and the like in general. I'm however retaining the original contents of the OP below to serve as this topic's initial subject of discussion and to maintain the flow of the topic. 

For the uninitiated, Jim Spaceborn was a Classic Space oriented LEGO comic book series authored and illustrated by Frank Madsen , and developed and produced in collaboration with LEGO's short-lived publishing division, LEGO Publishing from 1983-1987. The series was initiated after the production of an internal prototype Classic Space book titled Trapped in Space in 1983(from which Jim Spaceborn would later draw a good deal of its inspiration and story elements), written by Douglas Hill and illustrated with photographs. However, the book was never published as LEGO later scrapped the children's book concept, and thus gave birth to the Jim Spaceborn comic book series. The series comprised of three 48-page installments and a series of three 24-page mini-comics, the third installment and the series of mini-comics, however, were never published. Development began with a white 12-page test album "Mission Spyspids", after which a second test album with imagery on 31 pages, and the vast majority of the rest of the album's pages being blank merely to give it the feeling of a final album was produced, this one carrying the name "Jan Spaceborn: Galaxens Hemmelighed". Though the name Jan was later changed to Jim subject to being deemed politically explosive. Both the test albums, unlike the final releases, were hardcover books rather than paperback. Finally, Jim Spacborn 1: The Unknown Galaxy was produced, and published in 6 countries. After which development of the series' second installment Jim Spaceborn 2: The Kidnappers From Swamp Planet/Castle of the Darkmen commenced and was published in 5 of the aforementioned six countries excluding Denmark. The unpublished third installment was titled Panic On Board of which I've uploaded layouts provided by Frank Madsen, and the 3 mini-comics titled The Monorail Service, Cleaning Robot, and The Competition. 

According to Erik Dyhr Thomsen, LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager 1982-1988 LEGO Publishing was created by Keld Kirk Kristiansen, current owner of LEGO. His idea of LEGO Publishing was
that they should use LEGO bricks in various media, such as books and movies. 

Spoiler

"I assumed the LEGO Space with small minifigures . Here they had tried in the adventure books that were illustrated with photos of bricks in dramatic scenes . The problem was that the illustrations were not working. They looked like they were well - photos of plastic
bricks .You have to understand that at the time was LEGO bricks almost sacred and it was not allowed to change
anything . Also do not give the always smiling minfigure other faces.
After much effort , I was allowed to make a test album on LEGO Space as a comic .
I did this in collaboration on with a marketing agency Advance and artist Frank Madsen.
The first album was only 12 pages and contained no LEGO logo, because we wanted to test whether children could recognize the LEGO universe . They could and from there we made a test album where there were drawings on 31 pages and also some activity pages at the back of the book. We had , among other things shown how to make a comic. We changed this in the final album. The test was terrific and there was general agreement that it was the right way to quicken LEGO figures. We got published comics in 12 countries, but had great difficulty finding the right distribution. Should it be toy stores or bookstores ?
I ended my career on LEGO as development manager for Lego Publishing, which also made Fabuland films and books. LEGO Publishing closed in 1989 - we were simply 10 years too early .
Later, they have taken the idea up again, with not only making toys , but to work with actual concepts .
So our work has certainly been important."- Erik Dyhr Thomsen
 



I've been in contact for a good while now with Frank Madsen among a whole host of others on the series' development team and generally people who collaborated on the project. 
Frank has been instrumental in the discovery of a lot of the aforementioned, having generously provided the images of the entirety of the contents of the 1983 internal prototype book Trapped in Space, the layouts for Jim Spaceborn 3, the entirety of the initial 10-page test album of The Unknown Galaxy, 1984 and 1987 Jim Spaceborn character model sheets, the original pages of The Unknown Galaxy, some covers and layouts from some of the 3 unpublished mini-comics, and much more to come, some of which I've yet to upload and will edit into the original post when they become available.

He's also informed me that sometime in 1986 a Jim Spaceborn animated film was planned and produced in a Danish studio led by Jeffrey James Varab (a former Disney animator) and Jakob Stegelmen. Though development only reached the extent of a storyboard of the initial 10 minutes of the film. Soon after I contacted Jeffrey, and he told me that not only was a feature film based on the comics planned, but as well a series and video game. 

And if you have anything more to share with regard to Jim Spaceborn or any other retro LEGO comic or the like that hasn't been outlined or shared already please do so.

 
Retro LEGO Comics/Storybooks/Animated Cartoons List

Animated Cartoons:



Comics:                 

Spoiler

LEGOLAND                                                                     
Lasse och Lena frÃ¥n LEGOLAND(1963)[Allers Magazine]                                                                             
Developers: Rune Andréasson-Illustrator                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                     
LEGOLAND Advertising Series(1984-1988)                                                                                                     
Developers: Unknown                                                                                                          

LEGOLAND Comics Comic Book(1986)
Developers: Unknown



Space                                                                               
Classic                                                                                                            

Jim Spaceborn Test Album 1: Jan Spaceborn-Mission Spyspids(1984)[LEGO Publishing]    
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager,                    

Frank Madsen-Author/Illustrator                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                   
Jim Spaceborn Test Album 2: Jan Spaceborn-Galaxy Secret(1985)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager,                                           
Frank Madsen-Author/Illustrator                                                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                                   
Jim Spaceborn 1: The Unknown Galaxy(1986)[LEGO Publishing]                                                                  
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager, 
Frank Madsen-Author/Illustrator, Ole Kaarsberg-Art Director, Sussi Bech & Teddy
Halkier Kristiansen-Hand Colouring, Per Vadmand & Pernille Sparre-Literary Advisers,
Elspeth Barrier Larsen-Hand Lettering, Layout: ADVANCE

Jim Spaceborn 2: The Kidnappers From Swamp Planet/Castle of the Darkmen(1987)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager,                                     
Frank Madsen-Author/Illustrator                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                          
Jim Spaceborn 3: Panic On Board(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]                                                                                                      
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager, 
Frank Madsen-Author/Illustrator

Jim Spaceborn Mini-comic 1: The Monorail Service(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager, 
Frank Madsen-Author, Niels Roland & Gorm Transgaard-Illustrators

Jim Spaceborn Mini-comic 2: Cleaning Robot(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager, 
Frank Madsen-Author, Niels Roland & Gorm Transgaard-Illustrators

Jim Spaceborn Mini-comic 3: The Competition(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager, 
Frank Madsen-Author, Niels Roland & Gorm Transgaard-Illustrators


UFO
2-page German UFO Comic(1997)[Walt Disney's Donald Duck Sonderheft, Issue 151]
Developers: Unknown
Additional notes: Part of a UFO insert

Insectoids
2-part Insectoids LEGOLAND Windsor Comic(1998)[unknown]

Developers: Unknown


Castle
Crusaders

Castle Kids 1: The Robber Baron(1987)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator,
Stig Weimar-Colourist, Elspeth Barrier Larsen-Hand Lettering

