Supergran

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BfK No. 29 - November 1984

Cover Story
Through star filled skies on Christmas Eve Kay Harker, in a sleigh pulled by eight unicorns and driven by Herne the Hunter, returns in triumph to Tatchester. The illustration on the cover of this issue of BfK is by Faith Jaques and is taken from The Box of Delights, a newly illustrated edition of John Masefield's classic children's book, abridged by Patricia Crampton and published by Heinemann, 0 434 95052 1, £7.95. A paperback edition (without colour plates) is available from Fontana Lion (0 00 572415 9, £1.50). We are grateful to Heinemann and Fontana for help in using this illustration.

Article Author:

Pat Triggs

Forrest Wilson's Supergran first appeared in paperback in 1980 and earned instant success with millions of readers. It was a genuine `children's choice' and word spread like the latest joke through schools and playgrounds with a rapidity and effectiveness which the book world would dearly love to copy if only it knew how.

Starting on Sunday January 6th (5.00 - 5.30) Supergran's amazing feats will be visible for 13 weeks in a series of new adventures specially written for Tyne Tees TV by Jenny McDade and Forrest Wilson. The advance publicity promises a `spectacular all-film comic drama'. Supergran will again be using her amazing strength and super powers to thwart the evil scheming of The Scunner and his assorted side-kicks.

Spurning conventional animation, producer, Keith Richardson, and his team of directors have gone for special effects based on live action. They called in the stunt arranger who worked on Superman and the Bond films and a whole team of stunt men and women. Gudrun Ure, who plays Supergran, did some of the stunts herself, hanging from a helicopter and riding the North Sea waves on a motorised surf board.

Supergran lifts cars, pole vaults over buildings and engages in an apparently endless series of chases using weird and wonderful forms of transport, some like The Skimmer, The Flycycle and the AGB (Anti-Gravity Belt) invented by Mr Black, the man whose magic ray machine turned Gran into Supergran in the first place.

With guest appearances by Billy Connolly (who also sings the title song), George Best, Geoff Capes, John Conteh, Spike Milligan, Lulu, and lots of others it looks like being popular Sunday viewing.

Puffin have two new collections of stories by Forrest Wilson, based on the series, which are ideal for young readers as well as dedicated older fans.

The TV Adventures of Supergran 0 14 03.1763 5

More TV Adventures of Supergran 0 14 03.1764 3. Both £1.25