MESSAGE FROM ME

Welcome to issue thirty-four of The Eye Shield. This issue, as requested, I provide some factual information about the Knightmare Dungeon and its origins in Deconstructing the Dungeon. The two current Eye Shield stories continue to progress into stirring accounts of brave adventures through the realm of Knightmare. Fans of the original Adventure Time format will rejoice when they learn that this section takes on once again its traditional role as the chronicles of continuing quests through the Knightmare Dungeon from this issue. We make our final visit to Castle Acre Priory in Norfolk. Plus, of course, all your regular favourites are waiting for you, so get reading!

CORRESPONDENCE

Here are some more contemplations from Joe Grocott-James. This time he turns his attention to the Knightmare books.

Dear Eye Shield.

With the Knightmare books, I thought that the first book, while simple, was more true to Knightmare than the rest, which were labelled Knightmare and had Knightmare characters in them, but their design was not all that true to the programme. In The Labyrinths of Fear, I thought the golden key must be important, as you can use it to unlock a door and find a coin with Arawn on one side. I thought that the coin must be important, but it is not used. I never realised this until you mentioned it in TES. Is the key a total red herring? Even with true Knightmare challenges like your Adventure Time, it is surprisingly difficult to complete the adventure first time. The only series-by-series Adventure Time I completed on my first attempt was series 4. The problem with written challenges is that it is tedious to go through everything again up to the point where you made the mistake. With Adventure Time, I think that, after series 8, you should go back to the original format.

There are loads of red herrings, like the key and the coin, in The Labyrinths of Fear, and, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s actually very hard to complete. I’m glad you’ve been attempting my series-by-series quests, but I’m sure you’ll be pleased to see that Adventure Time is back to normal this issue.

As you know, readers, I always jump for joy like a demented kangaroo when I receive an e-mail from an original TES reader. Happily, that rare but welcome occurrence has happened to me once again. Way back in the mists of time (1995 and 1996) Catherine Jackson provided the Dragon Queen stories for the first three issues of The Eye Shield, and was the first ever illustrator for Art Desk. Here is what she had to say about TES.

Dear Eye Shield.

I have been an avid reader of The Eye Shield since it began. I have been thinking about doing another Dragon Queen story; what do you think? I like the Adventure Time quests you have been running in the last few issues. I found them quite a good read.

I am pleased that you enjoyed my interactive quests, Catherine. I put a lot of time and hard scrutiny into those, so I’m glad at least some readers have been trying them out. I will be very pleased to include the third Dragon Queen story in future issues of TES. Thanks for getting in touch – it’s always a particular pleasure to me to hear from a fellow Eye Shield veteran. Keep reading.

Challenge question: Which three characters - two played by Clifford Norgate and one played by Zoe Loftin - did not speak their first words during their first appearance on Knightmare?

As usual, I’m eagerly awaiting some fresh correspondence, so please e-mail me with any articles, questions, thoughts, comments or contemplations about Knightmare or TES at eyeshield2002@hotmail.com