Castle Kids 2: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator

Castle Kids 3: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator

Castle Kids Mini-comic 1: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator

Castle Kids Mini-comic 2: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator

Castle Kids Mini-comic 3: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Freddy Milton-Illustrator



Pirates

The Pirates 1: The Golden Medallion(1989)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: 
 Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Vincente Vanô-Illustrator

The Pirates 2: The Island of Mist(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]

Developers:  Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Vincente Vanô-Illustrator

The Pirates 3: Unknown(Unpublished)[LEGO Publishing]

Developers:  Jens Peder Agger-Producer/Editor,
Per Sanderhage-Author, Vincente Vanô-Illustrator

LES PIRATES et la malle au trésor(Unknown)[unknown]
Developers: 


1-page Pirates Comic(1989)[bricks 'n Pieces Magazine, Summer 1989, pg4]
Developers: Unknown


Time Cruisers


Timebuster Series(1994-1996)[Klick Magazine]

Developers: Kim Hagen-Author/Illustrator

Time Cruisers Series(1996-2000)[Klick/World Club Magazin]
Developers: Kim Hagen-Author/Ilustrator

Time Cruisers - Prinzenrolle Tie-in Comic: das Geheimnis um die Magischen Rätsel(1996)[World Club Magazin]
Developers: Kim Hagen-Author/Illustrator
Additional Notes: Exclusive mail-order comic book


Adventurers

Storybooks:

Spoiler

LEGOLAND

Adventure in LEGOLAND(1992)[Little Apple/Scholastic Books]
Developers: Carol Matas-Author, Elroy Freem-Illustrator
 
Safari Adventure in LEGOLAND(1993)[Little Apple/Scholastic Books]
Developers: Carol Matas-Author, Elroy Freem-Illustrator


Town
 
Space
Classic
Trapped in Space(1983/1984){Unpublished Internal Prototype}[LEGO Publishing]            
Developers: Erik Dyhr Thomsen-LEGO Publishing Product/Development Manager,
Douglas Hill-Illustrator

Insectoids
DK Interactive Puzzle Storybook: Insectoids Invasion(1998)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Anna Nilsen-Author, Philip Nicholson-Illustrator


Rock Raiders
Rock Raiders: An Interactive Puzzle Storybook(1999)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Anna Knight-Author, Roger Harris-Illustrator, Caryn Jenner-Editor,
Nick Avery & John Kelly-Designers, Cathy Tincknell-Managing Art Editor,
Joanna Devereux-Managing Editor

DK Readers Lv4: Race for Survival(2000)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Marie Birkinshaw-Author, Roger Harris-Illustrator,
Cynthia O'Neill-Senior Editor, Nick Avery-Senior Art Editor,
Karen Dolan-Senior Managing Editor, Jill Bunyan-DTP Designer,
Cathy Tincknell-Managing Art Editor, Chris Avgherinos-Production,
Linda B. Gambrell Ph.D-Reading Consultant,

Eileen Ramchandran-US Editor

Rock Raiders - High Adventure Deep Underground(2000)[LEGO Systems Inc.]
Developers: Alan Grant-Author, Sarah Camburn-Managing Editor,
Stephen Scanlan-Art Editor, Robin Smith-Storyboards



Castle

R
øuerridderne Kommer!(Unknown){Mock-up Prototype}[unknown]
Developers: Niels Milan Pedersen-Author

DK Interactive Puzzle Storybook: Castle Mystery(1998)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Unknown

Knights' Kingdom - Medieval Mischief and Mayhem(2000)[LEGO Media International]
Developers: Alan Grant-Author

DK Readers Lv2: Castle Under Attack(2000)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Nicola Baxter-Author, Roger Harris-Illustrator


Pirates

Pirates: The Royal Visit(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author, Jon Davis-Illustrator

Pirates: Will and the Gold Chase(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author, Sara Silcock-Illustrator

Pirates: Captain Roger's Birthday(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author, 
Sara Silcock & Christine Berrington-Illustrators


Pirates: Adventure on Shark Island(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author

Pirates: Captain Roger Smells Gold(Unpublished)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author

Pirates: Trouble on Pirate Island(Unpublished)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author

Pirates: Dark Shark to the Rescue(Unpublished)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: John Grant-Author

Pirates: Captain Roger's Activity Book(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Derek Dwyer-Ideas, David Mostyn-Illustrator

Pirates: Bo'sun Will's Activity Book(1990)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown


Adventurers
DK Interactive Puzzle Storybook: The Curse of the Mummy(1998)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Unknown

DK Interactive Puzzle Storybook: The Lost Temple(1998)[Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Unknown

Adventurers: Johnny Thunder(1998)[Penguin Books/Dorling Kindersley]
Developers: Unknown


Fabuland

Fabuland: The Fabuland Rainbow(1982)[Rivercross Learning Corp.]
Developers: Barbara Carlson-Author, Jerry Smath-Illustrator,
Michaelis/Carpelis Design Inc.-Design

 
Fabuland: Small Book - Bonnie Bunny(1983)[barron's]
Developers: Otto Davidsen-Author, Rolf Lagersson &
Christina Hartmann-Illustrators

Fabuland: Small Book - Boris Bulldog(1983)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Cathy Katze(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown
 
Fabuland: Small Book - Doctor Dog(1983)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Doktor Louise Lamm(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Donny Dogge(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Edward Elephant(1983)[barron's]
Developers: Grete Janus Hertz-Author, Rolf Lagersson &
Christina Hartmann-Illustrators

 
Fabuland: Small Book - Freddy Fox(1983)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Harry Pferd(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown
 
Fabuland: Small Book - Lionel Lion(1983)[barron's]
Developers: Knud Holst-Author, Rolf Lagersson &
Christina Hartmann-Illustrators

Fabuland: Small Book - Moe Maus(1983)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Morty Mouse(1983)[barron's]
Developers: Esther Jordan-Author, Rolf Lagersson &
Christina Hartmann-Illustrators

 
Fabuland: Small Book - Nessie Nilpferd(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Paul Papagei(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Percy Bar(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Small Book - Zensie Ziege(Unknown)
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Charlie Cat's Flying Circus(Unknown)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Billy Bear's Holiday(1984)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Catherine Cat's Birthday(1983)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Edward's Skyscraper(1983)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Henry's Night Out(1983)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Lionel Lion's New Car(1984)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Morty's New Job(1983)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Large Book - Ricky at the Restaurant(1984)[unknown]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Der heimliche Ausflug(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Abenteuer im Dunkeln(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Das Blumenlied(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: The Missing Fireworks(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: The Burblies(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Der rote Ball(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Der Wirbelwind(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: The Birthday Present(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: The Troll in the Mountain(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Edward's Butterfly(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Gespenster im Schnee(1987)[Carlsen Verlag/LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Max & Edward All At Sea(1986)[LEGO Publishing]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Edward gets the Hiccups/Wilfred's Treasure(1987)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Lionel's Party/Edward and the Camera(1987)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Edward Joins the Band/Clive's Kite(1988)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Lionel's Car/Edward to the Rescue(1988)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unkown

