Torkan
Encyclopedia
Torkan is a heroic fantasy
comic strip
written and illustrated by Roger Fletcher
. It first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph
in 1976.
During the early 1970s, Fletcher began developing a comic strip about an Australian soldier-of-fortune, titled Nathan Cole - until he was introduced to the world of sword & sorcery by science-fiction writer Fritz Leiber
that would have a profound impact on his future. In particular, the pair of characters called Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
influenced Fletcher greatly.
Fletcher worked on a fantasy comic strip called Orn the Eagle Warrior in 1974, but the strip received no attention from publishers. Fletcher subsequently started drawing Torkan.
Torkan continues to win new generations of readers; something which Flectcher believes is attributable to the character’s enduring appeal. Fletcher claims; "the paradigm for heroic adventure was first written in the Bible, as David and Goliath. Whether it’s in Arthurian legend or Harry Potter, the paradigm itself doesn’t change much - but fashions do change."http://comicsdownunder.blogspot.com/2006/11/fletchers-twin-triumphs_09.html
Levels of violence in the stories have dropped since the strip’s early years.
Heroic fantasy
Heroic fantasy is a sub-genre of fantasy which chronicles the tales of heroes in imaginary lands. Unlike stories of sword and sorcery, heroic fantasy narratives tend to be intricate in plot, often involving many peoples, nations and lands. Grand battles and the fate of the world are common themes,...
comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
written and illustrated by Roger Fletcher
Roger Fletcher
Roger Fletcher is a prolific, award-winning Australian cartoonist and illustrator. His first comic strip, Torkan first appeared in the Australian Sunday Telegraph in June 1976 and his second comic strip, Staria, a tongue-in-cheek science fiction adventure, has appeared in the pages of the...
. It first appeared in the Sunday Telegraph
Sunday Telegraph
The Sunday Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961. It is the sister paper of The Daily Telegraph, but is run separately with a different editorial staff, although there is some cross-usage of stories...
in 1976.
During the early 1970s, Fletcher began developing a comic strip about an Australian soldier-of-fortune, titled Nathan Cole - until he was introduced to the world of sword & sorcery by science-fiction writer Fritz Leiber
Fritz Leiber
Fritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theatre and films, playwright, expert chess player and a champion fencer. Possibly his greatest chess accomplishment was winning clear first in the 1958 Santa Monica Open.. With...
that would have a profound impact on his future. In particular, the pair of characters called Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are two seminal sword-and-sorcery heroes appearing in stories written by Fritz Leiber . They are the protagonists of what are probably Leiber's best-known stories....
influenced Fletcher greatly.
Fletcher worked on a fantasy comic strip called Orn the Eagle Warrior in 1974, but the strip received no attention from publishers. Fletcher subsequently started drawing Torkan.
Torkan continues to win new generations of readers; something which Flectcher believes is attributable to the character’s enduring appeal. Fletcher claims; "the paradigm for heroic adventure was first written in the Bible, as David and Goliath. Whether it’s in Arthurian legend or Harry Potter, the paradigm itself doesn’t change much - but fashions do change."http://comicsdownunder.blogspot.com/2006/11/fletchers-twin-triumphs_09.html
Levels of violence in the stories have dropped since the strip’s early years.