Fabuland: Christmas in Fabuland(1988)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown

Fabuland: Edward tries to help / Boris gets a scooter(1989)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: David Hately-Author, Michael Cole-Idea, Gaynor Berry-Design,
FilmFair-Film Stills/Illustration

Fabuland: Edward and the big balloon / A robot for Max(1989)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: David Hately-Author, Michael Cole-Idea, Nick Freestone-Design,
FilmFair-Film Stills/Illustration

Fabuland: Edward Goes Exploring(1986)[Ladybird Books]
Developers: Unknown
 
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Glad to see you finally posting all this stuff. I don't have much to say at the moment as I've already told you everything I think about this so far, but again, good work - this stuff has collectively been the Holy Grail of retro LEGO media for ages.

Oh, and as long as we're on the subject of these old LEGO Publishing comics, here's a shameless plug for my scans of Castle Kids: The Robber Baron, the first comic (and apparently the only released comic) from Jim Spaceborn's castle-themed counterpart:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=78925

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=521570

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=522746

To anybody else who finds this stuff interesting, if you haven't already, check out the Pirates comic (The Golden Medallion), the Pirates audio dramas that followed, and the assorted other audio dramas that came after that:

http://www.peeron.com/cgi-bin/invcgis/scans/6255-1/?ct=1

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=76762

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=85529

And if Jim Spaceborn is any indication, where there's LEGO media, there's even more unreleased/unfinished LEGO media...

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Sadie Meowsalot

Oh, and as long as we're on the subject of these old LEGO Publishing comics, here's a shameless plug for my scans of Castle Kids: The Robber Baron, the first comic (and apparently the only released comic) from Jim Spaceborn's castle-themed counterpart:

To expand on this, though of course you're already aware, but for anyone else who this might be of interest to, according to Mark Stafford in addition to Trapped in Space, there's a Castle equivalent prototype book, a copy of which is in the possession of Niels Milan Pedersen. Which prompts me to wonder if it's as to Castle Kids as Trapped in Space is to Jim Spaceborn.  
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Adding to jamesster's post, you can find most of the audio dramas in this YouTube playlist (although unless you speak German, they won't do much but provide something to read along to).

 

It will never cease to amaze me how far LEGO developed so many projects that ultimately never came to anything. A film, a television series, and a video game? And this all predates project Darwin by several years! (and brings the tally of canned LEGO TV series to 4 or 5, depending on the fate of the Adventurers one).

 

I hadn't realized LEGO Publishing was behind the Edward and Friends Fabuland TV show, although in retrospect it makes sense. I assumed the company petered out after the poor performance of Jim Spaceborn and Castle Kids.

 

The Trapped in Space book is fascinating. The minifigs predate the first officially produced minifigs with faces not built around the classic smile by 13 years.

 

All of this information on the development of both Jim Spaceborn and LEGO Publishing is wonderful to see. It's incredible that they were taking the possibility of stories with minifigs this seriously this early on. Thank you for your efforts in unearthing it all!

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Sadie Meowsalot

All of this information on the development of both Jim Spaceborn and LEGO Publishing is wonderful to see. It's incredible that they were taking the possibility of stories with minifigs this seriously this early on. Thank you for your efforts in unearthing it all!

You're most welcome. And you'll be pleased to know the storyboard for the first 10 minutes of the Jim Spaceborn animated film still exists, albeit in storage, and Jeffrey's agreed to scan it all for me whenever he next has the opportunity, which may be a while from now as he's very pressed with film work for the moment. 

Adding to jamesster's post, you can find most of the audio dramas in this YouTube playlist (although unless you speak German, they won't do much but provide something to read along to).
 

On the subject of audio dramas, I forgot to mention that a radio drama at one point was also produced from 5 pages of The Unknown Galaxy by P1's "Your Children's Books", which was a radio magazine of sorts. I'm working on hopefully acquiring this radio drama.

I'll also be looking into the development of Castle Kids, along with the Pirates books and comics.

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Sadie Meowsalot

Jeffrey said the video game was going to be in the same format as Dragon's Lair, correct? A laserdisc game?

Correct.

"We had planned the comics a series, feature film and game. The experimental Lego unit we worked with was really off the corporate grid. Hats off to Jakob for putting all the business together and overseeing the creative as he was instrumental in the whole thing."

"Jakob and I had a few years earlier started a game division after seeing Bluth's Dragons Layer Laser Disc arcade game. It was to be in that format as CG animation was yet to be perfected. Ironically, in the early 90's Spielberg had me go to ILM in San Francisco to head up a team on the then first live action/FX film Casper, where I met the Lucas team starting their new game division. Again, Jakob and I were a little ahead of our time"

"It took a while for Lego to move forward. Eventually the division we worked with was shut down. It wasn't until fresh minds came in that they started again moving towards new products, partnering with established IP's and eventually animation and games. Ironically it was a small group of our former staff, A Film, headed by Stefan that helped get them started."

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  • 5 months later...
Sadie Meowsalot

Not sure if this information belongs here, but I just received scans from Per Sanderhage (writer of the 1987 Castle Kids and 1989 The Pirates comics) of an unpublished Pirates comic "The Island of Mist", only it's in Danish so it'll need to be translated to English. I'll upload scans and link to the Brickshelf folder as soon as I can and as soon as it becomes publiic.

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Runamuck on the Eurobricks forums has been kind enough to offer his translation skills. You may remember that he also did most of the Pirates, Castle, and Time Cruister audio dramas as well.  Here's the first section:

 

Page 3, panel 1:

Flashfork: If you are so dissatisfied, then why don’t you eat somewhere else?

Panel 2:

Will: I wished we could… but we are at least 10 nautical miles from land!

Flashfork: Then swim!!

Panel 3:

Roger: I have a better idea… We’ll let you walk the plank, then you can swim to get some new supplies!!

Pirate: Aye! Aye!

Page 4, panel 1:

Flashfork: Now you are being unfair Captain Roger… there is no reason to be mad at me…

Roger: There isn’t?

Panel 2:

Roger: Yesterday we had boiled herring with pepper hardtack, the day before that we had herring with hardtack and pepper sauce, and the day before…

Panel 3:

Pirate: Ask him, what we will have for dinner today, Captain!

Flashfork: Eh…

Roger: Spit it out!!

Panel 4:

Flashfork: Herring stew with hardtack sprinkles and pepper…

Roger: Get the plank!

Panel 5:

Flashfork: Please listen… It’s not my fault, that the only ships that we have spotted, have been a fishing boat and a spice ship.

Roger: Are you suggesting that it is my fault?!!

Panel 6:

Roger: That is mutiny! Are you deliberately trying to get hanged?!

Panel 7:

Lookout: Sail to starboard!

Flashfork: Phew… of the hook!

Page 5, panel 1:

Will: Can you see anything, Roger?

Roger: Yes, You bet ya… beautiful… very beautiful…

Panel 2:

Roger: Ready the ship, Will… we’ll take them with ease!

Will: Them?!... Lend me that spyglass…

Panel 3:

Will: I hope I’m hallucinating.

Panel 4:

Roger: Hurry up, you bilge rats… Load the cannons and sharpen the knives, now we have to start working!!!

Will: Have you gone completely mad?!

Popsy: Ready the ship! Rork!

Panel 5:

Roger: Calm down Will… A certain freedom of speech can be tolerated on a pirate ship, but you have to show your captain a certain amount of respect…

Will: That is an entire Convoy! It would be suicide to attack!!!

Page 6, panel 1:

Roger: Listen, Will… you are not going to get blown away by that little convoy, are you…?

Will: You can bet your life that I will! Especially when it is escorted by Governor Broadside’s flagship!

Panel 2:

Roger: I’m shocked, Will… You are the son of the most feared pirate of the tropical sea, and still you are bothered by so little. You father would never have been bothered by that kind of thing…

Panel 3:

Will: Which also is the reason, why he is no longer among us.

Panel 4:

Roger: I will never forget his last words on the scaffold…

Will: Neither will I. He said: ~N~

Panel 5:

Roger: Oh, right… Before that he asked his old friends to make sure, that his son would follow in his wake as a pirate!

Panel 6:

Roger: And haven’t I raised you like my own son? There are not many people your age, who already have a 200 ducat bounty on their head…

Will: No… and thank you very, very much!!

Panel 7:

Roger: The why won’t you make your old foster father happy by attacking that convoy?

Will: Because I don’t want to get shot!!!

Page 7, panel 1:

Rummy: Yes, sorry… but while you have been yelling at each other, the convoy that turned away and is heading for Penzance…

Roger: What?!

Will: Phew…

Panel 2:

Roger: Now look what you have done! Now we have to attack Penzance!

Rummy: We can’t do that! There is a Fortress!!!

Panel 3:

Roger: I don’t care! I want to capture that ship! I’m sick of herring!

Will: Wait… I have an idea…

Panel 4:

Roger: Well, tell us, Will.

Will: Merchant ships can never get enough people for the crew… If some of our men could sneak into Penzance and get hired…

Panel 5:

Will: … then under the cover of the night they could capture the ship and sail it away from the convoy, and then we will have all the time in the world to ransack it!

Roger: You are a genius, Will!

Will: Ouch! Thank you…

Panel 6:

Roger: And to show you how much I appreciate your advice, I will personally come along with you to Penzance!

Panel 7:

Will: Me? I thought someone else should…

Roger: Don’t thank me! Let’s put a boat in the water…

Page 8, panel 1:

Roger: The convoy is probably sailing further towards Fort Sabre when they have loaded new supplies. You’ll wait in the Shark Bay until we return with a ship.

Panel 2:

Roger: Off we go, Will… new adventures await us…

Will: Well… I’m afraid, that it’ll consist of getting hanged…

Panel 3:

Popsy: Rork! All men to the guns!

Roger: Relax… It’ll be the easiest hijacking we have done in a long time.

Will: Maybe, but I wish that you had left Popsy on the Dark Shark!

Panel 4:

Roger: Why that??

Will: It can blow our cover!

Panel 5:

Popsy: No mercy! Let them walk the plank!

Roger: Hmm… I think I understand what you mean.

Panel 6:

Roger: So… now it’s a matter of finding the right ship…

 

More to come soon! Elements appearing in this comics that are also referenced in the Ladybird books and audio dramas include the Island of Mist/Fogs, the Ironram, Will's anchor tattoo and Will's father. I think this would have taken place after the original Pirate audio dramas, as the Ironram is destroyed here and Will already knows about his father.

 

TC

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lol username

Much thanks to everybody making this happen - this is fantastic stuff. Classic Pirates is sort of my personal gold standard/ideal for LEGO stuff, my favorite theme, for many reasons - but a major reason is the world created for it, portrayed in comic(s!) and books and audio dramas and a

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This is all incredible, thank you everyone.

 

Roger is such a fun character, it's great to get more of him. It's really neat to see the dynamic between him and Will be explored more - he's always acted as a father figure to Will and now we have an explanation for it, he was asked to raise Will by his father.

 

And the Islanders as Aztecs. We're still seeing Eldorado Fortress and the Black Seas Barracuda in this comic, implying that it was probably set for a 1990 or 1991 release. That definitely predates the Islanders line of sets, explaining the disparity between the Aztec and Polynesian influences. I wonder if the set line was a direct product of the Islanders being developed for this comic, or if their creation was independent.

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Sadie Meowsalot

Per Sanderhage also mentioned the existence of a third Pirates comic, though the series' illustrator Vincete Vano sadly died more than a decade ago. Per Sanderhage said Vano worked through an agent called Norma in Barcelona, Spain, which might still have some of his artwork in their files.

In other news, I'll have another opportunity to speak with Jakob Stegelmann about the scrapped Jim Spaceborn animated film project as soon as August 8th, and I now have Niels Milan Pedersen's address, enabling me to contact him about the aforementioned Castle-themed internal prototype storybook.

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The remainder of the comic, translated in record time by Runamuck and his brother: :)

 

Page 9, panel 1:

Will: Hmm… How about “The Flying Dolphin�

Roger: It is sitting too deep in the water… there are reefs in the Shark Bay!

Panel 2:

Roger: How about “The Precocious Flounderâ€â€¦

Will: Too slow. She… Watch out!

Panel 3:

Will: It’s Governor Broadside and Lt. De Martinet! If they see us…

Panel 4:

Broadside: … and make sure, that the Sea Lion II stays close to the flagship!

De Martinet: Yes sir, Mr. Governor.

Panel 5:

Will: Listen, you aren’t thinking about… ?!

Panel 6:

Will: We are picking another ship! We don’t want to get too close to Broadside! I refuse to take a job on the Sea Lion II! No way! Never!

Panel 6:

Roger: Is this where you can get a job on the Sea Lion II?

Page 10, panel 1:

Will: Of all the insane, completely idiotic ideas…!!

Panel 2:

Roger: Calm down, Will… If Broadside wants the ship to stay close to the flagship, it must mean, that it must be carrying something very valuable.

Panel 3:

Will: We’ll never get away with hijacking a ship right next to the flagship… And by the way you could help me with this!

Roger: Me? A captain does not do the work of a sailor, Will!

Panel 4:

Will: You took a job as an ordinary sailor! If we don’t get this done, the Bo ‘sun will get suspicious.

Roger: My dignity must be more important than the opinion of a Bo ‘sun! You will have to work for the both of us, Will!

Panel 5:

Will: Listen… What is that?

Roger: That over there? It’s the Island of Mist. It is always surrounded by a thick fog, and there are many dangerous cliffs, so no one has ever visited it…

Panel 6:

Will: They haven’t? There is somebody out there! Man over board!

Page 11, panel 1:

Captain: Hm… I think it’s just an Indian boy. We don’t have to worry about that…

Panel 2:

Captain: …Just keep sailing… Huh?

Roger: Will?!?

Panel 3:

Captain: Listen, young man. You have not been given permission to…

Panel 4:

1st Mate: Should we keep on sailing, Captain?

Captain: No. Unfortunately we can’t spare any men. Stop the ship…

Panel 5:

1st Mate: It is a waste of time. We might just as well keep on going…

Captain: What do you mean?

Roger: No, listen…

Panel 6:

1st Mate: They will be eaten by a shark any moment now!

Panel 7:

Captain: What a pity! Let me just have the spyglass. I have never seen anyone get eaten by a shark before…

Roger: Give me that pipe!

Page 12, panel 1:

Roger: A little down… half an inch to the left…

Panel 2:

Captain: What are you doing? Cannonballs are expensive…

Roger: Oh, shut up!!!

Panel 3:

Roger: Bull’s-eye!!!

Panel 5:

Captain: Nice shot, sailor. Have you served in the navy?

Roger: I… eh have actually… occasionally had the opportunity to be on the king’s ships, sir…captain…

Page 13, panel 1:

Captain: Well, help the two below deck, and let us get back to work. It’ll be dark soon.

Roger: Yes sir, captain.

Panel 2:

Will: I wonder, where did he come from…

Roger: Who knows… But by the way I’m very disappointed by you!

Panel 3:

Will: Wha’??

Roger: What were you thinking when you jumped overboard like that? If you had been eaten, our entire plan would have fallen apart!

Panel 4:

Will: Oh, right… Sorry! Really!!!

Roger: You have to learn to think of others than yourself… Well, back to work…

Panel 5:

Roger: Most of the men have hit the hammocks now. We’ll take out the 1st mate and the helmsman first and then we’ll lock up…

Will: One moment…

Kothu: Uhhhh…

Panel 6:

Kothu: Go home… Island of Mist… My boat capsized…

Will: It will turn out alright, buddy…

Roger: Come on…you are a pirate, not a nurse!

Panel 7:

Roger: Be quiet!

Will: What, do you think I invited an orchestra to come along…

Page 14, panel 1:

1st Mate: What a lovely quiet evening…

Helmsman: Yes, certainly…

Panel 3:

Roger: Good! Close and lock the hatches…

Will: On the way…

Panel 5:

Will: Done! And now let’s sneak off to the Shark Bay…

Panel 6:

Roger: Don’t worry! I’m a master at this! No one will notice anything!!!

Panel 7:

De Martinet: Sorry to disturb you, Governor Broadside… But the Sea Lion II has left the convoy.

Broadside: What?! How dare they? Follow them!!!

Page 15, panel 1:

Will: She seems a little heavy, captain…

Roger: Doesn’t matter… we’ll be in the Shark Bay soon…

Panel 2:

Rummy: Captain Roger is coming now!!

Roger: … and now we’ll quickly get her lightened…

Panel 3:

Pirate: What is in the cargo hold, Captain Roger? Gold? Jewels?

Rummy: Legs of lamb? Hams? Sausages? Rum?

Roger: Not even I know that. But it must be very valuable, because Broadside personally demanded that the ship should stay close to the flagship.

Panel 4:

Roger: Well, boys… what is our booty?

Flashfork: Sulk…

Panel 5:

Flashfork: Herring and pepper!

Page 16, panel 1:

Narration: Captain Roger has the captain brought before him…

Roger: What is this supposed to mean?! Where is the gold?

Captain: Gold? We don’t have any gold! We are carrying supplies!

Panel 2:

Roger: Don’t lie to me! Why did the governor then demand, that you should stay close to him?

Captain: Because the ship is Leaking! If there would be any trouble, we would not be able to make it on our own.

Panel 3:

Will: I told you so…

Roger: I know that! I know that!

Pirate: Dear fellow pirates! Our captain has let us down! I suggest, we throw him over board and pick a new one!

Panel 4:

Pirate: Aye! Aye!

Pirate: Get the plank!

Roger: Mutiny! Now we’re in trouble, Will!

Will: We’ve got even more, than you think…

Panel 5:

Will: …Because here comes Governor Broadside and his ships!

Panel 6:

Rummy: How much of a head start can we get?

Roger: Not enough! They’ll catch us, unless we can hide somewhere…

Kothu: Maybe I can help…

Page 17, panel 1:

Will: Do you know a hiding place where we could sail to?

Kothu: Yes… but we have to get out of this bay…

Panel 2:

Roger: Very well… we have to take that chance. Don’t say any more before we are back on the Dark Shark… The captain here should better not tell Broadside where we are going… Off we go, people!

Panel 3:

Roger: We’ll discuss your little mutiny attempt later, young man!!

Pirate: You don’t have to take it so personally, captain…

Panel 4:

Roger: Well, where is the hiding place, little buddy?

Kothu: That way… there is a bay at the Island of Mist!

Rummy: Set all sails, you bilge rats!!

Panel 5:

Roger: The island of mist? It is impossible to sail in there! No one has ever been in there!

Kothu: But I live there!

Panel 6:

Rummy: This is madness! We’ll run aground and sink!

Roger: Better sink than get hanged! We’ll try!

Panel 7:

Roger: You want us to sail into that pea soup?

Kothu: We have to get to the other side of the island…

Panel 8:

Kothu: There! Sail in along the right side of that cliff…

Page 18, panel 1:

Roger: I hope you know what we are doing, lad!

Kothu: 1…2…3…4…5…

Panel 2:

Kothu: 37…38…39…40… turn five hand widths to the right…

Roger: Five what? No matter… we’ll try… two degrees to starboard, Will… I hope!

Panel 3:

Kothu: 76…77…78… Now a moons width to the left… 79…80…

Roger: Of all insane ways to sail… try four degrees to port, Will…

Panel 4:

Kothu: 160…Now we are at my home…

Panel 5:

Roger: I’ll be darned…!

Page 19, panel 1:

Mother: Kothu! We were so worried!

Chief: Where have you been for all that time?

Panel 2:

Kothu: My boat capsized, while I was fishing, and then someone picked me up, and then someone else hijacked the ship, and then someone else came and then…

Panel 3:

Chief: What?

Roger: It’s a long story, Mr. Chief…

Panel 4:

Roger:  But right now I’m mostly eager to know what Aztecs are doing so far away from the main continent..?

Chief: That is also a long story…

Panel 5:

Chief: … but you would probably like some refreshments. Follow me, we’ll talk while we eat…

Panel 6:

Will: This is a wonderful hiding place…

Roger: Yes, I would really like to see Broadside’s face right now…!!

Panel 7:

Broadside: What do you mean that they are “gone�!!!

Page 20, panel 1:

De Martinet: We lost sight of them when they sailed around the island. They must have seized the opportunity to slip away.

Captain: Maybe the ship has sunk…?

Panel 2:

Broadside: It is said, that those who should hang will not drown… and I will see Captain Roger get hanged!!

Panel 3:

Broadside: Did Roger and his runt of a Bo ‘sun say nothing about their plans? Did they talk to any of your crew?

Captain: No… They kept to themselves. Yes, they talked with the Indian boy, but they took him along with them, so…

Panel 4:

Broadside: Indian boy? What Indian boy?

Captain: Just a little lad, who was capsized with his canoe, who we picked up…

De Martinet: Impossible! No Indian tribe lives here, unless…

Panel 5:

De Martinet: … Unless… no, that is too unlikely… but…

Broadside: …. On the other hand… is there any other explanation?

Panel 6:

De Martinet: … And if there is one Indian…

Broadside: …There must be a whole tribe… And you can get a lot of money for Indians on the slave marked…

Panel 7:

Broadside: You and the rest of the convoy keep on going! Roger must have found a way in, but sooner or later he will have to come out again.

Panel 8:

Broadside: …And when he comes out, we’ll be waiting for him…

Page 21, panel 1:

Roger: I have to admit, I’m astonished. The Aztec empire collapsed many years ago, didn’t it?

Chief: Yes…

Panel 2:

Chief: “When the foreign troops arrived at our empire in Mexico we underestimated them, and before we realized it, they had conquered us.â€

Panel 3:

Chief: “To make a bad situation worse, the people that we had oppressed entered the conflict, and a little group of our ancestors fled to the coast…â€

Panel 4:

Chief: “They built a number of boats and sailed out to sea hoping to find a safe place to settle…â€

Panel 5:

Chief: They reached this island and built this city, and since then we have been living here…

Will: But how did your ancestors find their way through the fog?

Panel 6:

Kothu: Oh… There was no fog surrounding the island back then…

Chief: Thank you, our guests can always be told that story another time… Since they will stay here for the rest of their lives, there will be plenty of time!

Roger: What?!?

Page 22, panel 1:

Roger: What are you blathering about? We’ll sail, when we see it fit!

Chief: Without a local guide you’ll never get through the fog…

Panel 2:

Chief: You do understand, that we cannot allow strangers to know of our existence.

Roger: Don’t be silly! We can easily force people to move out of our way! We aren’t exactly defenseless…

Panel 3:

Rummy: …they don’t seem particularly defenseless either…

Panel 4:

Roger: This is madness! The Dark Shark is filled with bloodthirsty pirates, and they have cannons…

Chief: … that they won’t use so long you are in our clutches.

Will: You can’t possibly capture the Dark Shark with your weapons!!

Panel 5:

Chief: Why should we! Sooner or later you men will run out of food and water and will have to surrender.

Will: What a nice way to show your gratitude, we saved your son!

Panel 6:

Chief: I am grateful… that is why we didn’t sacrifice you to our gods immediately… But that can still be done, if you get too bothersome!

Page 23, panel 1:

Roger: They have even taken our weapons! I feel naked!

Rummy: Our friend here will show where we are going to live, so I’ll go with him and look.

Panel 2:

Will: Listen, I want to take a look at your temple pyramid. Is that alright?

Kothu: Yes…I’ll show you the way.

Panel 3:

Will: What is that round thing at the top?

Kothu: That is the Spheregod…the protector of the town…

Panel 4:

Kothu: We used to sacrifice people to him, but we don’t do that anymore…not very often anyway…

Roger: How calming!

Panel 5:

Roger: I have seen many weird things, but this one takes the cake…

Kothu: It is the Spheregod that makes the fog…

Panel 6:

Kothu: The spheregod stands on top of a volcanic spring…When the priest burns the leaves of rare trees in the god’s mouth, the smokes mixes with the steam from the spring…

Panel 7:

Kothu: ...and the fog is made, which is led down to sea. The priest decides how thick the fog should be by turning the jewel on the god’s nose.

Panel 8:

Will: Incredible! Aren’t you impressed Captain Roger?

Roger: Yes, most certainly! That is the biggest jewel I have ever seen!

Page 24, panel 1:

Roger: D-do you have more of those?

Kothu: No, unfortunately…

Panel 2:

Roger: Oh well, I guess that was too much to hope for…

Kothu: …that was the biggest one from the two baskets full of jewels that my ancestors brought with them…

Panel 3:

Roger: Two baskets full of jewels?!

Will: Uh…Captain Roger…

Kothu: Yes, do you want to see them?

Panel 4:

Roger: Yes!!!

Will: No!!!

Kothu: They are right over here…

Panel 5:

Roger: That much…?!

Kothu: Yes…it is pretty, isn’t it?

Will: I think we should go now Captain…

Panel 6:

Roger: That is a fortune Will! I must have it!

Will: Even if you could get your hands on it, we are trapped here!

Panel 7:

Roger: Kothu used numbers on the way in here…when he reached a certain number, he knew where there was a reef. To get out you just have to count backwards.

Will: Sure! But can you remember what the numbers were? I didn’t write them down!

Panel 8:

Popsy: 40…two degrees to starboard…78…four degrees port!

Panel 9:

Roger: What did you say?!

Popsy: 40…two degrees to starboard…78…five degrees port. Rork!

Page 25, panel 1:

Roger: Did you hear that? Popsy remembers it! We can get away!

Will: Yes… And Kothu finished with 160… Then we can just count backwards.

Panel 2:

Roger: Great! We’ll sneak out to the Dark Shark, get the crew, take the treasure and run away!

Will: Great plan…!

Panel 3:

Roger: Well, if I have to say so myself, then…

Will: And what are you going to do about the 300 armed Aztec warriors who live in the town?

Panel 4:

Roger: 300…?

Will: Don’t you think that they might try to stop us from running off with their gold?

Panel 5:

Roger: Maybe… people only think of themselves…

Will: Yes! Let us wait until it gets dark, find our weapons and sail away with the Dark Shark...

Panel 6:

Roger: But…Will, all that gold…

Will: Stop and try to get a little sleep.

Panel 7:

Will: Come… it’s all clear…

Panel 8:

Will: Darn… They have put a guard in front of the room with our weapons!

Roger: It’s sad how people don’t trust each other these days! Well, I have an idea…

Page 26, panel 1:

Guard: Hey! You are not allowed to be here…

Roger: We just had to… Hey, did you know your shoe buckle was untied?

Panel 2:

Guard: Shoe buckle? I’m not even wearing any…

Panel 3:

Guard: …shoes!

Panel 4:

Will: There! Now we just need to get Rummy and Jimbo.

Roger: They were given a room right down here…

Panel 5:

Roger: Wake up, Rummy! We have found a way to escape…

Rummy: Hmmfff…?

Panel 6:

Will: But… Where is Jimbo?!

Panel 7:

Roger: Where the N!!@êê is Jimbo?

Rummy: He and Kothu went up the other mountain to look at the stars

Panel 8:

Roger: The stars???

Rummy: Yes, these darned Aztecs are interested in those kinds of things, and they have a place up there for that…

Page 27, panel 1:

Will: We can’t leave our cabin boy here, captain…

Roger: Did you believe that I could even dream of doing that…?

Panel 2:

Roger: …But when I get my hands on that kid, he won’t be able to sit down for a week or so!

Panel 3:

Roger: You are the fastest runner of us Will! Run up and find him, then…eh… Rummy and I will wait at the pier…

Will: Ay, ay, captain.

Panel 4:

Roger: Come, Rummy!

Rummy: But this is not the way to the pier!

Panel 5:

Roger: I know that! We just have a little errand first…

Panel 6:

Will: Sorry… Is this the way to the observatory?

Guard: Wha…? Eh… Yes, but what…

Panel 7:

Will: Thanks!

Page 28, panel 1:

Kothu: … And by following the stars path we can calculate the length of the year…

Jimbo: Clever! Can you see where the planets are right now?

Panel 2:

Will: Jimbo! Come with me, quickly! We are leaving now!

Kothu: Leaving? You can’t just leave! You don’t know the way out!

Panel 3:

Will: Yes, Kothu… We have discovered how we get out. Come Jimbo. The captain and Rummy are waiting at the pier…

Panel 4:

Will: …At least I hope so…

Panel 5:

Rummy: We can’t carry any more now. Let’s get out of here, captain!

Roger: Just one tiny thing more…

Panel 6:

Rummy: I have a bad feeling about this, captain…

Roger: Just a little nudge more…

Panel 7:

Roger: There we go!

Panel 8:

Rummy: It’s making a strange sound!!!

Roger: Doesn’t matter, let’s take off!!!

Page 29, panel 4:

Roger: Looks like we got something out of the trip after all. When we’re out on the open sea we’ll celebrate.

Rummy: Yes, celebration is a good thing…

Panel 5:

Chief: …And at dawn you can participate in a very special celebration… Where we sacrifice the thieves to Spheregod!!!

Panel 6:

Rummy: If you have a plan I would bloody well like to hear it, captain.

Roger: We are done for! And Will is probably going to walk right into the trap too! Unless…

Panel 7:

Roger: Find Will, Spinoza! Give him this! Got it? Will!!

Panel 8:

Roger: Find Will! Go!!!

Panel 9:

Roger: Find Will! Find…

Page 30, panel 3:

Will: Spinoza?

Jimbo: What is that he’s got in his hand?

Panel 4:

Kothu: That is the jewel from the Spheregod’s nose… the one that regulates the fog!

Will: Those idiots!!!

Panel 5:

Kothu: You can’t do anything, Will… If they have stolen from the Spheregod, they will be sacrificed…!

Will: There must be a way out…

Panel 6:

Roger: Listen, let’s not go to extremes now… I have apologized…

Will: Oh no…

Panel 7:

Kothu: Hey, you can’t shoot my father!!!

Will: I know that! But I have to do something…

Page 31, panel 1:

Will: Cannons…?

Panel 2:

Roger: The Fog is gone! Broadside has gotten in!!!

Panel 3:

De Martinet: The Dark Shark is far inferior to us! And when we have sunk her…

Broadside: …We’ll take the city, and after that I can earn a fortune by selling the inhabitants as slaves!

Panel 4:

Warrior: The fog is gone! How…?

Chief: We don’t have time to think about that now! We must defend the city!

Panel 5:

Roger: Will? Good to see you… I was almost starting to get worried…

Will: There is no reason to stop being that…

Panel 6:

Roger: Why? The Indians are occupied with other things now!

Will: Broadside has brought all of De Martinet’s regiment with him on the Iron Ram…And they are not any gentler than the Aztecs!

Page 32, panel 1:

Jimbo: Can’t we? What are you doing, Kothu?

Kothu: Asking the Spheregod to protect us!

Panel 2:

Roger: This is not the right time for superstitions, lad!

Kothu: All our legends say, that the Spheregod will protect us!

Panel 3:

Will: There is a chance… Come, hurry!!!

Panel 4:

Roger: This is you most crazy idea so far, Will!

Will: Shh. We have to wait for the Iron Ram to be in the perfect position.

Panel 5:

Will: Now!

Panel 6:

Roger: This is one unusually heavy god!

Will: Hurry up!!!

Panel 7:

Roger: There it goes!!

Page 33, panel 2:

De Martinet: Eh… Sorry Mr. Governor… but there appears to be a giant ball flying towards us.

Panel 3:

Broadside: What is kind of nonsense… I… Help??!!!

Panel 4:

Roger: … and I promise by my pirate honor never to tell on you…

Chief: I’m glad to hear that… We have put the Spheregod back in its place, but just to be on the safe side…

Panel 5:

Chief: … I have had my son teach your parrot something other than the route in here…

Popsy: Polly want’s a cracker! Rork!

Page 34, panel 1:

Roger: I wonder, who gave him that idea, eh, Will?

Chief: And if you now would be so kind to bring those soldiers out to the open sea, so we can lay out our fog shroud again…

Panel 2:

Roger: Have you seen those cliffs? Once they’ll be covered by fog we’ll never be able to find our way back!

Panel 3:

Roger: From here on you will have to make it on your own! Someone will pick you up soon!..

De Martinet: That can take days… and we have neither water nor food.

Panel 4:

Roger: Hmm… you know what… I will let you buy a little food. We have some leftover herrings and some pepper hardtack, which you can get for the content of that chest…

Broadside: What? That is a fortune. This is pure…pure…

Panel 5:

Roger: …Piracy? Yes, what else.

Panel 6:

De Martinet: Would you like your herring to be served boiled, Mr. Governor?

Broadside: That is not necessary! I’m boiling with anger on my own!!

The end

 

TC



 

And the Islanders as Aztecs. We're still seeing Eldorado Fortress and the Black Seas Barracuda in this comic, implying that it was probably set for a 1990 or 1991 release. That definitely predates the Islanders line of sets, explaining the disparity between the Aztec and Polynesian influences. I wonder if the set line was a direct product of the Islanders being developed for this comic, or if their creation was independent.

 

I'm really starting to wonder whether there wasn't some kind of LEGO Pirates Story Bible that was written when the theme was released. It'd explain why we have a ship named "Sea Lion II" here, and a tribe of natives living on an island shrouded by fog in this story and the much later "Island of Scary Masks" audio drama. That really seems to be the connective tissue between these two stories; otherwise the group of stranded Aztecs isn't much like the later Islanders at all.

 

TC

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Sadie Meowsalot

A suggestion for anyone who'd like to edit the English translation into the comic: first take the characters from the speech bubbles in the original and use that to create a custom font to ensure it appears authentic. 

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The font from the English version of "Golden Medallion" might be a better source. I think we may be able to tweak the translation to make it a bit more readable--Runamuck and I are working on a similar effort for the audio dramas.

 

TC

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Sadie Meowsalot

I'm just using this topic now as grounds for the general discussion of retro LEGO comics and the like with exception to things we already have topics geared towards like the 1994-2000 Klick/World Club magazine TimeBuster and TimeCruisers comics as it's more convenient and centralized than having a number of topics centered purely around a given comic/storybook/animated cartoon, and its contents will still be indexed by google for anyone looking to learn about any of the media discussed herein. I've updated the OP and topic title accordingly.

With that said I wanted to share something of recent interest to me:

Initially I discovered this obscure German Islanders comic book on Brickshelf, the title of which translates to "The Hunt for the Inca Gold". I tried doing some research on this, but I didn't return any directly relevant results, though I did find these two German articles detailing a German Islanders exhibit under the same name:
http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/archiv/klasse-5e-besichtigte-ausstellung-in-der-hellersdorfer-einkaufspassage-der-lego-schatz-des-spree-centers,10810590,9374198.html
http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/archiv/spree-center-zeigt-lego-ausstellung-abenteuer-im-dschungel,10810590,9357452.html

It's possible the two could be linked given they're both German, they share the same name, and at least one of the articles mentions the exhibit features huge figures, and on the cover of the comic book appears a large islander model with a shield. I'll try to look into it further, but I'd like to know what anyone else thinks. 

 

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Initially I discovered this obscure German Islanders comic book on Brickshelf, the title of which translates to "The Hunt for the Inca Gold"

 

How much of this comic do we know of? All you have there is the front page... perhaps it isn't a comic or even something with words? Maybe it was the last page of an instruction manual or something? It's probably not the instruction manual, but I'm not quite sure why you state "it's a comic book." I'm not at all certain that it is.

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Sadie Meowsalot

How much of this comic do we know of? All you have there is the front page... perhaps it isn't a comic or even something with words? Maybe it was the last page of an instruction manual or something? It's probably not the instruction manual, but I'm not quite sure why you state "it's a comic book." I'm not at all certain that it is.

It's under a Brickshelf sub-folder in the same user gallery titled 'Comic-Books' including 4 other pieces of media we know to be comic books (Jim Spaceborn: The Uknown Galaxy, Jim Spaceborn 2: The Kidnappers from Swamp Planet/Castle of the Darkmen, Castle Kids: The Robber Baron, and The Pirates: The Golden Medallion), so there's a good chance it is indeed a comic book. 
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The eBay seller that listed the Prinzenrolle/Time Cruisers comic also has these for sale:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tollsten-Geschichten-von-DONALD-DUCK-151-Lego-Beilage-/371193942656?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item566ce21280

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elin-Bing-Susanna-Hartmann-Das-VERSCHWUNDENE-FEUERWERK-Lego-Buch-1-Auf-1986-/371190981957?pt=Kinder_Jugendb%C3%BCcher&hash=item566cb4e545

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Die-TOLLSTEN-GESCHICHTEN-von-DONALD-DUCK-147-Ehapa-1996-mit-LEGO-BEILAGE-/351234307812?pt=Comics&hash=item51c73236e4

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3x-SILBERPFEIL-im-Sammelband-23-177-179-181-Bastei-mit-Reklame-FELIX-LEGO-/351234308602?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_77&hash=item51c73239fa

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZACK-Nr-21-vom-6-10-1977-tolles-Geburtstag-Geschenk-JULIE-WOOD-LEGO-TECHNIK-/371199706561?pt=Comics&hash=item566d3a05c1

 

Donald Duck and Co. plus some other things that seem to have notable LEGO content of some sort in them (plus a Fabuland book from LEGO Publishing, I believe). Google Translate dump:

 

[with an original leaflet:

LEGO ADVERTISING ISSUE:

Chamon the Alien by Zotax

with 2 sides Lego Alien Comic]

[LEGO-SIGN as LEAFLET !!!]

[(2 Felix comic advertising pages: LEGO DUPLO +)]

to 1e advertising page for:
LEGO TECHNIC]

 

I don't have the money for these right now, but if someone else does, go for it. Especially the first Donald Duck mag with the Insectoids/UFO crossover comic.

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Especially the first Donald Duck mag with the Insectoids/UFO crossover comic.

Seeing "Chamon" and "Zotax" in the same sentence is interesting. I'd get it, but I'm a bit hesitant to do so, as I'll be on a road trip over the holidays, and whoever delivers the mail tends to mix stuff up sometimes, so I prefer to be home and monitoring the all the mail when I'm expecting something. It'd probably turn out ok, but still... Maybe it'd arrive before I leave. Maybe it'd arrive after I return home. I could ask family at home to watch for it too.

I'll try to get it if nobody else immediately can/wants to, but if somebody else wants to get it and scan it, that'd be good.

Edit: Oh heck with it, buying it.

Edit: Bought. "Estimated Delivery within 6-18 business days".

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Sadie Meowsalot

It seems like Donald Duck & Co. has featured LEGO comics for a while given that it ran that one series centered around a boy and girl playing with LEGO from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s that we still don't know much about, and added that we're seeing comics tied to the magazine well beyond that as well. This piques my curiosity as to exactly how many comics the publication has contained throughout time, and to what extent.

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Sadie Meowsalot

Here's another Donald Duck magazine of some sort containing some kind of LEGO content: http://www.ebay.it/itm/Topolino-n-1403-17-ott-82-Pubblicita-LEGO-Walt-Disney-Mondadori-/131284532514

Also, some more things among the plethora of stuff jamesster and I discovered last night:

I think it's pretty clear now that the 'Legoland Series' described on this page refers to the LEGOLAND advertising comics we've found on Brickshelf and eBay, especially given this particular comic as it seems to fit the scenario described quite well. Moreover, also as described, these are unilateral advertisements, and short stories with continuity between them, some of which end in cliffhangers. However, they appear in at least three more languages than just Swedish. There's also this early 1984 LEGOLAND comic of the same kind, but with a different art style: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAzNFg4NTg=/z/5WoAAMXQ6BRRXx5T/$T2eC16Z,!)8E9s4l8!d(BR()5T)wTg~~60_57.JPG

Additionally, there's this two-part Insectoids comic apparently advertising some annual fireworks show at LEGOLAND Windsor somehow involving Insectoids: http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMTYz/z/nHUAAMXQRPRTJDmT/$_57.JPG
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxMTYz/z/c9MAAOxykMpTJDl5/$_57.JPG

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